"Proceed," Grayson commanded smoothly, adjusting his sweater with regal dignity. "Read my scores, Mailah. I am fully prepared to receive my absolute triumph."
Mailah opened her mouth to read the final line of his evaluation, her red pen hovering over the paper.
Before she could utter a single word, a loud, pleasant chime echoed through the grand estate. The heavy front doorbell had rung.
Grayson's dark eyes narrowed instantly. His posture went rigid as an iron post, his head turning slowly toward the grand hallway. The lingering warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by the sharp, defensive focus of a lord whose sanctuary had just been invaded.
"Who dares disturb us at this hour?" Grayson muttered, his deep voice dropping into a low rumble. "I explicitly placed a dark ward over the front gate."
