#Chapter 15: A Dance of Power

Lauren's POV I didn’t want to hear another word from him. Not from Alexander. Not now. His voice, his lies—everything about him suffocated me. Without thinking, I shoved past him, my heart pounding like a trapped bird. The past had already taken too much from me, and I wasn’t about to let him drag me back into that darkness. Not again. I stormed out, my breaths shallow as I pushed through the crowd. The world blurred around me—faces, lights, voices—a chaotic swirl I couldn’t escape. But then I heard them. Those heavy, deliberate steps behind me. Alexander wasn’t done. His hand brushed my arm, his voice cold and commanding. “Lauren—” I stumbled forward, colliding into something solid. Liam. He steadied me, his grip firm. “Let’s go,” he said sharply, his voice a lifeline in the chaos. I glanced back at Alexander. His gaze burned, stormy and unrelenting, locking on mine like a predator tracking prey. My stomach twisted. Liam’s voice cut through the tension. “My fiancée i