Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 88

Chapter 88: A Game of Pretend

The restaurant Lucius had chosen for their first official dinner as an engaged couple was as extravagant as Adhara had expected—chandeliers dripping with crystals, tables set with polished silver, and the kind of quiet that only existed in places where everyone had enough money to buy silence.

Adhara hated it.

She sat across from Max, picking at the edge of the menu, while he leaned back in his chair like he belonged there.

He probably did.

Max had always been at ease in places like this—wealthy, respected, and perfectly in control. It was why their families thought they would be a perfect match.

What they didn't know was that Max could be just as rebellious as she was.

And tonight, they were going to prove exactly why this arrangement would never work.

Max set his menu down with a sigh. "So, how shall we ruin this evening?"

Adhara smirked. "By being ourselves?"

He grinned. "That should do the trick."

The first part of their plan was simple: make it look like they were the worst possible match.

Adhara spent the first half of dinner correcting Max's table manners, nitpicking his posture, and rolling her eyes at everything he said.

Max, in turn, acted as arrogant as possible, interrupting her constantly, making ridiculous claims about wizarding politics, and smirking whenever she shot him a glare.

By the time the main course arrived, the people at the surrounding tables were casting subtle glances their way, and the maître d' was visibly debating whether to intervene.

Adhara suppressed a smile. "I cannot believe you just said that."

Max shrugged. "I'm only speaking the truth, darling."

She scowled. "Do not call me that."

He smirked. "Would you prefer fiancée?"

Adhara stabbed a piece of her food with unnecessary force. "I'd prefer nothing."

"Noted."

She fought the urge to laugh. They were actually having fun with this.

However, the conversation took an unexpected turn.

"You know," Max mused, twirling his fork between his fingers, "if things were different, this could've been real."

Adhara stiffened. "What?"

Max glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "I mean, if we had actually chosen this."

She hesitated, unsure how to respond.

They had been friends for years—good friends. But they had never been that.

Because Adhara had loved someone else.

And Max...

She wasn't sure if Max had ever loved anyone at all.

Max let out a soft chuckle. "Relax, fiancée," he teased. "I'm not confessing my undying love. Just saying—under different circumstances, maybe this wouldn't have been so bad."

Adhara exhaled. "Right. Maybe."

They let the thought linger for a moment before moving on.

They still had a dinner to ruin, after all.

By the time they left, their plan had worked—half the restaurant had witnessed their *awful chemistry*, and the maître d' looked like he wanted to ban them from ever returning.

Max offered his arm dramatically. "Shall we, dearest fiancée?"

Adhara rolled her eyes but took it anyway. "Let's get out of here before someone hexes us."

They walked down the quiet street, the crisp night air settling around them. For the first time in days, Adhara felt... lighter.

But then—

She caught sight of something that made her stomach twist.

A flash of red hair in the distance.

Fred.

Adhara froze.

Max followed her gaze and sighed. "Of course."

Fred was standing near the entrance of a small café, talking to George. He looked... tired.

Like something had worn him down.

Adhara swallowed. Did he know about the engagement?

Had he heard?

Her fingers instinctively curled around the ring still hidden beneath her gloves.

Before she could stop herself, she took a step forward—

Then hesitated.

Because standing there, just a few feet away from him, was too much.

Too real.

She had walked away.

She had made her choice.

And now, Fred was moving on.

She turned away before he could see her.

Max, who had been watching silently, sighed. "You don't have to do this alone, you know."

Adhara forced a small smile. "I do, actually."

She started walking, not looking back.

And Fred, unaware that she had been there at all, stayed exactly where he was.

Later that night, Adhara sat in front of the fireplace in her flat, the flames casting flickering shadows against the walls. The engagement ring sat on the table in front of her, glinting under the firelight.

It was beautiful. Expensive. Everything her father would have wanted for her.

But it wasn't hers.

Not really.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a different ring—one far less extravagant, but infinitely more important.

She turned it over in her fingers, her heart aching.

She allowed herself to wonder—

What would have happened if she had stayed?

Would they have been happy?

Would they have had the life Fred had built for them in that little house?

Or would it have fallen apart anyway?

She would never know.

But as she stared at the two rings—one that was hers by choice, and one that was hers by force—she realized something.

She was out of time.

Her father had made sure of that.

And no matter how much she wished otherwise—

Fred was no longer hers to love.