Chapter 206: She knows him

Aevia stood rigidly beneath the pale moonlight, her emerald eyes locked on the man standing before her. She was tall for a woman, her slender frame rising to nearly 5’9" (175 cm), yet beside him, she looked almost delicate. The silver-haired man towered over her, his height easily exceeding 200 cm, his broad frame casting a long shadow across the stone path. His waist-length silver hair stirred gently in the night breeze, while a faint, amused smirk curved his lips.

Aevia’s fingers tightened around the skirt of her expensive lace gown. Her nails dug into the delicate fabric hard enough to wrinkle it. Yuki remained hidden behind the tall wall of ornamental plants, barely daring to breathe. Her eyes moved between them, confusion tightening her chest.

There was no doubt about it anymore. Aevia knew this man. Not only did she know him, but whatever existed between them was complicated enough for Aevia to look genuinely furious. But why had she lied? Yuki curled her fingers into her palms, her curiosity gnawing at her.

"You being uninvited is exactly why you were never supposed to come here," Aevia hissed, keeping her voice low but sharp.

The man chuckled, his purple eyes gleaming with amusement. "And that is precisely why I had to come. How long do you expect me to keep my word?" he replied.

Aevia’s head snapped towards him. "Until it is over," she hissed at him, barely holding back her anger.

The amusement disappeared from his face. Her tone turned cold as she added, "You cannot break your vow, Yuki. You know what happens if you do."

For several seconds, he said nothing. The change in him was so sudden that Yuki’s stomach tightened. His shoulders seemed to lose some of their confidence, and the teasing light disappeared from his eyes. What remained was something far more vulnerable. Defeat. And beneath it, desperation.

"I didn’t want you to make this mistake," he said quietly.

Yuki’s brows drew together. Mistake? The word echoed inside her head. What mistake was Aevia making? Aevia let out a soft, humourless laugh and shook her head.

"I would do anything for the man I love. You should know that by now. So stay away from me."

The man’s jaw tightened. "You always were stubborn." He released a heavy breath.

"And you always knew better than to challenge me," Aevia retorted, still holding his gaze.

Neither moved. The garden seemed to hold its breath around them. Somewhere beyond the hedges, water trickled gently through a narrow stream, while the leaves rustled whenever the wind passed through them. The distant music from the reception was barely audible, reduced to a faint hum beneath the quiet of the maze. Finally, Aevia closed her eyes and drew in a slow breath.

"I have to leave. My husband is looking for me."

She turned, gathering the train of her gown in one hand. She had taken only a few steps when she stopped. Without turning around, she spoke again.

"Yuki, stay away from her. She already has too much of this mess to handle."

Then she hurried away, lifting her skirts as she disappeared around the hedge. Yuki watched her go, her mind spinning. Her? Who was she talking about? Aevia had never once spoken about this man.

Yet the way she had looked at him suggested they shared a history that stretched far beyond a casual acquaintance. Yuki’s grip tightened around the leaves in front of her. There was something Aevia wasn’t telling her. Something enormous.

Aevia moved quickly through the garden maze, her heels clicking against the stone path. She kept one hand wrapped around her dress as she hurried towards the exit, her breathing uneven. She nearly reached the opening when she spotted a familiar figure leaning casually against a tree. Alexander. He was flipping a gold coin between his fingers, his attention immediately shifting towards her.

"Hey," he called, straightening.

Aevia stopped abruptly. The tension in her shoulders eased by the smallest amount.

"Hey," she whispered, forcing a smile. "Why are you here?"

Alexander slipped the coin into his pocket. His sapphire eyes swept over her face. "I could ask you the same thing."

Aevia’s smile faltered. He stepped closer, studying her carefully. That strange feeling that something was wrong had followed him ever since Yuki’s speech, and seeing his bride emerge alone from the garden only strengthened it.

"I was worried," he admitted, his voice gentle. "My bride disappeared in the middle of her own wedding reception. What was I supposed to think?"

Aevia gave a small laugh and stepped closer. "You shouldn’t have abandoned your guests."

"You’re more important than every guest in there," he said calmly.

His answer came so simply that she went still. Alexander raised his hand and gently brushed the corner of her eye with his thumb. Aevia froze. She hadn’t realised there was a tear there. Her breath caught as she stared at him.

"Of course I worry about you the most," Alexander said softly.

Something inside her cracked. Aevia lowered her gaze, trying to hide the emotion gathering in her eyes. She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"I just needed some air," she murmured. "Let’s head back inside."

Alexander watched her for another moment. He knew she wasn’t telling him everything. But whatever she was hiding, he could see she wasn’t ready to speak about it. So he simply nodded.

"Alright."

They walked back towards the dome together, their hands intertwined. Deep inside the maze, Yuki remained frozen behind the plants. She stared at the spot where Aevia had disappeared. Her thoughts were a tangled mess. What vow? What mistake? And who was she talking about?

A slow breath left the silver-haired man’s lips, mist curling faintly in the cold air.

"She has always been the stubborn one," he murmured. His voice sounded almost fond.

Yuki’s heart skipped. Why did it feel like he wasn’t speaking to himself? She slowly stepped backwards. A twig snapped beneath her shoe. The sound echoed through the otherwise silent garden. She froze. The man’s head turned. His purple eyes settled directly on the plant wall hiding her. Yuki’s blood ran cold.

"What?" His voice carried a mocking amusement. "You want to run now after hearing enough?"