Chapter 29

The sharp chime of the alarm clock shattered the peaceful quiet of the morning. Noelle groaned into her pillow, her fingers blindly reaching for the source of the noise. After a few failed swipes, she finally managed to press the snooze button, sinking back into the warmth of her blanket with a heavy sigh.

But then it hit her.

Today was

that

day.

Her eyes fluttered open, sluggish with sleep, but there was no escaping reality. She had agreed—no, been

forced—to attend Alexei’s school’s family day.

As his

mother.

And worse, with Valerian posing as her

husband.

Noelle groaned again, this time into her pillow, before finally forcing herself to sit up. The cool morning air nipped at her skin, sending a shiver down her spine as she dragged herself toward the closet. She wasn’t sure what kind of event this would be, but she imagined it would be filled with other well-dressed, well-to-do parents, given that Alexei attended an