A Gift Best Left Unopened

The party was in full swing. The warm glow of chandeliers cast a golden hue over the grand hall, where guests laughed, clinked glasses, and swayed to the soft melody of the string quartet playing in the background.

Evander stood near the edge of the crowd, his sharp eyes scanning the room, looking for one person—Delphinia. The last time he saw her, she had been speaking with his parents. But now, she was nowhere to be seen. His brows furrowed slightly, and he pressed his lips together, resisting the urge to pull out his phone and call her.

Ashton was still with his father, which meant Evander had no reason to worry about him. But Delphinia… where had she gone? His mother wouldn't have let her wander off alone, but knowing Delphinia, she might have slipped away to take a breath from the overwhelming crowd. He would check the gardens first, then maybe the balcony—

"Evander."

A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.