Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 99

Chapter 99: The Aftermath

The grand Malfoy-Laurent wedding had ended in chaos. 

Adhara was gone. 

She had run—no, she had chosen to run—with Fred Weasley, leaving behind a scandal that would be talked about for years. The guests had been too stunned to react at first, watching in horrified silence as she fled with the man she was never meant to be with. It had taken Lucius a full minute to process what had happened, but when he did, the rage in his eyes had been something terrifying. 

Now, back at Malfoy Manor, that rage filled every corner of the drawing room. 

Lucius paced furiously, his heavy boots echoing through the marble floors. His jaw was clenched, his hands shaking with fury. "Do you have any idea what she has done? She has humiliated this family in front of every respectable wizard in Britain and France! This was supposed to be our moment, our victory, and she ruined it!" 

Draco sat stiffly in the armchair, listening but saying nothing. He had long since learned that arguing with his father when he was like this was pointless. Narcissa sat by the fireplace, her expression unreadable, her fingers gripping the armrest of her chair just a little too tightly. 

"She didn't ruin anything," Draco finally said. "She just chose what she wanted." 

Lucius whirled around, his pale eyes blazing. "She chose disgrace! She chose a blood traitor!" 

"She chose love," Draco countered. 

Lucius let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Love." He spat the word like it was poison. "Love is a foolish indulgence. Do you know what she has done to us? Do you realize the consequences of this?" 

Draco did. The alliance was broken. The Malfoy name would be dragged through the mud. The Laurents were powerful, and they would not take this insult lightly. There would be whispers in the halls of power, former allies turning their backs. Lucius had built his world around control and appearances, and Adhara had shattered it in one night. 

"She was never going to be happy with Max," Draco said. "We all knew it." 

Lucius clenched his jaw. "Happiness is irrelevant. Duty is what matters." 

Draco let out a bitter laugh. "And look where that's gotten you." 

Lucius' eyes flashed dangerously, but before he could respond, a knock sounded at the door. A house-elf peeked in hesitantly. 

"Master Malfoy, there is... an owl. From Miss Adhara." 

Lucius stilled. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, with a sharp motion, he gestured for the letter. 

Draco watched as Lucius took the parchment, his fingers tightening around it as if he already knew what it contained. He broke the seal and read. 

The tension in the room thickened with every second. Then, finally, Lucius let out a sharp breath and crumpled the letter in his fist. 

"She is dead to this family," he said coldly. "From this moment forward, Adhara Malfoy no longer exists." 

"She made her choice," Lucius finally said, voice smooth but sharp as a blade. "And now, she will deal with the consequences."

Draco's jaw tightened. "What are you going to do?"

Lucius turned to face him, his pale eyes unreadable. "What needs to be done."

Draco took a step forward. "You can't force her to come back. She's made it clear—"

Lucius' lips curled in amusement, though there was no warmth in it. "Who said anything about forcing her back?" He exhaled, shaking his head. "No, no. That ship has sailed. Adhara has embarrassed this family beyond repair. She has humiliated the Laurents, thrown away a future of wealth and power, and proven herself unworthy of the Malfoy name." His voice dipped lower. "But most importantly, she has defied me."

Draco felt something uneasy settle in his stomach. "And what? You're going to punish her?"

Lucius chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "Oh, no. She's far beyond my reach now." He turned back to the fire. "But the world needs to see what happens when a Malfoy turns their back on their blood."

Draco's hands curled into fists. "Whatever you're planning, don't do it."

Lucius didn't even turn around. "You misunderstand, Draco. It has already begun."

Draco looked at his father, then at the letter in his hand. He knew better than to ask what it said. It didn't matter. 

Because Adhara was free. 

And for the first time in her life, she had made a choice that was truly hers. 

Fred had never felt such an adrenaline rush in his life. 

He had stolen a bride from her own wedding. 

He and Adhara had run for what felt like forever, hand in hand, her white dress trailing behind them. The moment they had stepped outside the ceremony hall, he had Disapparated them away, to a quiet, secluded field miles away from any prying eyes. 

Now, standing there, catching their breath, it finally hit him. 

She was here. She had chosen him. 

Adhara was bent over, hands on her knees, gasping for air. Her veil was gone, her carefully arranged hair now loose and wild from running. When she finally looked up at him, her eyes were wide—not with fear, but with something else. 

Relief. 

She took a slow step toward him. "I can't believe we just did that." 

Fred let out a breathless laugh. "Me neither." 

She looked down at herself, at the expensive dress that was now slightly torn at the hem. Then she looked back up at him, her expression unreadable. "What happens now?" 

Fred swallowed. He had fought for this moment. He had burst into that wedding, stood in front of everyone, and refused to let her go. But now, standing here, he realized—this was her choice, not his. 

So he took a deep breath. "That's up to you." 

Adhara stared at him. 

For years, she had felt like her life was not her own. Every decision had been made for her, every expectation set in stone. But now, for the first time, she had no script to follow. No orders. No rules. 

Just Fred, standing in front of her, waiting. 

She felt the weight of everything—the years of heartbreak, the sacrifices, the guilt. But beneath all of it, there was something else. 

Hope. 

She stepped closer, and without another word, she kissed him. 

It wasn't rushed. It wasn't desperate. It was slow, lingering—like she was memorizing the feeling of finally being where she was meant to be. 

Fred pulled her closer, his arms wrapping around her like he was afraid she might disappear. He had spent so long believing he had lost her forever, and now, here she was, in his arms, her fingers tangled in his hair, her lips pressed against his. 

When they finally pulled apart, Adhara let out a shaky breath. "I don't know what comes next," she admitted. 

Fred smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Then we figure it out together." 

And for the first time in a long time, Adhara felt something she hadn't felt in years. 

Freedom.