Chapter 197: Her speech 2

Kaden leaned back in his chair.

His voice wasn’t loud enough to sound like a formal reprimand, yet it carried through the surrounding tables with effortless clarity.

The whispers stopped. One by one, conversations died away until the immediate area fell silent.

Kaden’s expression remained relaxed, almost casual, but the coldness in his tone served as a sharp reminder.

This wasn’t some ordinary gathering where guests could freely insult whoever they pleased. This was the Alpha King’s wedding.

Kaden let the silence linger for a moment before turning his attention back towards the stage. Yuki was still standing there, the microphone hovering near her lips.

At the elevated table, Alexander didn’t hear the whispers, but his gaze darkened at the development. He could read every tiny change in Aevia’s expression. The tightening of her fingers around the bouquet. The brief widening of her eyes. The way her shoulders had gone rigid. His hand found hers beneath the table.

’What is wrong?’ he asked through their mind-link, his voice calm but edged with concern.

Aevia startled slightly and turned towards him. For a moment, she simply stared at her husband as though she had forgotten he was there. Then she blinked. ’Nothing,’ she replied smoothly. ’Yuki is just nervous.’

Alexander’s eyes narrowed. It was an obvious lie. If Yuki was nervous, why was she staring at the entrance? And why had Aevia been staring at the exact same place? His gaze shifted towards the area they had both been watching.

A decorative pillar stood there and nothing else. Alexander frowned and slowly searched the surrounding area, but he saw no stranger, no suspicious guest and nothing that could possibly explain the sisters’ behaviour. Something was very wrong. His attention shifted towards his sons.

Kieran was frowning at Yuki. Kaden looked equally confused. Even Killian’s otherwise unreadable expression had tightened slightly. All three seemed to be looking towards the same empty space and Yuki. Alexander’s jaw tightened. What is happening?

His gaze moved towards the Master of Ceremonies. The man seemed to understand the situation immediately. He stepped closer to the stage and leaned towards Yuki, keeping his smile fixed for the audience.

"Miss Donovan," he whispered discreetly, "you may continue. You’re keeping everyone waiting."

Yuki blinked. The whispers around the room finally registered. She looked across the audience, taking in the hundreds of faces staring back at her. Nobody was looking at the silver-haired man. Her heart lurched.

Was it possible? No, it couldn’t be. She slowly glanced towards the pillar. He was still there. Watching her. Can they really not see him?

Before she could make sense of it, the man pushed away from the pillar. He started walking. Straight towards her table. Yuki’s breath caught as he passed between the tables without a single person reacting to him.

A servant carrying a tray walked directly past him without even turning his head. The silver-haired man reached the Ravencourt table. There was one empty chair. Yuki’s chair. He pulled it out and sat down. No one reacted. Not Kieran. Not Kaden. Not Killian. Yuki stared at him, unable to tear her gaze away. They really can’t see him.

Her fingers tightened around the microphone. Kieran noticed. His gaze moved from Yuki’s face to the empty chair beside him, and his frown deepened. Why does she look so pale? his wolf asked internally, but Kieran had no answer.

The silver-haired man crossed one leg over the other and leaned back comfortably. Then his voice slid into Yuki’s mind. Of course they can’t.

Yuki nearly dropped the microphone. The same voice. The same calm, infuriating voice from the Great In Between. She forced her face to remain neutral, but the shock must have shown because Kieran’s eyes narrowed.

’If you don’t stop staring at an empty chair, they’re going to start thinking you’ve finally lost your mind,’ the man drawled mockingly.

Yuki swallowed. Her gaze flickered towards Aevia. She tried to reach for her sister through their mind-link but couldn’t. Yuki tried again. Still nothing. Panic fluttered beneath her ribs. Why can’t I reach her? She forced herself to breathe before slowly turning away from the silver-haired man. The Master of Ceremonies gave her an encouraging nod. Yuki cleared her throat.

"Sorry," she said, offering the audience an embarrassed smile. "I seem to have lost my train of thought for a moment."

A few polite chuckles travelled through the room. She tightened her grip on the microphone before letting her gaze settle on Aevia. Her sister was staring back at her, still tense and clearly shaken, but Yuki refused to let this strange interruption ruin the moment. Not tonight. Not for Aevia. She smiled.

"I don’t really know where to start," Yuki began, her voice carrying softly through the dome. "I have so much to say that if I say everything, we might still be standing here when the reception ends."

A ripple of laughter moved through the guests. Even Alexander’s lips curved slightly. Aevia’s eyes softened. Yuki took a slow breath. "But there is one thing I know for certain." Her voice became warmer. "I am happy that Aevia finally found happiness."

Aevia’s lips parted slightly. Yuki looked directly at her.

"For most of my life, my sister has been the person standing behind me. Whenever I needed something, she was there. Whenever I was afraid, she was the one I thought of. Whenever I made a mistake, she was always ready to help me clean it up."

A few guests smiled. Yuki’s fingers tightened around the microphone.

"And when I say she is my sister, that doesn’t quite explain what she means to me." Aevia’s eyes began to glisten. "She is my family. My protector. My safe place." Yuki swallowed, her voice softening. "And honestly, she has been more of a mother to me than a sister."

The room became quieter. Aevia lowered her eyes for a moment as she fought the tears gathering there. Yuki smiled through the ache in her chest.

"She sacrificed so much for me. Things I didn’t understand when I was younger. Things I probably still don’t fully understand now. She always put me first, even when it meant putting herself last."

Aevia’s fingers trembled around the bouquet. Yuki continued,

"So, Aevia, today isn’t just about you becoming someone’s wife." Her smile widened. "Today is about you finally choosing yourself."

A tear slipped down Aevia’s cheek. Alexander immediately brushed it away with his thumb. The tender gesture drew a collective, soft reaction from several guests. Yuki’s smile became genuine.