"Has she gone mad?!"
That was the unspoken question painted on every face in the room—every face except one. Alexander's lips still carried that faint, composed smile as his eyes lingered on Amari. For a moment, he seemed to admire her boldness, before his gaze slid deliberately toward Sebastian.
Sebastian's face, however, was unreadable—a mask of ice that betrayed nothing.
Alexander, ever perceptive, knew exactly why Sebastian had brought Louissa here tonight. It wasn't affection. It was spectacle. A public display meant to make a point.
But Amari's sudden announcement had shattered that plan. Whatever control Sebastian thought he had over the evening was gone—swept away by a single, well-timed blow.
Sebastian could feel Alexander's eyes on him, a silent challenge across the glittering tables and the muted hum of startled whispers. Their gazes locked despite the distance, the air between them drawn tight like a wire ready to snap.