The ballroom glittered tonight, though Eren outshone even the chandeliers. Clad in ivory silk that pooled like moonlight around him, he moved through the crowd with the effortless grace of a swan, drawing sighs and longing glances wherever he went. The scent of expensive perfume and champagne hung heavy in the air, but all eyes remained fixed on the Emperor's favored concubine.

I watched from the shadows, my silk gown feeling like a second skin against my back as I observed the man who had stolen my husband's affections completely. Eren's laughter, soft and melodic, carried across the room—a sound that had once made my blood boil but now left me feeling only a hollow emptiness. The crystal chandeliers cast prisms of light across his perfect features, highlighting the delicate curve of his lips as he smiled at some nobleman's compliment.

A servant brushed past me, the warm scent of cinnamon from the refreshment table momentarily distracting me. When I returned my gaze to Eren, his blue eyes had locked onto mine across the crowded room. There was no malice in his expression, no triumph—only that same bored, melancholic look that seemed permanently etched on his beautiful face. He raised a crystal goblet in a subtle toast, his lips curving into a half-smile that sent a shiver down my spine. In that moment, I realized our lives were irrevocably intertwined, whether we liked it or not.