Midnight Secrets

Chapter 19

I felt like I had been punched in the gut as I took in the scene before me. The reality of what I was seeing hit me like a ton of bricks and I couldn't believe what was happening. I felt a wave of emotion wash over me, starting with shock and quickly turning into betrayal.

I had trusted this person, believed in them, and now I was faced with proof that they had been lying to me all along. I was filled with anger, hurt, and disappointment, all battling for dominance within me.

I felt like I couldn't breathe, like the weight of this realization was too much for me to bear. My thoughts raced as I tried to understand what had happened and why. How could I have been so blind? So foolish?

I stood there for what felt like an eternity, grappling with the shock and pain of this newfound knowledge. I couldn't believe that the person I had trusted had let me down in such a significant way. I felt like I was losing my grip on the foundation of my world and everything I thought I knew was crumbling around me.

As I looked at Nate, I could see the truth written all over his face. He had lied to me, and he didn't even seem to care. His expression was stoic, devoid of any emotion or remorse, and I felt like I was staring into the eyes of a stranger.

Nate's unwavering stance, his complete disregard for the pain he had caused me, made me feel like I was facing a monster, not the man I had once seemed to care for. As I gazed upon his indifferent face, I felt like a part of me had died. I was no longer sure who he was, and I didn't know if I would ever be able to trust him again.

"Is there any space for us?" Claud commented, swaying on his feet as though he was a couple of drinks in. But you'd be a fool to believe that Claud would come to the Lion's den intoxicated. He had an agenda. And he was putting it all in motion.

My father's voice carried across the quiet dining room. "Find any vacant seats. I can't promise you'd fine three empty seats."

I managed to stop looking at Nate to glance around the dining room. He was right, there were no three empty seats together. There was one single seat available a few seats to my right, and two available further down on my left.

I watched Claud nod and then walk towards the left, his brother – Nate's father! - follow him. Nate didn't so much as glance at his own father. He quietly started to walk down the long table, passing by the front of me and sat towards m right.

I swallowed audibility and clenched my hands together that were resting on my lap.

"Continue the feast! We will have a blast tonight." Claud slurred his words, but his eyes were narrowed in slits and for a brief moment, I could see the venom slithering in his eye before he made them his usual vibrant but dull one.

I sat, with ants running up my back and my stomach hurling from its insides. There was a plate of food in front of me, but all I could think about was Nate. I could feel his eyes on me, even though I hadn't glanced in his direction since he sat, and the thought made me shiver.

Goosebumps rippled across my bare skin and I absentmindedly rubbed my arm. Maybe that would help. I picked at my food, moving it around on my plate without really tasting it. Nothing seemed to help until I dared to look up.

As I caught Nate's gaze fixated upon me, a wave of feelings washed over me. I couldn't shake off the uneasiness that was creeping up my spine. His eyes were piercing, seeming to examine every inch of my being, and I couldn't help but feel like I was standing naked in front of a crowd.

The air felt thick, and I could almost hear the sound of my own heartbeat echoing in my head. But then I took a deep breath and reminded myself to stand tall and proud. I held his gaze, allowing him to see the confidence and determination that lay within me. I wouldn't let his intense stare make me falter or feel small. He came to me in a place where I mastered myself. A place that created the ice within me. Ice he would lay witness to now.