Chapter 418

Chapter 418:

During dinner, Victoria rose to give her toast, her voice stronger than it had been in months. She lifted her glass, surveying the gathering.

“When my daughter Sophia died,” she began, a hush falling over the crowd at the mention of the name she rarely spoke, “I believed second chances were an illusion. That once something precious was lost, it could never be found again.”

She turned to face Camille and Alexander, her expression open and vulnerable in a way few had ever seen. “I was wrong. Standing before us today are two people who prove that second chances exist. That from the deepest wounds can come the greatest healing.”

Alexander felt the watch against his chest as Victoria continued, completely unaware of the irony in her words. She had no idea that her past actions had touched his life long before they met, that her revenge against the Prestons had claimed his uncle as collateral damage.

“To Camille and Alexander,” Victoria continued, her glass held high. “May your foundation be built on trust, your walls made of respect, and your roof crafted from unwavering love.”

Everyone drank, while Alexander sipped his champagne, feeling the weight of his secret with every heartbeat.

Later, during their first dance, Camille rested her head against his shoulder. “Happy?” she whispered.

“More than I thought possible,” he answered truthfully, holding her closer as they swayed to the music.

Across the dance floor, Victoria watched them with maternal satisfaction, her eyes shining with pride and joy. She raised her glass slightly when Alexander glanced her way, a gesture of approval and blessing, blind to the conflict hidden behind his smile.

As the evening progressed, Victoria moved through the crowd, accepting congratulations from the guests, occasionally touching the space where Sophia’s necklace had rested for years—now proudly worn by Camille. She looked healthier than she had in months, energized by the day’s happiness, completely unaware of the secret that could shatter the perfect family portrait she believed they had created.

Alexander watched her from across the room, thinking about how differently she might look at him if she knew what he knew. But tonight was not for such revelations. Tonight was for celebration, for hope, for the beginning they had fought so hard to reach.

The secret of Unit 237 could wait. For now, at least.

Camille looked up at him, eyes bright with happiness, untroubled by the shadows he kept hidden. “I love you, Alexander Pierce.”

“And I love you. Camille Pierce,” he replied, the name still new on his tongue.

Around them, guests clapped and cameras flashed, immortalizing their perfect moment. Victoria stood nearby, glowing with pride, believing she had witnessed the culmination of everything she’d hoped for when she first brought Camille into her life.

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