CHAPTER 155: Insurrection-24

CHAPTER 155: Insurrection-24

The Munich Opera House glowed under the golden lights of dusk. Limousines and luxury cars stopped in front of the red carpet, while photographers and journalists crowded behind the barriers to capture every important figure stepping out of the vehicles. German politicians, businesspeople, and celebrities attended the charity event, a gala that mixed art, power, and hypocrisy with the expensive perfume of success.

Inside, the orchestra tuned their instruments as guests sipped champagne and chatted about investments, culture, and international politics. Everything seemed to shine. Everything, except the look in Enid Drakewood's eyes.

Her black limousine stopped in front of the palace. The driver quickly got out to open the door, and Enid stepped out with her usual elegance: a long dress of dark blue silk, discreet but undeniably expensive jewelry, and that air of authority that made the crowd part without her saying a word.

She crossed the red carpet amidst flashes, smiling with that trained perfection that so irritated her rivals. But the moment the main door closed behind her and the gala music began to fill the lobby, a different sound broke her calm: her phone vibrated inside her purse.

With a slight gesture, she stepped away to a corner of the lobby, away from prying eyes. She opened her purse and took out the phone. The screen showed a name she hadn't seen in weeks: Phoenix.

A missed message. Long. She hesitated for a few seconds before opening it.
When she did, her eyes moved slowly from line to line, her expression unchanging.

“Enid… I know you’ll probably delete this. I don’t blame you.
But I need to say it.
I’m sorry for everything that’s happened, every word I said, every stupid decision that drove us apart.
I’m not writing to justify myself, but because I can’t stay silent anymore.
I don’t want to fight you. I don’t want to see you as an enemy.
What we did together… what we built, meant more than you can imagine.
And yes, it breaks my heart that we’re apart.
If things had been different, maybe today I’d be by your side, watching you smile at that gala.
But fate had other plans.
Even so, I hope you’re well.
—P.”

Enid kept her gaze fixed on the screen for a few more seconds. Her face remained impassive, but there was a different glint in her eyes, a contained emotion she tried to hide under layers of pride.

Finally, she sighed subtly. She locked the phone and placed it back in her purse with the same calm she used to give orders in the boardroom.

"Not tonight…" she murmured almost to herself.

She straightened her back, regained her serene expression, and walked towards the main hall of the palace, where the lights were dimming and the curtain was beginning to rise.
Yet, for the first time in a long time, her mind wasn't on the music or the business.
It was on that message.
On him.

The lights of the Opera House slowly began to dim. An elegant murmur filled the main hall as the orchestra prepared in the pit. The attendees, dressed in impeccable suits and dazzling jewelry, took their seats on the red velvet chairs. The air smelled of expensive perfume and anticipation.

Enid was already seated in the third row, the opera program in her hands, feigning interest in the synopsis. Her mind, however, remained trapped in the message she had read hours before. She tried to focus on the performance, but something inside her wouldn't stop churning.

Suddenly, a familiar voice, deep and calm, sounded beside her:

"Is this seat taken?"

Enid looked up. Her expression froze for a second. Standing before her was Phoenix, dressed in an impeccable black suit, his tie neatly knotted and that half-smile that used to both irritate and reassure her at the same time.

"Phoenix?" she whispered, almost disbelieving.

"In the flesh," he replied, with a lopsided smile as he adjusted his jacket. "May I? I promise not to make any noise during the performance."

Enid didn't answer, simply watching him with a mix of astonishment and distrust. Finally, she nodded with a slight movement of her head.

Phoenix sat beside her. The murmur of the hall gradually faded as the conductor raised his baton, but between them, the silence was dense, heavy with everything left unsaid.

"I didn't think you'd come to an event like this," he commented in a light tone. "The last time I saw you, theaters weren't exactly on your list of priorities."

"They aren't," Enid replied quietly, without looking at him. "But sometimes you have to keep up appearances."

"Yeah, I know," said Phoenix, looking towards the stage where the musicians began to play. "I've been doing that myself lately. Keeping up appearances… surviving."

Enid turned her face towards him.
"Where have you been all this time?" she asked, containing her emotion with elegance. "What have you been doing, Phoenix?"

He let out a short, dry, joyless laugh.
"Do you want the short version or the one that includes explosions and almost dying three times?"

"Surprise me," she said, crossing her legs.

Phoenix leaned slightly towards her, lowering his voice.
"I've been in hell, more or less literally. Marcus and I survived an ambush at Hellabrunn Zoo. Helena is alive… though not for long."
"Helena Strauss?" Enid whispered, containing her surprise.
"Yes. And she has a new toy named Bruno, a guy who seems straight out of a nightmare. We also had a visit from Matthias. It didn't end well… for him."

"And Agnes?" Enid asked in a softer tone.

"She's fine. Thanks to her, I'm still breathing," Phoenix replied sincerely. "She got the Über Lycan serum for me. It was a miracle you didn't catch her."

Enid stared at him, trying to maintain control of her expression.
"It wasn't a miracle," she finally said. "I just underestimated how far you'd go."