Chapter Twelve—Kahlan’s POV—You’re Fired!

The party was everything I hated.

Loud. Crowded. Suffocating.

I had never belonged in places like this, and tonight wasn't any different.

From the moment we walked into the grand ballroom, I knew I had made a mistake coming here. The room was filled with London's most powerful businessmen, all draped in expensive suits, exchanging sly smirks and concealed threats over glasses of fine liquor. There was an energy in the air—something sharp, something predatory.

I was an outsider here.

I let Aldrich walk ahead, keeping my distance. It wasn't like he wanted me near him anyway. He had barely spared me a glance since we arrived.

Good. That made two of us.

I wasn't here for him. I was here to survive this job and get through the night without humiliating myself.

I found a secluded corner by the bar, grabbed a drink, and settled into the background. From here, I could see everything while remaining invisible. It was better this way.

I told myself I wouldn't watch him.

That it didn't matter what he was doing.

But my eyes still betrayed me.

Across the room, Aldrich stood in a circle of high-profile executives, casually drinking and discussing whatever multimillion-dollar deal they were working on. He looked… comfortable. Confident. Untouchable.

And completely unaware of me.

I gripped my glass tighter.

Kahlan, what are you doing?

Don't look at him. Don't look his way. Whatever wanted to happen, just let it be, goddamn it!

I reminded myself he didn't care. That whatever happened between us in the past was irrelevant.

That I shouldn't care either.

I was still thinking that when a movement caught my eye.

Just behind Aldrich, one of the businessmen—Langley—casually called on Aldrich and the other man he had been talking to had conspicuously dropped something into his drink.

My stomach twisted.

I sat up straighter, my pulse hammering. Had I imagined it?

Langley was smiling, chatting easily with Aldrich, his expression completely unreadable.

But my gut screamed at me.

I knew what I saw.

I looked at Aldrich.

He was too distracted to notice. The conversation in front of him had his full attention, and he was nowhere close to checking his drink.

I had to do something.

I stood abruptly, about to rush over, but before I could move—

Langley stepped in front of me.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked smoothly, blocking my view.

I clenched my fists. "Excuse me."

"Relax, sweetheart," he chuckled, his gaze sweeping over me like he was appraising something expensive. "I saw you looking my way all night. I was hoping we could have a little chat."

I nearly gagged. "I wasn't looking at you."

He smirked. "No? Then who were you watching so intently?"

I forced down my frustration. "I need to go."

But he didn't move. Instead, he leaned in, lowering his voice. "Come on now. A pretty woman like you doesn't just stand around alone at a party like this. What do you say we get out of here?"

My skin crawled.

I barely heard him.

My attention was locked over his shoulder—where Aldrich had just picked up his glass.

Panic seized my chest.

Langley kept talking, something about how a woman shouldn't waste her time on a man who doesn't look at her, but I wasn't listening.

Aldrich lifted the glass closer to his lips.

I shoved Langley aside and lunged forward.

The glass flew from Aldrich's grip, crashing onto the floor, the liquid spilling everywhere.

For a moment, the entire room seemed to fall silent.

Aldrich tensed. His hand froze mid-air, his lips parted slightly in confusion.

Slowly, he turned toward me.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

I swallowed. My hands were shaking. "I—I'm sorry, I—"

His fingers wrapped around my wrist in an iron grip.

"Outside," he muttered darkly, dragging me away before I could explain.

I barely had time to register what was happening before we were out of the ballroom and onto the balcony, the cold night air biting at my skin.

Aldrich let go of me abruptly and turned, his eyes burning with fury.

"Are you insane?" he snapped. "Do you even understand what you just did?"

I hugged my arms to my chest, glancing nervously toward the ballroom. "Aldrich, listen to me—"

"No, you listen." His voice dropped lower, sharper. "I don't care if you hate me. I don't care if you're miserable in this job. But if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will personally ensure that you never work anywhere in this country again."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "You don't understand—"

"You embarrassed me," he cut in, his voice biting. "In front of everyone."

I flinched. "I wasn't trying to—"

"Then what were you doing?" he snapped. "What could have possibly made you think it was a good idea to make a scene like that?"

I hesitated.

I couldn't say it.

If I told him that his drink had been tampered with, it would draw attention. The moment he confronted Langley, they would know I saw something.

And that would put me in the spotlight.

No.

I couldn't risk it.

I dropped my gaze. "I… I thought it was my drink," I lied. "I made a mistake."

Aldrich scoffed. "You're even more incompetent than I thought."

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to stay silent.

"You know what? That's it." His voice was eerily calm now, which somehow made it worse. "You're done. You wanted to keep this job so badly? Congratulations. You lost it."

My heart stopped. "What?"

"You're fired, Walsh." He turned away, straightening his cuffs. "When we return from this trip, pack your things and get out."

Tears burned in my eyes.

"Aldrich, please."

He didn't stop.

He didn't even look back.

He just walked away.

I stood there, feeling the weight of everything crash down on me all at once.

I had nothing.

No job. No safety. No future.

And now, the only man who could have saved me didn't even care if I existed.

I covered my mouth with my hands as the first silent sob escaped.

I had just lost everything.