Chapter 142: Facing the Public

The evening air was thick with anticipation, the soft hum of the crowd vibrating through the grand ballroom as Malia and Nixus stepped onto the stage. Their first major public appearance since Evelyn's downfall felt like a gauntlet being thrown at their feet. After everything they had been through—the betrayals, the manipulation, the constant battle to regain control—this was the moment they had been waiting for. And yet, the weight of the public's scrutiny hung heavy, like a storm cloud ready to burst.