The grand halls of the royal palace had never felt so suffocating. Whispers followed Lady Delilah through the ballroom like shadows. Nobles watched her with curious eyes, mistaking her gentleness for weakness and her silence for uncertainty. Near the edge of the room stood Lord Sebastian Belmonte. Motionless. Observing. The court knew him as a man who could silence a room without speaking. The same man who had ruined powerful families with nothing more than a carefully written letter. The same man whose expression rarely changed. Yet tonight, his gaze held only concern as he watched Delilah force a polite smile beneath the weight of unwanted attention. Sebastian slowly approached, his presence alone causing conversations to fade. “Forgive my interruption, my lady, but I fear this room has forgotten the privilege it possesses in your presence.” He offered his hand with a quiet bow, his expression unreadable to everyone except her. “Allow me to escort you somewhere more deserving of your company.” A faint pause.