Lahat ng Kabanata ng By Chance, By Fate: Kabanata 111 - Kabanata 120

111AlexI followed Charlotte back toward the grand hall, my thoughts a storm of anger and confusion. The Queen’s words echoed in my mind, but so did Liam’s hurtful accusations, his betrayal. What the hell had I done wrong? Why was I always the villain in their perfect little world?As we stepped inside, the noise of the party hit us like a wall. People milled around in their expensive gowns and suits, laughing, talking, pretending everything was fine. But I knew better. The air was thick with tension, just beneath the surface, waiting for something—someone—to snap.Charlotte tugged me toward the drink table, offering me a drink with a knowing glance. "You need something stronger," she said, pouring whiskey into a glass. "Trust me, it helps."I took the glass, the burn of the alcohol doing little to dull the fury coursing through my veins. "I never asked for any of this," I muttered, swirling the liquid around the glass. "I never asked to be in this ridiculous game.""Yeah, well, none

113AlexI watched Liam’s retreating back, my chest tight with anger and frustration. It felt like I was suffocating in this family, drowning in expectations, forced to play a part that wasn’t mine to play. Liam, always so *perfect*, so in control, thinking he knew everything. I couldn’t stand it.As the Queen called for silence, the room fell into a tense, expectant quiet, but all I could hear was the pounding of my own heartbeat in my ears. What a joke this whole thing was. My whole life had been one big act for them. I stepped away from the crowd, needing space to breathe."Liam’s never going to understand, is he?" I muttered to myself, more to the silence than anyone else.Behind me, Charlotte stepped up, her footsteps light and hesitant, like she wasn’t sure whether to come closer or not. I didn't look at her; instead, I turned my gaze to the far wall, focusing on the delicate carvings etched into the stone. "You’re just like him, aren’t you? Always looking to please. Always doing

115AlexThe door slammed behind me as I stumbled into the small, dimly lit room. My heart raced, fear and fury mixing in a volatile cocktail in my chest. "What the hell is this?" I snapped, shoving at the hand that covered my mouth. The figure stepped back, letting go. I spun around, my eyes adjusting to the faint glow of the moonlight streaming through a high, narrow window. "Liam?" I hissed, my voice trembling with anger. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you out of your mind?" He stood there, his jaw tight, his eyes stormy with something I couldn’t quite place—anger, desperation, regret? Whatever it was, it only fueled my fury. "Why did you drag me in here?" I demanded, crossing my arms. "If this is another one of your attempts to lecture me—" Before I could finish, Liam stepped forward, closing the distance between us. His movements were quick, almost frantic, as though he was battling with something inside himself. "I didn’t know what else to do," he said, his v

117LiamI slammed the door shut behind me, the sound reverberating down the empty hallway. My chest burned, my breath came in ragged gasps, and my fists clenched so tightly my knuckles ached. The walls of my mind were closing in, trapping me in an endless loop of guilt, longing, and anger. I wanted to scream. Punch the wall again. Do something—anything—to stop the chaos in my head. But nothing worked. His voice echoed in my mind. *"Then go… If that’s how you feel, Liam, then go and continue your wedding ceremony with Sophia and leave me alone."* God, I wish it were that easy. I leaned back against the wall, sliding down until I was sitting on the cold floor. My head fell back, hitting the wall with a dull thud. My hands dropped to my sides, useless. What the hell was I doing? “Liam?” A voice, soft and hesitant, cut through the storm in my head. I froze. I didn’t need to look up to know it was him. Alex. Of course, he’d followed me. He always did, and I hated how much

119liamThe evening stretched on like an endless performance, each smile I forced feeling more brittle than the last. My head throbbed with the weight of everything I was trying to hold together—the lies, the mask, the unbearable truth that I was standing here, pretending to be the perfect groom when my heart was somewhere else. With someone else. “Liam,” a voice drawled from behind me, dripping with its usual mix of amusement and condescension. I stiffened, instantly recognizing the voice. Anders. I turned to see him standing a few feet away, a glass of champagne dangling casually from his fingers. His smile was as sharp as a knife, his dark suit tailored to perfection, as if he were here to mock me simply by existing. His presence, as always, sucked the air out of the room. And then there was *her*. Clinging to his arm like a queen surveying her kingdom was his wife, Evelyn. Her emerald-green gown shimmered in the light, hugging her figure in a way that was clearly design