Love at the Wrong Table
Chapter 2305 The Timeless Tragedy of Beauty!
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“But… will the Master approve of this?” Jane hesitated before voicing the concern that had been gnawing at her. She knew all too well that both her father and Atticus owed their greatest backing to the very same figure the enigmatic mentor who had trained her, along with a powerful faction operating in the shadows. For them to turn against each other now would undoubtedly send ripples through the international forces lurking behind the scenes!
“Jane, you think too much!” Shailash sucered, his voice dripping with amusement. “Your mentor, along with the top brass in Eagle Nation, has one priority–they want a compliant, conservative figurehead in Chanaea -someone who will bow their head and let them rule from the shadows, dictating the world order as they see fit! I’ll be making my exit too–going completely off the radar. The Tanner family will sever all ties with Atticus. So don’t hesitate–back Artemis with everything you’ve got. The path is clear!”
“Oh, and take these three jade pendants. They hold unimaginable power, far beyond what you can comprehend. I swiped them from the Holy Trinity under their noses. That ridiculous organization has ridiculous ambitions, but I’ll give them credit–their technology is leagues ahead of its time! Remember, once your mom and I are gone, everything will rest on your shoulders!” Jane, ever the dutiful daughter, accepted the items with a heavy heart, her mind a storm of conflicting thoughts.
Every skill she had, every ability she possessed, had been meticulously passed down to her by her mentor. She also knew that she was not his only investment–other students had been strategically placed within Chanaea, each positioned to solidify their presence and ensure his plans unfolded seamlessly. Defying the Master? That wasn’t an option. The consequences would be brutal, merciless, and absolute! But as long as backing Artemis aligned with her mentor’s unspoken agenda, she had nothing to fear on that front.
It wasn’t long before Liora came looking for her, her expression unreadable. The two had been inseparable since childhood–closer than sisters, sharing everything without reservation. “Jane, do you really intend to accept Artemis‘ invitation and perform at the
“Yes. Liora… forgive me. I can’t stand with inauguration?” Jane’s lips curved into a weary, sorrowful smile.
your father any longer.”
་
They both understood the weight of those words. Atticus wasn’t a man to be trifled with–he had clawed his way to power, crushing those who opposed him, making enemies at every turn. He had survived this long by wielding influence and fear like weapons. But if he lost, and Artemis took office and turned the full force of the government against him, the vultures would descend. Those who had once cowered before him would tear him apart! By choosing this path, Jane was condemning her best friend’s father to ruin!
But instead of anger or disappointment, Liora simply clasped Jane’s hands gently and chuckled, her smile warm and reassuring. “Jane, what are you saying? Every citizen of Chanaea has the right to stand behind the leader they believe in. You don’t owe me any apology for that!” A wave of relief washed over Jane, her tense shoulders loosening. “Really? Then will you play for me on that day?”
Her beauty was undeniable, so dazzling that even Liora, a stunning woman in her own right, felt a hint of admiration. But beneath that lovely smile lurked a weight–something intangible yet crushing, a silent struggle pressing down on her slender frame like an invisible mountain. “Of course, I will!” Liora respondeu without hesitation. Then, after a brief pause, she tilted her head playfully and quipped, “But aren’t you pregnant? Will Santiago really let you set foot on that stage?”
“Santiago…. he has no idea. He doesn’t know I’m carrying his child!” Jane’s voice trembled, the exhaustion etched across her face deepening. But beneath that weariness, in the depths of her luminous eyes, there was something else—an unspoken fear, something raw and uncontainable. “What? You never told him?” Liora’s astonishment was palpable. “Why? He’s the father! He has the right to know!”
At that very moment, from the unseen vantage point where Santiago observed this exchange, his entire
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Chapter 2305 The Timeless Tragedy of Beauty!
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tightening with a suffocating anticipation! Yorick could feel his tension crackling in the air like a brewing storm. The mighty Savage Martial Saint–renowned for his unshakable composure–felt a sheen of cold sweat forming at his temples. He was terrified. If Santiago lost control after hearing the truth, he might very well turn his fury on him!
“Santiago… he’s not the father of my child!” Jane’s voice, though steady, carried the weight of a long–buried confession. “All these years, we’ve barely spent time together. His heart has always belonged to his duty–to the nation and its people. There was never a moment left for family, let alone a child.” The words landed like a thunderclap. “What?! This… this-” Liora, a woman hailed as the Music Saint, stood frozen. In that moment, all the elegance and grace she was known for evaporated, leaving behind only raw, unfiltered shock!
