The Invitation
The air inside the Vale mansion was stifling. Not because of the grand chandeliers burning with light or the heavy, perfumed drapes hanging from the windows—but because of the silence. A silence that pressed against Ana's ribs like a slow, tightening grip.
She sat in her room, the dim glow of candlelight flickering against the elegant walls. In her hands lay the invitation—a delicate piece of parchment, sealed with golden wax, bearing the name Lady Seraphina Duval.
Her fingers trembled as she traced the elegant lettering.
A ball. A chance to escape the suffocating walls of this house, even if only for a few hours. Yet, something about it felt… off.
She had received the invitation days ago, but now, as she turned it over in her hands, the weight of its meaning settled over her like a noose. Why had her father allowed it? Had he truly granted her this one night of freedom, or was there something lurking beneath the surface?
A soft knock echoed through her chamber.
"Come in," Ana murmured.
The door creaked open, and her younger sister slipped inside. Dressed in a simple nightgown, her long, wavy brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her mischievous green eyes.
"You're still awake?" her sister asked, tilting her head as she caught sight of the invitation. "Thinking about the ball?"
Ana nodded but said nothing.
"You should be excited," her sister continued, leaning closer. "Lady Seraphina's gatherings are famous for their extravagance. You might even find someone to steal you away before your dreadful fiancé does."
Ana stiffened.
Her sister's words were meant as a tease, but they struck deep. There was no escaping Caden. The engagement had already been sealed, her fate written in ink. Even if she went to the ball and danced with a hundred noblemen, none of them would dare challenge a man like him.
A soldier. A noble. A man who would soon be a duke. And, worst of all, a man who had every reason to hate her.
"You don't understand," Ana whispered.
Her sister frowned but didn't push further. Instead, she plucked the invitation from Ana's hands and studied it.
"I suppose it doesn't matter," she sighed. "You'll have to attend either way. Father would never allow you to refuse, and… well, it might be your last night of fun before—"
She stopped herself, but Ana already knew what she was going to say.
Before you become his.
A bitter taste filled her mouth.
"Goodnight," her sister said softly before leaving the room.
Ana sat in silence, gripping the invitation tightly.
She had no choice but to go.
But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that this ball was not just an escape. It was a beginning. And whatever awaited her beyond those gilded doors… she wasn't sure she was ready to face it.