The yacht docked with a gentle bump against the private, lantern lit pier. The main venue of the Ironwood Lunar Gala was a breathtaking sight, a masterclass in opulent, understated elegance. What was normally a sterile, modern docking terminal had been transformed into a magical moonlit garden. Thousands of silver and gold silk lanterns hung from the high ceilings, casting a soft, ethereal glow. A full orchestra played a sweeping, cinematic score, and the air was thick with the scent of night blooming jasmine and expensive champagne. It was, as Kaelen noted with a grim sense of irony, painfully romantic.
If the yacht had been a test, the main gala was the battlefield. The moment they stepped onto the pier, Valeria Ironwood was at Sera's side once more, her presence as magnetic and persistent as the tide.
"Seraphina, there you are," she said, her smile never faltering. "I must introduce you to the director of the International Film Syndicate. He's been dying to meet you."
And just like that, Sera was swept away into a vortex of high level conversation. They talked and talked and talked, moving from one influential group to another. Valeria was a masterful hostess, keeping Sera engaged with talk of art, film, and business, her hand always hovering near, a subtle but constant claim on her attention.
Kaelen just stared at them, a silent, stoic statue in the midst of the glittering crowd. She kept Iris close, her primary mission to be a shield for the child's innocence. She got her a small plate of exquisite mooncakes and a glass of sparkling juice, her every movement a study in calm control while a storm of jealousy and frustration raged within her. The story was working overtime tonight, and it was exhausting.
It was during one of these long stretches that some girls, a trio of young, impeccably dressed Omegas, tried to approach Kaelen. They moved with the practiced grace of high society, their smiles bright.
"Miss Blackwood?" one began, her voice admiring. "We don't mean to interrupt, but we were just saying... it's so refreshing to see a true family oriented Alpha. The way you dote on your little one is just... wonderful."
Another chimed in, her gaze appreciative. "Honestly, when your engagement was announced, everyone assumed it was just business. But you and Seraphina seem so genuinely happy. It's beautiful."
From across the room, trapped in a deep conversation with Valeria about Vesper Pharma's new research direction, Sera saw this. She saw the fawning looks, the admiring smiles directed at her Kaelen. A hot, possessive spike of jealousy shot through her. She gripped her champagne flute a little tighter, forcing herself to nod and smile at whatever Valeria was saying, but her focus was now split, her eyes narrowed as she watched the interaction.
Kaelen, meanwhile, gave the young women a polite but dismissive nod, her attention already drifting back to finding a quieter spot for Iris. She guided the child toward a less crowded balcony overlooking the dark, shimmering water. Just as they were admiring the reflection of the full moon, a cool, familiar voice spoke from behind them.
"Avoiding the party, little sister?"
Lilith Blackwood stood there, a vision in black silk, an untouched glass of wine in her hand.
Iris, who had never met this woman, tugged on Kaelen's sleeve. "Auntie Kae, who is this?"
Kaelen froze for a half second, the complex web of her life converging in this one moment. "Iris," she said, her voice carefully neutral, "this is… a member of my family. This is Lilith."
Lilith's cool, appraising gaze fell upon Iris. For the first time all night, her mask of detached amusement seemed to soften, just for a moment. She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Iris."
Before the strange, tense moment could continue, a whirlwind of emerald silk and righteous fury descended upon them. Sera grabbed Kaelen's wrist, her grip surprisingly strong, her eyes blazing with a mixture of jealousy and frustration.
"We need to talk," she said, her voice a low, tight command. "Now." She began pulling Kaelen away from the balcony, toward a corridor marked 'Private Suites.'
But before that happened, Kaelen immediately turned her head back to the stunned Lilith. Her free hand came up, her fingers moving in a quick, desperate series of gestures a form of private sign language she had once used in her old life. The message was clear: 'Watch her. Please.'
Lilith was just there, standing and looking from Kaelen being dragged away by a possessive Sera, down to the small, confused child who was now looking up at her expectantly. With a long suffering sigh that was almost inaudible, Lilith had no choice but to watch the little kid, her expression one of profound resignation.
The door to a private lounge clicked shut behind them, plunging Kaelen and Sera into a sudden, tense silence, the sounds of the gala a distant, muffled heartbeat.