Jealousy

Daelan's POV

The ride back to the estate feels longer than it should, weighed down by exhaustion and irritation. The auction was a performance, a battleground of whispers and veiled threats, but nothing was more infuriating than meeting him.

Evan Hwan.

Strong. Confident. The kind of man people call a prodigy. The kind of man who stands at the top, looking down at others.

He's also infuriatingly good-looking.

I can't do anything about his face, but I can sure as hell make sure I surpass him. He might be formidable now, but I have something he never will.

Emmaline.

The thought of her alone is enough to temper my frustration. I glance to the side, watching her in the dim lighting of the car, the soft glow of passing streetlights illuminating her golden dress. She looks ethereal, a goddess sculpted in moonlight and silk, her face unreadable as she stares out of the window.

She hasn't spoken to me since we left.