?Chapter 940:


    One poker game screeched to a halt as the yers gawked at Elena, their cards forgotten on the table. A server stumbled mid-step and narrowly avoided a tray disaster. No one even tried to hide their curiosity.


    Every eye in the room gravitated to Elena like she carried her own gravitational pull.


    Turning her head, Charlette studied Elena’s face. It looked too perfect, almost as if it had been painted rather than born. She clicked her tongue with a low whistle. “How is that even fair?” she muttered under her breath.


    But behind the wless features was a chill. Elena’s amber eyes held a beauty that felt distant, otherworldly—like she belonged somewhere far from here.


    With a face like that, it wasn’t surprising that Wesley had decided to brand his territory. That hickey made more sense now.


    Charlette figured if it had been her, she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t have done something just as extreme. Maybe even more so. Locking Elena up in a private suite didn’t seem unreasonable at all.


    Two sses slid across the counter as the bartender returned. One was the amber pour Charlette requested. The other—a delicate pink drink—was a surprise.


    Curious, Charlette lifted her eyebrows and nced at the bartender. “That’s not what I asked for, is it?”


    Blushing hard, the bartender nced at Elena. “It’s not for you. It’s for her.”


    The bartender’s heart raced. The name of the drink stayed stuck in his throat. “Flutter.” Too on the nose. His pulse practically mimicked it. Elena looked like she hadn’t heard a word. Her face was unreadable. Not even a blink in the bartender’s direction. Crestfallen, the bartender turned and left.


    Despite the absence of the person she’d hoped to find, Charlette wasn’t about to let the night go to waste. She leaned into the conversation with Elena, chatting about nothing in particr, her voice light and cheerful.


    Everything was going fine. The vibe was smooth, the drinks were cold, and no one had started any trouble—yet. Then, out of nowhere, a voice rang out like a cracked bell. “How desperate can you get? Following us here like some stray dog!”


    Standing at the entrance, Lucinda red at Elena. N wastched onto her arm like a loyal shadow, and a whole crew followed behind them, feeding off the tension as they stared down the bar.


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    The moment Lucinda spotted Elena, her lip curled in contempt. “Do you really have nothing better to do? Or is trailing N around your full-time job now?”


    Sitting beside Elena, Charletteughed sharply, her tone dripping with disdain. “Tell me something—are your eyes broken or is your brain just running on fumes? We’ve been nted here long before you came strutting in. So remind me—who exactly is following who?”


    Lucinda tried to speak, but the words wouldn’te. She opened her mouth anyway. “You—” The rest never made it out.


    “Let me help you out,” Charlette cut in, voice crisp like ss snapping. “You’re not just a follower. You’re a mutt with no mind of your own, clinging to N’s side and barking nonsense like it makes you important. It’s honestly impressive how disconnected your brain is from your mouth.”


    No one had ever dared speak to Lucinda like that. Her cheeks flushed a furious red, caught somewhere between rage and humiliation. “How wretched! You disgusting woman, shut your mouth!”


    Most people Lucinda associated with knew how to y nice, even when they hated her. They whispered behind her back or gave veiled insults she could easily dismiss.


    Charlette didn’t bother with that kind of diplomacy. “Why don’t you take your own advice? Every time you talk, the room smells worse. If you can’t wash your attitude, at least rinse your mouth.”


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