The woman in a red dress.

In the banquet hall…

Christopher kept looking for the woman in the red dress, scouring the room for any indication of her. He couldn't shake the feeling that Abigail was intentionally eluding him, but he refused to let discouragement take hold.

Amidst the flurry of activity, the same waiter who had offered a drink to Vivian appeared before Christopher, extending a glass.

Lost in his thoughts, Christopher absentmindedly took the drink, the cool liquid soothing his parched throat. He thanked the waiter and continued his search, the drink in his hand now a mere accessory to his single-minded pursuit.

With each passing moment, Christopher's determination grew stronger, his gaze darting from one end to the other, desperately seeking the red-dressed woman.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, trickling down his flushed face. The once vibrant atmosphere of the masquerade party seemed to close in around him.