Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 91

Chalter 91: Last Time

It was purely by accident. 

Fate had other plans.

Adhara hadn't meant to run into him—hadn't wanted to. She had been careful, always checking over her shoulder, always making sure she stayed far away from anything that could remind her of him. She had convinced herself that avoiding Fred Weasley was the best thing for both of them. 

She had just stepped out of a bookshop in Diagon Alley when she turned a corner too fast and collided with someone. The impact sent her stumbling back, and she barely managed to steady herself before muttering, "I'm so sorry, I—" 

But then she looked up. 

And the words died in her throat. 

Fred. 

For a split second, neither of them moved. 

The crowded street around them faded into nothing. There were no voices, no footsteps, no world beyond the space between them. 

Fred was the first to recover, stepping back slightly, his expression unreadable. "Fancy seeing you here," he said, voice clipped. 

Adhara swallowed. "I—yeah. I wasn't expecting..." 

She trailed off, because what could she even say? *I wasn't expecting to see you again? I wasn't expecting it to hurt this much?* 

Fred let out a short, humorless laugh. "Well, guess the universe has a twisted sense of humor, then." 

She shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do with herself. The weight of his gaze was unbearable, filled with something she couldn't quite name. 

She should have just nodded, excused herself, and walked away. That would have been the logical thing to do. 

But instead, Fred beat her to it. 

"Congratulations," he said suddenly, his voice laced with something bitter. 

Adhara's breath hitched. 

Her hand instinctively curled into a fist at her side, as if she could somehow hide the engagement ring on her finger. "Oh." 

Fred raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" 

She hesitated. "Thank you." 

There was a long pause, thick with unsaid words. Fred's jaw tightened slightly as he studied her, but then he let out a forced chuckle. "Quite the love story you've got there. Front page and all." 

So he had seen it. 

Of course, he had. 

Adhara forced a small smile, though it felt like her face might crack from the effort. "I didn't expect it to be that public." 

Fred shrugged, but there was something off about it. "Right. Well, can't blame the papers, can you? A Malfoy wedding's bound to make headlines. Especially when it's with Bordeaux's Finest." 

The mockery in his tone stung more than it should have. 

She dropped her gaze. "It's not—" She stopped herself. There was no point in explaining. He wouldn't believe her anyway. 

Fred exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Does he make you happy?" 

Adhara flinched. 

Because that was the one question she couldn't answer. 

Not honestly. 

So she did what she had always done best—she lied. 

"Yes," she said softly, clearly lying.