“Yes… he’s not the father.” A storm of anguish swept across Jane’s face. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, emotions surging–guilt, agony, resignation, and something far darker lurking beneath. It was as if the weight of the truth had drained the very light from her soul! “Then… then who is?” Liora’s usually steady voice faltered, shaken by the magnitude of what she was hearing. Santiago and Yorick stood rigid, their bodies strung as tight as bowstrings. It felt as if invisible hands had wrapped around their very souls, squeezing, demanding the truth.
“Bailey!” Jane exhaled shakil
“What?!” Liora’s gasp rang out, a sharp echo of the unspoken shock that thundered through the two men who–stuck in the role of silent observers–could do nothing but reel from the revelation. “You… how could thi
happen? Were you–were you forced? With your abilities, that shouldn’t have been possible. Is Bailey really that formidable?”
Jane averted her gaze, her teeth pressing into her lip as if bracing herself. “No… I chose this.” Liora found herself at a loss for words. She barely knew Bailey, let alone understood what had transpired between him and Jane. “Santiago and Yorick both say they love me. Maybe they do. But the only man who has ever given himself to me completely–without hesitation, without conditions–is Bailey.”
For the first time, Jane voiced the emotions she had kept locked away. “Yorick could cast me aside for the sake of brotherhood, and Santiago–he was never truly present. Six years of marriage, yet if you counted the days he actually spent by my side, they wouldn’t even add up to three months! But Bailey… he wasn’t like them. He never made me feel like an afterthought. He gave me all his time, his full attention, his unwavering devotion. He made me laugh when I wanted to cry, held me close when I felt cold, and never once let me doubt my worth in his eyes. I never needed anything extravagant. All I ever wanted was to be an ordinary woman, loved by a man who would always stay!”
That single confession struck Liora to the core. It was so painfully obvious–yet no one had ever acknowledged it. Women like them, born into privilege, admired for their beauty and talents, were placed
saw them as untouchable, enigmatic, as if they existed on some higher plane. Even love had to be wrapped in grand ideals–tied to duty, nation, and sacrifice–never just about them as women who simply wanted to be loved.
on unreachable pedestals, idolized like celestial beings. Me
However, regardless of status or background, at their core, all women desire the same thing in love–a quiet, unwavering companionship. Not the fleeting glamour of fame, not the illusion of power, nor the grand spectacle of adoration. Just someone to stand beside them, to stay. Santiago and Yorick, towering figures of their era, were legends in their own right. Yet, despite their strength and status, they had failed to offer Jane the most fundamental thing–a love that stayed!
Now, the two men stood in utter silence. Not like hollowed–out husks, drained of life, but like restless phantoms, adrift in endless darkness, searching for a place that no longer existed. Amidst the rustling bamboo, Lady Rosa rushed back, only to find the once–spirited saints now reduced to figures of utter desolation. They no longer carried the aura of invincible legends but instead resembled weary drifters, wounded and lost. A fleeting pang of sympathy crossed her heart–just for a moment.
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Chapter 2305 The Timeless Tragedy of Beauty!
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upon layer, the paint is set… A mask of beauty, the curtain lifts. On this stage, I alone weave joy and sorrow into song. Drifting like clouds, adorned in silk and illusion. And when it all fades… silver creeps into my hair. Like a master’s brushstroke, delicate as mist… The brilliance onstage, the sorrow behind the curtain… Years. slip by like whispers, sleeves still carrying the lingering scent of the past…”
And just like that, the vision shifted once more, drawing them back to the grand stage of the Golden Ivy Hall. Jane stood in the midst of thunderous applause, yet her gaze was hollow, an abyss of loneliness that not even the adoration of the elite could fill. The stark disparity struck like a dagger to the hearts of the two saints.
For all their strength and wisdom, they had made the same mistake as every other man. They admired her -the brilliance of her talent, the breathtaking beauty she carried so effortlessly, her dazzling presence on the grand stage of life. But they didn’t pause to ask what truly lay beneath the surface. What did she long for in the quiet moments when the world wasn’t watching? They had assumed that shielding her, keeping her safe, was love in its purest form. Never once had they considered that love might mean something different to her!
Slowly, the haunting melody unraveled, its final notes hanging in the air like a whisper of regret. And then, like mist under the rising sun, all illusions dissolved into nothingness. The two saints had already been pulled back into reality, but neither of them wished to acknowledge it. Santiago collapsed to his knees like a broken old soul, his aged eyes bloodshot, tears spilling freely down his weathered face.
He trembled as he whispered, over and over, “On this stage, I alone weave joy and sorrow into song. The brilliance onstage, the sorrow behind the curtain… the sorrow! Jane… I failed you. I was never worthy of calling you my wife…”
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