Chapter 213

　　Fern's Perspective 　　I stood in the shadows outside the ballroom and took a deep breath. My hands tightened around the hem of my dress as I tried to steady myself. Even though I had long told myself that none of this concerned me anymore, I still couldn't find peace as I stood here, watching the grand banquet that once belonged to Giovanni and me. Every laugh, every cheer, cut into my heart like a blade. 　　Has he really forgotten me? I whispered to myself, a flicker of pain flashing in my eyes. 　　Six years was enough time for everything to change—enough time for Giovanni to go from the man I once knew so well to a stranger. I remembered the first time I met him, his eyes brimming with passion and determination. I remembered the good times we had, the nights we walked beneath the moonlight, sharing our dreams and secrets. But all of that shattered after the battle. My "death"—the one I had orchestrated myself—had taken everything from us. 　　My gaze fell once more upon the ballroom, wh