Chapter 11: Crumbling words

Iyan had seen Ryan with Micah he had to let his brother keep his distance since Stephan was présent thé both brothers made éye contact "Um, Micah, I need to talk to a friend. He's close by. Ryan said I should say hi to him. Sorry, I don't want him to see you; he will instantly claim you, and he's a player. You wouldn't want to meet him," he said. "It's okay, Ryan, you can go talk to him. I'll be waiting here," Micah replied.

Thanks, I'll be back," he said, walking away.

Micah looked around at the glamorous surroundings. She had never been to a place like this before. People were engaged in lively conversations, and the food table caught her attention. Approaching the spread, her eyes brightened at the variety on display. She picked up a plate and a spoon, serving herself a slice of strawberry cake. It turned out to be delicious, and for a moment, she forgot about Stefan and whatever he might be doing.

Just as she was lost in the moment, enjoying the cake, a voice interrupted her. "You must be Micah," someone said. Micah looked up to see Genevieve, Stefan's childhood friend, thé lady who had kissed her husband.

"Yeah," Micah replied, cautiously.

"I wasn't expecting you to come, especially since Stefan hadn't mentioned anything since I asked about you," Genevieve said, feigning innocence. Micah couldn't shake the feeling that Stefan deliberately didn't tell her about thé pary.

."By the way, your dress is beautiful," Genevieve added, trying to lighten the mood, though Micah could sense the underlying tension.

"Thank you," Micah said, keeping her tone neutral. She could see that Genevieve was attempting to annoy her, and she wasn't about to give her the satisfaction.

Genevieve held a champagne flute in her hand, swirling the sparkling liquid. "Um, would you happen to know where Stephan is?" Micah inquired.

"Yeah, he's over there," Geneviève replied, pointing.

"He's very busy," Genevieve said dismissively. "You know, Stefan and I have been friends since childhood, and I'm sorry about the other day." She leaned in slightly, her voice lowering conspiratorially. "It was all just a misunderstanding," she said, feigning sincerity. Micah felt a surge of annoyance but managed to keep her expression neutral, which Genevieve clearly found irksome.

"It's okay. It's in the past," Micah replied, striving to maintain her composure.

Stefan noticed Genevieve and Micah talking and felt a pang of curiosity. What were they discussing? Nikolas, standing nearby, observed that Stefan's attention had shifted away from their conversation to focus on a lady whose medium height and innocent look caught his eye She exuded elegance she must be Uncle Stefan's wife, hé thought.

I'm so glad " Genevieve said, her voice brimming with feigned enthusiasm. Micah could see right through the facade.

"Then I can be friends with you, right?" Genevieve asked, her tone hopeful yet calculating. Micah offered no response

"To be sincere," Genevieve continued, moving a step closer, "I really do love Stefan, and I would advise you to stay away from him," she said, fixing Micah with an intense gaze.

A woman dressed in a dark purple gown observed the interaction between the lady in the red dress and the one adorned in a galaxy- striking outfit. "Who is that lady Genevieve is speaking with?" the lady holding a silver hand fan asked the woman in the purple dress.I have no idea," the purple-clad woman replied. "Maybe she's a friend," another lady chimed in.

"Yeah, perhaps," the purple lady agreed.

Meanwhile, Genevieve pressed on, "He doesn't believe in love. He doesn't love you. So why bother staying in this loveless marriage? You should consider divorce instead." Micah's heart raced at Genevieve's words. besides you have'nt consumated yet , There was no guarantee he would want someone like you Genevieve continued, her smile plastered on her face as if they were the best of friends.

"Who could have told her, Did Stephan tell her that? She thouht.

As the jab sank in, Micah's heart pounded.

Geneviève had anticipated that Micah would crumble under the weight of her words, but to her surprise, Micah stood her ground, determined not to appear weak or vulnerable.

"You're wrong, Geneviève. This marriage will definitely be a lasting one," Micah declared, her annoyance evident in her voice. She could feel Geneviève's expectations for her to falter; instead, Micah was steadfast, unwilling to let the other woman's taunts shake her confidence.Geneviève, feeling the sting of Micah's resolve, couldn't suppress the frown that formed on her face. She had expected Micah to capitulate, but instead, she felt as if she was talking to a brick wall. "We'll see about that," Geneviève said coolly, turning to walk away, her movements elegant and deliberate, as if she were sashaying off the stage.

Aiden, who had been observing the exchange from a distance, saw Micah's expression remained neutral on the surface, but he could sense the turmoil beneath, something had disturbed her. What on earth did that witch say to her?" he thought, feeling a protective instinct rise within him. Aiden approached Micah just as she began to retreat to a quieter corner of the gathering, hoping to give her the space she might, need but also eager to offer support. Micah didn't want Aiden to notice anything that had happened between her and Genevieve, and Aiden could tell she was trying to hide it. As he approached her, she masked her expression.

"I didn't expect Genevieve to speak to you," he said.

"She came to say hello," she replied.Really? That's not like her," he observed, his tone betraying his skepticism. Aiden knew that Micah wouldn't reveal what had transpired between them.

Your dress is pretty," he said, then added with a playful smile, "and sexy. Stefan will be head over heels for you."

She didn't think so just a while ago he had ignored her.

Sorry about his behavior," Aiden explained. "He's just been busy."

Busy?" she echoed, curious.

"Yeah, my younger brother recently arrived from overseas, and my grandfather has placed him under his care," Aiden said, shrugging.

"Okay," she responded.

There he is," Aiden said, gesturing towards Nicolas, who was talking to Stefan.

"I see," Micah said, watching the two. "He looks like you."