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Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Keep her quiet… or I will

The air buzzed with music and champagne chatter as Raya carefully slipped through the crowd, leaving Adrian and Elias behind. Her path led her to a cluster of guests near the floral archway — where Seraphina's family stood, laughing and mingling.

Her heart thudded.

Play the part, she told herself.

Juliana caught sight of her first. "There you are! I was beginning to think Adrian locked you away again."

Raya gave a small laugh. "You know how he is."

Beside Juliana stood Hector Hart, the powerful, always well-dressed CEO of the Hart Group — Seraphina's father. He looked up from his drink and grinned.

"Well, well. So now that you've got a man, you forget your old man, huh?"

"Sorry, Daddy," Raya said sweetly, hooking her hand around Hector's arm, falling into the role. "You know how these things go."

Hector chuckled, clearly pleased. "I was just telling your mother we should speed up this wedding of yours."

Raya's breath caught slightly. She forced a blush and a coy smile. "So soon?"

"You're practically already married in his eyes," Juliana teased. "Besides, your grandfather wants it finalized before the next board meeting. And your dress fitting was… what? Weeks ago? We need to reschedule it. It's best if you just get married already, so we can solve it all at once."

"Right," Raya nodded. "I… I can't wait." She said every word with a forced smile. My wedding dress must be the talk of the town… when Adrian sees me, he should be wowed by me, she added, still smiling.

It was a lie and a dangerous one. But it was what Seraphina would've said, and she said it like honey dripping from a silver spoon.

"Can you see how happy she looks?" Hector said, pointing at Raya, looking at his wife, while Juliana smiled.

Very happy indeed, Raya thought.

Raya moved closer to Hector and wrapped her hands around his waist. "Thank you, Daddy," she said, her lips curving upward in forced happiness.

She just wanted to make Seraphina's family happy without them doubting her identity. She had to play this scene well.

---

From a shadowed corner near the balcony, a man stood still, watching.

His eyes tracked every movement, from the moment Seraphina walked in, to the way Adrian placed his hand at the small of her back, to the exact moment her laugh echoed beneath the chandelier.

He lifted a glass of wine, untouched, held more like a prop than a drink.

A flicker of something unreadable passed over his face.

"You're doing well, little imposter."

---

Raya took one final breath and turned from Seraphina's family, heels clicking softly against the marble as she weaved her way through the thinning crowd. The ballroom had started to lose its earlier glamour — the music slower now, the chatter softer, guests saying their goodbyes or slipping away into side lounges for quieter drinks.

She found Adrian near the arched balcony doors, a glass of dark liquor in hand, deep in conversation with one of the board members from the Blake Conglomerate. When he noticed her approaching, his gaze flicked to her briefly — unreadable, sharp — then back to the man beside him.

Raya stopped just beside him, slipping her hand around his arm like she'd done earlier. A smile graced her lips for appearances, but her hand tightened around his sleeve — a subtle signal.

Adrian glanced down at her.

Without a word, he turned back to the board member. "We'll continue this next week. I believe the night's come to a close."

The man nodded, giving Raya a polite smile before excusing himself.

Once they were alone, Raya exhaled quietly. "You said not to disappoint you."

Adrian raised a brow. "And you didn't?"

"Did I?" Raya asked, looking straight into his eyes. "Whatever. Can we go home now? I'm tired."

She was sure she hadn't made a mistake tonight, and acting all evening had exhausted her. She needed to rest.

Adrian said nothing. He just offered her his arm again, this time not out of necessity, but because eyes still lingered, even as guests filtered toward the exit.

Raya wrap her tiny finger around his forearm.

As they walked slowly toward the grand doors, flashes from cameras followed them, the golden couple, poised and polished. Raya gave one final over-the-shoulder smile, like Seraphina Hart always did. Just enough charm, just enough control.

When the doors closed behind them and they stepped into the night air, Adrian spoke again in a low voice.

"You handled tonight well."

Raya didn't answer. She didn't need to.

She'd survived. That was what mattered.

But deep down, she knew this was only the beginning.

---

The Morning After the Gala

The clink of silverware was the only sound that filled the elegant dining room.

Raya sat at the long marble table, her back straight, movements precise. Across from her, Adrian was reading something on his tablet, his coffee untouched. The light from the tall windows painted gold across the floor, illuminating the quiet tension that always seemed to follow them like a shadow.

Her breakfast soft poached eggs, grilled tomatoes, and buttered toast sat mostly untouched. Her appetite had been strange lately, dulled by nerves and routine. But today, something felt different. She couldn't place it.

She reached for her glass of water just as she caught a movement in her periphery.

Footsteps.

She turned her head slightly... and froze.

Ace entered from the hallway, his expression unreadable as always. But it wasn't him that made Raya's breath hitch.

It was who followed behind him.

Anna.

Her best friend.

She looked exactly how Raya remembered, though her hair was tied messily, and her eyes were wide with confusion. She wore jeans and a plain blouse, looking out of place in the luxury of Adrian's home. Her gaze swept the room before landing on Raya… and stopped.

Raya's instinct was immediate. She almost stood, her chair shifting an inch.

"Anna…"

But then she caught herself.

No.

She's Seraphina Hart now.

Not Raya Calder.

She straightened back into her seat and pressed her fingers against the cutlery, forcing calm over the storm rising inside her. Her heart pounded against her ribs, but her face remained composed.

Who knows if this is one of Adrian's test.

Adrian noticed her subtle behavior and nodded in approval.

Anna, for her part, looked utterly confused, like she couldn't understand what was happening.

Adrian finally spoke, not looking up from his tablet.

"She's your friend, isn't she?" he said casually. "She's been quite… persistent. And the police were getting annoying."

He looked up now, eyes cool.

"So I brought her here. Make her understand. Keep her quiet… or I will."

Raya swallowed hard. Her voice came out softer than she intended, but clear.

"I will... Thank you."

Adrian nodded slightly, then turned his attention back to the screen in his hands as if the reunion meant nothing to him.

Raya stood slowly, moving toward Anna. Her hands trembled slightly at her sides, but her expression remained the picture of serenity.

Anna blinked, clearly trying to process what she was seeing.

"…Raya?" she whispered, voice cracking.

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