One Night in Valeria - Chapter 21: Chapter 21
You are reading One Night in Valeria, Chapter 21: Chapter 21. Read more chapters of One Night in Valeria.
Jessica didn’t want to see him.
Not today. Not after learning about Alex. Not with the ache of her mother’s name freshly scabbed over in her chest.
But fate or something crueler clearly had other plans.
The email came in at dawn.
“The Legacy Fund committee has reassigned your Midwinter Showcase mentor.
Please welcome: Mr. Liam Velar.”
She stared at the screen for a full minute before pushing it away like it had burned her.
Celeste groaned from across the room. “They’re either blind or sadistic.”
Jessica didn’t answer. She already knew which one it was.
They met later that afternoon in a private conservatory boardroom. The space was all clean glass and filtered light, the kind of place meant to soothe. But everything inside her was on edge.
Liam stood when she entered. No smile. No smugness. Just that quiet storm behind his eyes.
“Jessica,” he said softly.
She didn’t sit.
“We don’t have to pretend this is fine,” she said flatly. “It’s not. And I’m not interested in playing games while someone’s out there trying to destroy what I’m building.”
His jaw twitched.
“I’m not here to play games,” he replied. “I’m here to help — whether you trust me or not.”
She finally sank into the chair across from him. “I don’t.”
He nodded once. “Then I’ll have to earn it.”
Silence passed between them, heavy and electric.
She looked away first.
“I spoke to someone who knew my mother,” she said. “I know about Alex Devane.”
Liam didn’t flinch, but she noticed the way his fingers curled slightly into a fist.
“I found his name in my father’s archives,” he said. “Alongside Klara’s signature.”
“Why was he there?” she asked.
“I don’t know yet. But someone is feeding that history into the present for a reason.”
She leaned back, crossing her arms. “So what you want us to team up? Be strategic allies while we sort through our dead parents’ unfinished drama?”
His voice was quiet.
“I want to make sure you don’t lose what you’ve built. I want to stop whoever’s trying to use you.”
She stared at him. “Even if it’s someone in your family?”
He didn’t blink. “Especially if it is.”
Something in his voice low, raw, wounded softened her.
Only slightly.
“You’re still hiding something,” she murmured.
“And so are you.”
Their eyes met — not with fire, but with recognition. Like two survivors meeting on opposite sides of the same ruin.
“I can’t protect you from everything,” he said.
“I never asked you to.”
“But I want to.”
There it was again that fragile honesty between them. The one neither of them could name yet.
She looked away. “We work together for the duration of the showcase. Nothing more.”
He nodded. “Understood.”
But as he turned to leave, she spoke again.
“Liam?”
He paused.
“If you lie to me again… I won’t just walk away.”
He met her gaze. “I won’t lie. Not anymore.”
Then he left.
And for the first time in weeks, she let herself breathe just once before turning back to the design sketches that would become her armor.
Not today. Not after learning about Alex. Not with the ache of her mother’s name freshly scabbed over in her chest.
But fate or something crueler clearly had other plans.
The email came in at dawn.
“The Legacy Fund committee has reassigned your Midwinter Showcase mentor.
Please welcome: Mr. Liam Velar.”
She stared at the screen for a full minute before pushing it away like it had burned her.
Celeste groaned from across the room. “They’re either blind or sadistic.”
Jessica didn’t answer. She already knew which one it was.
They met later that afternoon in a private conservatory boardroom. The space was all clean glass and filtered light, the kind of place meant to soothe. But everything inside her was on edge.
Liam stood when she entered. No smile. No smugness. Just that quiet storm behind his eyes.
“Jessica,” he said softly.
She didn’t sit.
“We don’t have to pretend this is fine,” she said flatly. “It’s not. And I’m not interested in playing games while someone’s out there trying to destroy what I’m building.”
His jaw twitched.
“I’m not here to play games,” he replied. “I’m here to help — whether you trust me or not.”
She finally sank into the chair across from him. “I don’t.”
He nodded once. “Then I’ll have to earn it.”
Silence passed between them, heavy and electric.
She looked away first.
“I spoke to someone who knew my mother,” she said. “I know about Alex Devane.”
Liam didn’t flinch, but she noticed the way his fingers curled slightly into a fist.
“I found his name in my father’s archives,” he said. “Alongside Klara’s signature.”
“Why was he there?” she asked.
“I don’t know yet. But someone is feeding that history into the present for a reason.”
She leaned back, crossing her arms. “So what you want us to team up? Be strategic allies while we sort through our dead parents’ unfinished drama?”
His voice was quiet.
“I want to make sure you don’t lose what you’ve built. I want to stop whoever’s trying to use you.”
She stared at him. “Even if it’s someone in your family?”
He didn’t blink. “Especially if it is.”
Something in his voice low, raw, wounded softened her.
Only slightly.
“You’re still hiding something,” she murmured.
“And so are you.”
Their eyes met — not with fire, but with recognition. Like two survivors meeting on opposite sides of the same ruin.
“I can’t protect you from everything,” he said.
“I never asked you to.”
“But I want to.”
There it was again that fragile honesty between them. The one neither of them could name yet.
She looked away. “We work together for the duration of the showcase. Nothing more.”
He nodded. “Understood.”
But as he turned to leave, she spoke again.
“Liam?”
He paused.
“If you lie to me again… I won’t just walk away.”
He met her gaze. “I won’t lie. Not anymore.”
Then he left.
And for the first time in weeks, she let herself breathe just once before turning back to the design sketches that would become her armor.
End of One Night in Valeria Chapter 21. Continue reading Chapter 22 or return to One Night in Valeria book page.