Chapter 5

The Winner

I could feel the pressure building in my chest as I tried to steady my breath. The crowd inside the casino was suffocating, each passing moment heavier than the last. Grasping for air, I stumbled through an exit door and found myself on the outside patio. The cool evening air hit me like a wave, filling my lungs with the fresh scent of the forest—of home. The earthy smell was like a balm for my soul, washing away the tension from the crowded room. Mixed in with the sweetness of pine was the sharp sting of cigarette smoke and the tar of freshly laid road. Nature and urban life collided in this town, and it felt like both a blessing and a curse.

I leaned over the balcony edge, my fingers brushing against the orchids wrapped around the fence. The touch of the delicate petals reminded me of how much I had longed for nature while I had been away. Kali had always preferred the city. We never had any plants in the houses we lived in, and every time I looked at a concrete wall or a bustling street, it felt like my skin was crawling. But here? Here, amidst the trees and flowers of Bluehaven, I could almost breathe again.

"Hello."

I jumped, startled by the voice that sliced through the silence. As I spun around, I felt the sudden pull of a leaf from the orchid, which I accidentally tore off. I looked down at it in my hand, guilt swelling in my chest.

Poppy’s concerned eyes met mine, and I couldn’t look away. Her gaze softened when she noticed the tear streaking down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away, trying to mask my vulnerability.

"Sorry," she said, her voice gentle. "I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you alright? You seem to be crying."

"Allergies," I muttered, hoping my excuse would cover it, but I wasn’t fooling either of us. The tightness in my chest wasn’t from any allergy.

She handed me her handkerchief, and without looking her in the eye, I took it. I knew that if I let myself look at her too long, I would break down entirely.

Poppy studied me for a moment, and I saw the recognition in her eyes as her gaze drifted to my reporter's badge hanging around me neck. The weight of it hung between us, like an invisible barrier.

"You’re a reporter?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

I nodded, feeling the sting of the truth. "Yes. This is my hometown. A small story I wanted to share with the world."

She blinked, and then asked, her voice tinged with hesitation, "Hometown? Do you know Wyatt Yong then?"

"Yes, of course. We went to college together. I believe we may have even shared a dorm," I replied, trying to keep things light.

Poppy’s smile faltered, and I could see the hurt in her eyes before she quickly masked it. My heart twisted in my chest. I had never intended to hurt her, but the timing always seemed wrong.

"My apologies," I said, trying to break the awkward silence. "I don’t believe I introduced myself properly. Lisa Paul."

She nodded, her smile returning, but now there was something guarded about it. "Poppy Carter."

I gave a small smile back. "I know who you are. I’ve seen some of your films."

She laughed softly, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "Of course, you have."

As the noise from inside the casino started to rise again, I could tell the raffle was about to take place. Poppy, without a word, reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out a raffle ticket, handing it to me with a soft smile.

"May luck be in your favor tonight."

I didn’t have the words to thank her, so I just nodded and tucked the ticket into my jacket pocket. She gave me one last look before turning and slipping back inside, disappearing into the chaos.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the ticket in my hand, trying to make sense of the strange pull in my chest. It felt like everything was shifting again—like fate was pushing me forward.

When I rejoined the boys, I could see James enthusiastically explaining how the raffle worked. He tried to hand me a ticket, but I waved it away.

“It’s fine. I seem to have one already.”

I pulled out Poppy’s ticket, giving it a small wave. James gave me a goofy grin, his eyes lighting up with mischief. I couldn’t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.

As the showgirl wheeled the spinning barrel onto the stage, I found Erin’s eyes in the crowd. I flashed him a grin, and he stammered through the next part of the speech, clearly thrown off by my presence. Then, with a smooth motion, he reached into the barrel, pulling out a ticket.

"And the lucky number is 17389!"

The room fell into an uncanny silence, the kind of quiet you only get in moments of great anticipation. My heart skipped a beat, the weight of the moment sinking in.

"Do we have a ticket holder of 17389 in the crowd?" Erin called out.

I didn’t think twice. I shoved my arm into the air, yelling, "I’m here!"

The crowd parted as I made my way to the stage. My pulse raced as Erin helped me up, his hand lingering on mine. The moment our skin touched, I felt a jolt—a rush of electricity that felt like magic, like something ancient and powerful had awakened inside me. I couldn’t explain it, but it was the same sensation I had felt as a child. Erin and I had always been connected in some way.

I grinned at the clapping crowd, flashing a wink at Juan, who was standing at the edge of the crowd with a grin of his own.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“This beautiful winner is the luckiest lady of the night. Your name?” Erin asked, his voice louder now.

"Lisa," I replied, my voice steady despite the racing thoughts in my head.

Erin beamed at the crowd. "Lisa has won the deluxe VIP membership. One year free VIP with the Bluehaven casino. Let's give her a round of applause!"

The applause was deafening, but something in the crowd’s murmur caught my attention. Was it the reporter badge? Or had they finally recognized me?

"Now, don’t throw out your cards," Erin continued, his smile wide. "There will be another draw later on tonight. A chance to win ten thousand dollars. Please, enjoy the night—party, gamble, drink, and have fun."

The crowd erupted into cheers once more, and Erin gently guided me off the stage. My team was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, grinning from ear to ear.

“Well done, boss!” James cheered, clapping me on the back.

“We won’t be in Bluehaven long,” I added, my voice light. “Take the night off. Call home, let them take a break too.”

