Chapter 1: Silent Chains

The ballroom shimmered, a sea of glittering gowns and the scent of expensive perfumes suffocated her.

Laughter, clinking glasses, and murmured conversation—everything finally blurred into meaningless noise.

Liliana's patience was thinning with each passing second.

She needed an escape.

Slipping through the throng, she found the terrace doors.

The cool night air kissed her skin, a welcome contrast to the stifling warmth within.

For a moment, she breathed, letting the tension ease from her shoulders.

Liliana reached into her clutch, her fingers brushing against the cold metal of a cigarette case before she tapped one out, lifting it to her lips.

Before she could light it, a presence registered behind her.

She turned, a choreographed smile playing on her lips

"Following me?"

A man stood there, tall and well-dressed, a silhouette against the city lights. He held a lighter, flicking it open and closed with a quiet rhythmic click.

She didn't recognize him.

Calm and unhurried as if he belonged in every room he stepped into. The glow of his cigarette cast flickering shadows across sharp features.

His eyes, dark and observant, held a spark of amusement.

He took a slow drag with one hand into his pocket, holding out a lighter.

A small flick. Then a steady flame.

She tilted her head, her lips curving slightly. "Are you offering?"

Liliana ignored the lighter, stepping closer, fingers lightly brushing his shoulders, barely a touch, just enough to linger.

"Boring..." She murmured, voice edged with leisure.

Her smile widened as she leaned in and took the lit cigarette from his lips.

She exhaled softly, smoke curled between them, the faintest brush of her skin against his.

The touch of tobacco mixed with something unfamiliar lingered on her tongue.

"I prefer this one." She inhaled deeply, her gaze locking with his.

The man's lips quirked slightly. "Is that so?"

A deep swallow rolled down his throat, a flicker of something she couldn't quite decipher.

The distant chime of a clock echoed through the night, a stark reminder of her carefully regimented life.

Liliana leaned in, her breath warm against his ear as if whispering a secret. "Curfew's on. I must return."

She lowered her lashes, her fingers grazing his as she returned the cigarette. 

Then, just as quickly, she pulled away, turning with an elegant step as if she hadn't just toyed with a flame before she turned and disappeared into the ballroom, the doors closing behind her with a soft click.

Nolan leaned his back against the railing, his elbow resting on the cool metal as he exhaled a slow stream of smoke, watching it dissipate into the darkness.

The ember at the tip of his cigarette flickered briefly before he tapped the ashes off, dismissing it entirely.

His gaze lingered on the closed terrace doors, her lingering warmth still imprinted in his mind.

Intriguing.

A low, baffled chuckle echoed behind him "Blowing cool air, Alchys?"

Nolan dismissed the comment with a curt nod. Instead, he straightened, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve before stepping away from the balcony.

"Something like that," He said lazily before walking past the man and disappearing into the crowd.

Inside the ballroom, Liliana moved with refined grace, her smile fixed.

A sharp voice cut through the chatter.

"Where did you disappear to?"

She was immediately intercepted by her cousin, Evelyn Hill. The third lady of the Hill family, born to her second uncle, carried herself with an air of superiority that never wavered.

Liliana lowered her gaze slightly, smoothing her expression into a docile obedience.

"I saw a cat outside," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "I couldn't help but pet it."

Evelyn frowned. "A cat?"

"Mhm," she nodded. "A black one."

Evelyn scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "You always have time for nonsense." Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel. "We're leaving."

Liliana followed her to the waiting car.

The ride home was silent, the city lights blurring past the tinted windows.

But their night was far from over.

The Hill estate was as imposing as ever when they arrived home.

Grand, pristine, and utterly lifeless.

As soon as they stepped out of the car, the butler was already waiting. "The Old Madam is expecting you in the study," he said with a polite bow.

Evelyn hummed in acknowledgment, barely sparing him a glance. "Of course, Come along, Liliana."

Liliana kept her steps measured as they walked through the quiet halls, her cousin's heels clicking against the polished marble.

They entered the study, the room was a sanctuary of tradition, lined with bookshelves and filled with the scent of aged paper and ink.

A few of their other cousins were already seated, brushes poised over inkstones.

"Late again?" One of them, a younger girl, whispered with a smirk.

Evelyn shot her a look. "Liliana was playing with a cat."

There was a soft snicker from another corner of the room.

Liliana paid it no mind, silently taking her seat. A maid placed fresh ink before her, and she dipped her brush into the liquid. The scent was sharp and familiar.

Stroke by stroke, she traced the delicate characters onto the paper, words drilled into her since childhood.

A woman must be virtuous. Graceful in action, meek in words. Loyal in heart.

Her movements were precise and effortless. She had done this too many times.

A presence loomed behind her, She knew without looking.

"Perfectly written." her grandmother observed, her voice even. "As expected."

Liliana placed her brush down and rose, presenting the sheet with both hands. "Thank you, Grandmother."

A single nod. No more, no less.

She turned to leave, pausing only briefly as Evelyn shot her a look—half amused and half irritated.

Liliana lightly smiled before stepping away bidding her silent farewell to her cousins, their faces blurred and indistinct, some of whom she barely remembered.

The halls stretched endlessly before her, the quiet pressing in from all sides.

A few cousins remained in the study, their hushed voices blending into the faint murmurs of servants finishing their nightly tasks.

She entered her room in silence.

Unfastened her brooch. Let the layers of her dress slip off her shoulders.

Her eyes were numb, her body weary from the endless cycle.

It was a routine.

Day after day.

Night after night.

Liliana's gaze lowered to her hands, faint ink staining her fingertips. She rubbed at it absently before extinguishing the lamp beside her bed.

Darkness swallowed the room.

Tomorrow would be the same.

It always was.