Adrian did not press her for an answer. That was what made the moment dangerous; he had asked a question that most men would demand a response to, but Adrian did not repeat himself, and he did not force the conversation forward. Instead, he watched her with a level of focus that made silence feel like part of the interrogation.
Seraphina understood that better than anyone.
The absence of pressure was deliberate. It gave him time to observe, and it gave him space to confirm. When she did not answer, Adrian leaned back slowly, his expression smoothing into something that would have appeared calm to anyone else.
"I suppose I will find out," he said. His tone carried no frustration, but the certainty beneath it was unmistakable.
Seraphina held his gaze. "Of course, you always do," she replied.
Adrian's eyes darkened slightly, not in anger, but in recognition. He understood the implication of her words, and he accepted it without comment.