He raised an eyebrow at him. “For real?”

“Of course. Now go before I make you work the night away.”

They all saluted me in unison before rushing off toward the tables. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling lighter than I had in a long time.

As I stepped away, Erin caught my eye from across the room, his gaze intense. I could feel the unspoken words hanging between us, the history we shared. But for now, there was something I needed to focus on.

“You look happier than the last time I saw you,” I said, breaking the silence as I walked over to him.

Erin turned to me, his expression unreadable. "What took you so long to come home?"

The question struck a chord deep inside me. I looked down at my hands, suddenly unsure how to answer.

“I’m sorry. It took me longer than I thought it would have. Are they still angry with me?”

Erin’s gaze softened, but there was still something pained in his eyes. "Kira, yes. Everyone else... seems to have forgotten why you left."

A tight knot formed in my stomach. I had left so much behind, but I didn’t expect forgiveness to be easy.

“Do they know I’m here?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“No,” Erin said softly. "It was a struggle to get Kira here in the first place."

My mind whirled as I processed his words. “Kira… my daughter?”

The question I had been holding in since I saw her at the airport. I longed to reach out to her, to hold her again, but I didn’t know if she even remembered me.

Erin’s eyes turned serious. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, we need to focus on getting you back in with the rest of the court.”

I froze. "Court? Excuse me?"

Erin’s words stung more than I expected. "I was hoping you’d remember a little more before we went in. But just because you’re the princess, doesn’t mean they will take you back."

The weight of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. Princess? What was he talking about? I had left everything behind—my title, my past, and my connection to this place.

And now, it seemed, it was all coming back to claim me.

The word princess hung in the air, a heavy cloud that refused to dissipate. I couldn’t help but feel a chill run through me. My mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of memories, the things I had left behind in Bluehaven—the things I had buried so deep. I had come here to escape, to start fresh, not to confront whatever part of me Erin was referring to.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I murmured, feeling a cold sweat start to form on the back of my neck. Princess?

Erin's gaze was steady, though his expression was clouded with something between pity and caution. "I never wanted you to leave, Lisa. Not like that. But now... you're going to have to face everything you ran from."

The weight of his words was suffocating, pressing in on me from all sides. My chest tightened again, the familiar panic threatening to rise up, but I forced myself to take a breath. I couldn’t break down here, not in front of him, not in front of anyone. Not when I had barely even started to face my own demons.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about, Erin,” I said, my voice trembling despite my efforts to sound steady. “I left everything. My title, my past... I’m just Lisa now.”

He looked at me, his brow furrowing. “You can call yourself whatever you want, but the truth is, Bluehaven never forgets. And neither do the people in it.” His eyes flickered toward the crowd, as though he was afraid someone might overhear us. “The court... Kira... your place here—none of it just disappears, no matter how hard you try.”

My heart raced. The court? The words hit me like a physical blow. I had always known there were things about my past that I would never be able to escape, but hearing them spoken aloud, feeling them hanging in the air like that... it made everything so much more real.

“Is Kira really... waiting for me?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Erin’s eyes softened, and for a moment, I saw the old him—compassionate, understanding, the person I had relied on. “Yes.Of course he’s been waiting for you and you’re not going to be able to hide from him forever, especially since he holds your daughter..”

The enormity of his words hit me like a flood, drowning me in a tide of emotion. I had thought about her constantly, even when I was miles away, but to hear that she was still here, still waiting, still... mine? It felt like I had missed an entire lifetime. I had left so much behind. Could I even step back into this life? Was it even possible?

But before I could say anything more, a familiar voice broke through the fog in my mind.

“Lisa!” James called, waving at me from the other side of the room. “We’re heading to the bar, you in?”

I turned toward him, grateful for the distraction. But as my eyes flicked back to Erin, I could see the resolve in his. The court. Kira. Everything was already spiraling into something I wasn’t ready for, and yet, I couldn’t seem to stop it.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice rough. “I’ll be there in a second.”

Erin gave me one last look, a mixture of concern and something else I couldn’t name, before nodding. “You know where to find me when you’re ready, Lisa.”

I didn’t respond, only watched as he disappeared into the crowd. My mind was still reeling, my thoughts a blur of fragments I wasn’t sure I could piece together. The pull of the past was stronger than ever, threatening to swallow me whole.

James’s voice cut through my thoughts again, and I forced myself to walk toward him, trying to push the weight of Erin’s words aside, at least for the moment.

I found myself at the bar, trying to focus on something—anything other than what had just been revealed to me. The buzz of the casino, the laughter, the clink of glasses, all of it felt distant. Like I wasn’t really a part of it.

“You alright, boss?” Juan asked, handing me a drink. “You’ve got that look on your face.”

I managed a tight smile. “Yeah, just... a lot going on.”

He studied me for a moment, then shrugged. “Well, you’ve earned this night. Don’t let the past weigh you down.”

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure I could follow his advice. The past wasn’t something you could just shake off. And now, it seemed like it was demanding my attention, like it had always been waiting for me to come back and face it.

“Let’s just enjoy tonight,” I said, my voice firmer now. “We’re only here for a little while longer. I’ll handle the rest later.”

But deep down, I knew that later was never coming. The past was already here, and sooner or later, I’d have to deal with it. Whether I was ready or not, especially since later was coming sooner, as I watched Erin approach the group again, taking my hand in his.

“Excuse me gentlemen, our precious winner is needed upstairs.”