?Chapter 398:


    Lance hesitated, but after a beat, he followed, his steps softer, pride wounded.


    Cole remained utterly oblivious that during Elliana’s quiet, moonlit stroll with Ruben, Lance and Jeff had joined in, only to hide when he appeared.


    Later that night, after Cole settled Ruben back in bed, he swept Elliana away to their room, not letting go of her hand for a second.


    By then, it was well past two in the morning—long overdue for sleep. They washed up in a drowsy haze and copsed into bed together, exhaustion pulling them under.


    The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains by the time Elliana finally woke. Cole was nowhere to be found.


    Still groggy, she rolled over, only for her phone to buzz with a call that made her blood run cold…


    A call from Matthew shed on Elliana’s screen, and she wasted no time answering. “Yeah?”


    Static colored Matthew’s voice. “Star Society and Moonveil shedst night. The fallout’s still ongoing.”


    A crease appeared between Elliana’s brows. “Tell me what really went down.”


    Matthew didn’t sugarcoat it. “Some of Star Society’s recruits crossed paths with Moonveil’s crew at a bar. Words flew, tempers snapped, and fists followed. Moonveil ended up on the losing side. Now, one of their top instructors showed up at our door this morning, bringing backup and demanding answers.”


    Rivalries between Donovan, who built Star Society from scratch, and Seth, Moonveil’s leader, had always boiled beneath the surface. Fights like these were practically routine, so Elliana wasn’t surprised. Petty fights usuallynded on Matthew’s te and rarely reached her. The urgency of his call meant things were escting fast.


    “You need me to step in?” Elliana asked, her tone steady.


    Matthew spoke with confidence. “Sombra from Moonveil hasn’t shown his face yet, so there’s no need for you to jump in. I’ve got things handled. Still, Moonveil isn’t ying around—they might be looking for a chance to finish Star Society. If things get out of hand, I’ll let you know right away.”


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    “Alright,” Elliana replied. “Keep me in the loop.”


    After ending the call, Elliana dressed herself up and headed out. She wanted to check on what Jason was up to. She had already deduced that Jason was Sombra from Moonveil. Therefore, knowing his next move was the key to outmaneuvering Moonveil. Right now, only a senior instructor from Moonveil had stepped out to intervene in the situation, and as Star Society’s second-inmand, Matthew could manage the fallout. But if Jason made a move, she’d have to act before things spun out of control.


    Once out of her room, Elliana nearly collided with Paulina, who had been waiting by the door.


    “Mr. Evans had urgent matters and left for the office early. He asked me to stay behind to assist you if you needed anything,” Paulina exined with a respectful smile.


    A subtle nod was Elliana’s reply before she leaned closer. “Paulina, has Jason already left?”


    Paulina, who kept a close watch on everyone’s movements, leaned in and whispered, “No. He is in his mother’s room right now.”


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