Evangeline bit her lower lip, the casual confidence in her chest finally fracturing. A cold dread settled in her stomach. Looking at the predatory gleam in Carlos's eyes, she realized she hadn't just tumbled into a court dispute—she had walked into a generational trap far bigger than herself. To hide her unease, she lowered her gaze and forced herself to eat, avoiding his sharp, watching eyes.
A few tense, suffocating seconds passed.
Then, the massive glass doors were violently thrown open, slamming against the walls with a force that nearly shattered the panes.
Rivina burst into the dining hall. She was breathing heavily, her pristine white imperial wings dragging behind her, completely unretracted in her frantic haste. Her frantic gaze swept the room, bypassing her father entirely, and locked onto Evangeline.
"Eva!" Rivina gasped.
