I stood at the edge of the ballroom, watching as couples began drifting toward the royal gardens with poorly concealed excitement. The air practically vibrated with anticipation—this was, after all, the most romantic setting in the kingdom, where countless noble matches had begun.
"Must we go out there?" I asked Evangeline, who still had a firm grip on my arm. "It seems rather... public for such private moments."
"That's precisely the entertainment," Evangeline replied with a mischievous grin. "All these calculated proposals disguised as spontaneous romance. It's like watching actors perform, except they believe they're being genuine."
Helena joined us, her color finally returning to normal after her unexpected entrance with Damian Ashworth. "I, for one, am perfectly content to remain indoors. I've had quite enough gossip for one evening."
