Chapter 31

Lemira caught Alaric’s gaze, her eyebrows furrowing. Her phone buzzed; it was Lucian.

“Lemira, you’re at the venue, right?”

A bad feeling settled in Lemira’s stomach. The squeals of surrounding fans confirmed her suspicions. “Lemira, Caspian and I got caught up with urgent business. We can’t make the game. Today’s match is huge for Alaric; you should join the team. Whatever issues you have with him, put them aside. When push comes to shove, we stick together.”

Lucian’s words washed over her, drowning out the cheers for Lemira. She ended the call abruptly, her silence deafening. She'd come to observe the spectacle, not participate.

Onstage, Alaric waited impatiently for Lemira to join him backstage. “What’s Lemira playing at? Do I really need to go ask her myself?” he said, his face grim.

Evelina replied with amusement, “Alaric, let me message her. But seeing her sitting there… she’s probably still upset. Otherwise, she’d be backstage by now.”

Alaric remembered the Lemira who instinctively knew his needs, her support a constant. But this Lemira felt like a stranger.

“You call her,” he said stiffly. “If she agrees to play, I’ll let bygones be bygones and treat her like a sister again.” His recklessness earlier at school weighed on him; he was willing to overlook their past disagreements for a return to their former closeness.

Evelina’s expression faltered. “Okay, I’ll call her right away. For your sake, I believe she’ll come.”

Alaric’s mood brightened slightly. Evelina stepped aside to call Lemira, her gaze falling on her below. Her eyes darkened.

Seeing Evelina’s name and noticing her onstage, Lemira anticipated the call and declined it without answering, her expression unchanged as she watched.

Evelina, hung up on, looked surprised, then smirked, relieved to avoid wasting time. She hadn't wanted Lemira in the game, stealing her spotlight. She wanted Lemira to witness her and Alaric's victory; they didn't need Lemira to win.

Returning to Alaric, Evelina feigned tears. “Alaric, I guess I’m not very persuasive. Lemira probably hates me; that’s why she didn’t answer. Maybe I should talk to her in person?”

Alaric’s expression hardened. “No need. Lucian already tried calling her and got hung up on. It’s clear she won’t join the team. Don’t bother.” He added, “Evelina, I trust Lemira isn’t the type to just show up for laughs.”

“Ha, we’ll win this match, and she won’t get her way,” Alaric said, putting on his headphones, tuning out the auditorium. Evelina’s face lit up with satisfaction. Lemira, I’ve got the upper hand this time, she thought.

The match began swiftly: SkyBlaze versus IronVow. Lemira watched the commentary on the big screen. Initially, Alaric, playing the assassin, led his team into an ambush. But the opposing team anticipated his tactics, even predicting his bait strategy.

In her past life, Lemira had found their opponents’ eagerness suspicious, suspecting a trap. She'd advised Alaric to be more cautious, to avoid rushing in blindly.