136. Girl's Night

|| Lilac's POV || Madeline was half-drunk, her cheeks flushed and her laughter louder than usual. Elara wasn’t far behind, her words slightly slurred but her wit as sharp as ever. Astrid and I were more restrained, nursing our drinks and enjoying the chaos without fully succumbing to it. It was the kind of night I needed—a distraction from the storm raging inside me. “So, when did it all start?” Madeline asked, her voice carrying a tipsy lilt as she leaned forward, her glass of wine sloshing precariously in her hand. “The night we went to the party after she broke off her engagement with Kael,” Elara smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. She was clearly enjoying this, her tone dripping with satisfaction. “That bastard deserved it,” Madeline declared, her voice loud and unapologetic. She took another sip of her wine, her eyes narrowing as if she were imagining Kael’s face in front of her. “What is she talking about?” Astrid asked, her brow furrowing as she glanced between Elara and