Alaric
My eyes widened the exact millisecond those words left Nico's mouth. Even after literally losing consciousness and dropping to the floor, the man woke up and immediately chose violence. He was a complete and utter menace.
How could he have plotted a stunt like this the very instant he regained consciousness?
If the dining hall had felt like an absolute icebox a moment ago, it instantly transformed into something far more dangerous. The polite, traditional facade cracked wide open, and every single relative at that table turned their gaze toward me.
It wasn't just a look of disapproval; they stared at me with a cold, calculated venom, as if they were collectively brainstorming the cleanest way to end my life right then and there.
His mother, Annie, was the first to break the suffocating silence, her voice trembling in shock and utter confusion. "What do you mean, son? Isn't Sophia your girlfriend? You literally introduced her to me as your—"
