CHAPTER 49

A hush enveloped the ballroom as Vivienne stood poised in the center, the opening strains of the waltz lilting through the air. Lucien and Julian each lingered near opposite corners, tension radiating from them. Guests watched with bated breath—what spectacle would unfold?

Vivienne's pulse thundered in her ears. She forced herself to inhale slowly. She had to choose. But her mind screamed that neither man deserved a public slight. She recalled the advice from Lady Wilston earlier in the night— "Why not break tradition and show these lords that you stand on your own?" The suggestion had seemed absurd at the time, but now a bold idea flared.

With a resolute lift of her chin, she stepped to the side of the floor, turning to the orchestra conductor. "Change of plans," she said softly, though her voice carried. "Let's have a second waltz, a…double waltz, if you will."

Confusion rippled among the musicians, but they nodded uncertainly. The music paused, then resumed with a graceful flourish. Vivienne gestured politely to both Lucien and Julian. "Would you…both dance with me?"

A collective gasp fluttered across the crowd. Some ladies tittered in shock, men exchanged incredulous looks. Two partners with one lady? Scandalous indeed. But the hush deepened as Lucien and Julian advanced, each uncertain yet compelled by the invitation.

Lucien reached her first, voice tight. "Vivienne, are you sure—?"

She placed a trembling hand on his arm. "Yes. Trust me." Then she turned to Julian, extending her other hand. He hesitated only a heartbeat before taking it gently, heart in his eyes.

The orchestra, emboldened by the unusual request, let the waltz's melody swell. Slowly, they began. Vivienne took the lead in this unconventional trio, rotating steps so that she spent a measure with Lucien, then seamlessly transitioned to Julian, and back again. Laughter and exclamations flickered around them—shock, scandal, intrigue. Yet none could deny the mesmerizing spectacle.

At first, the men were stiff, uncertain how to coordinate. But as the dance progressed, they found a rhythm. When Vivienne twirled away from Lucien's hold, Julian caught her waist, spinning her anew. Then she returned to Lucien's guiding hand. A heady swirl of swirling skirts, brushed shoulders, and synchronized footwork formed a dizzying display of passion and defiance.

All eyes were on them, but Vivienne cared only for the swirl of emotions between the three of them. She glimpsed Lucien's determined gaze, the fierce ownership he once held softening into acceptance that he was sharing this waltz. She felt Julian's reverent touch, awe in how they might forge a brief harmony out of conflict.

Near the final chord, Vivienne took each man's hand, forming a small circle. The music soared to a crescendo. She closed her eyes, letting tears slip. In that culminating step, Lucien and Julian briefly touched hands across hers—an electric moment that left the onlookers stunned. The music ended on a lingering note. Applause and gasps melded in a chaotic roar.

Panting, Vivienne curtseyed, tears shining. Lucien and Julian each bowed. The crowd erupted with disbelieving claps, some guests scandalized, others enthralled by the bold demonstration. Murmurs of "Unprecedented!" and "How daring!" rippled.

For a heartbeat, the trio stood in the center, breathless. Lucien's face was pale, but his eyes flickered with a strange mixture of pride and raw vulnerability. Julian's cheeks flushed, unsure whether to grin or recoil at the public nature of it all. Vivienne squeezed both their hands, forging the bravest smile she could.

They retreated from the floor, letting the murmuring guests swirl around them. Vivienne braced for an onslaught of questions, but no one dared approach immediately. Everyone was too stunned by the rare sight of a woman waltzing with two suitors in open display.

In the quiet refuge of a side corridor, the trio paused. Lucien exhaled shakily. "You…really do defy expectations, Vivienne."

Julian's lips curved in a half-smile. "A stunt like that… I'm not sure if it will quell rumors or ignite them like wildfire."

Vivienne's laugh emerged partly from relief. "Maybe both. But let them talk. Tonight was about honesty—neither of you deserved to be slighted. I care for you each. That's the truth."

Their eyes met, heavy with meaning. The moment could erupt into deeper confessions, but a steward bustled in, urgently calling for Lucien's attention regarding a minor fiasco with the dessert table. With a regretful nod, Lucien left them. Julian hesitated, searching Vivienne's gaze. "You were incredible," he said softly. "I never dreamed such a public statement."

She shrugged, half-tearful, half-liberated. "I'm tired of illusions. People can judge if they wish."

He gently squeezed her hand. "Thank you for letting me be part of it." Then he, too, stepped away, giving her the space to return to her hostess duties. Vivienne leaned against the corridor wall, heart pounding. The double waltz was a wild, scandalous gesture, but also a spark of truth—she refused to hide her conflicting loves any longer.

Out in the ballroom, rumors buzzed. The night carried on, but that dance remained the star moment. Vivienne navigated the rest of the event on a dizzying high, uncertain how tomorrow would dawn, but resolute that she'd no longer bury her heart in half-truths. Let the world see them as they truly were—three souls forging a new path, however unorthodox.