For a few seconds after Seraphina disappeared into the crowd, neither of them spoke.
The orchestra continued playing somewhere across the ballroom, a soft violin melody floating through the golden-lit hall.
But the space around Adrian and Elena suddenly felt quieter.
Elena watched the direction Seraphina had gone until the silver dress vanished among the guests.
"Well," she said finally.
"That was… something."
Adrian didn't respond immediately.
His gaze was still fixed on the crowd.
Watching.
Calculating.
As if making sure Seraphina had truly walked away.
Only then did he look back at Elena.
"What did she say to you before I arrived?"
Elena blinked.
"That's the first question you're asking?"
"Yes."
His tone was calm.
But there was an edge beneath it.
Elena folded her arms slightly.
"She congratulated me on my performance."
"And?"
"And reminded me about the warning she gave me years ago."
Adrian's expression hardened just a little.
"What exactly did she say?"
Elena studied him.
"You sound like you're interrogating me."
"I'm asking."
"She said Adrian's world hasn't become any safer."
Adrian didn't look surprised.
"That sounds like her."
Elena tilted her head.
"You expected it?"
"Yes."
Elena glanced around the ballroom again.
Guests laughed and chatted nearby, completely unaware of the quiet tension lingering between them.
"She also said I was braver than she expected," Elena added.
Adrian's eyes moved back to her.
"And what did you say?"
"I told her I might just be stubborn."
For the first time since Seraphina left, something softened slightly in his expression.
"That sounds accurate."
Elena smiled faintly.
They stood there quietly for another moment.
Then Adrian's gaze shifted around the ballroom again.
"You've been standing here too long."
Elena raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't realize there was a time limit."
"There is tonight."
"And why is that?"
Adrian stepped a little closer.
Not dramatically.
Just enough that the distance between them shortened slightly.
"Because people are watching."
Elena followed his gaze.
Across the room, several guests were indeed looking in their direction.
Some curious.
Some calculating.
"Oh," she said slowly.
"That kind of watching."
"Yes."
Elena sighed.
"This is exhausting."
Adrian studied her expression.
"You didn't have to stay."
"You invited me."
"And you already performed."
Elena crossed her arms again.
"You're trying to get rid of me already?"
Adrian shook his head slightly.
"No."
"Then what are you doing?"
For a brief moment, he didn't answer.
Then he said quietly,
"Removing you from unnecessary attention."
Elena stared at him.
"That sounds suspiciously protective."
"I'm being practical."
"Right."
Adrian gestured toward the far side of the ballroom.
"There's a quieter lounge near the terrace."
"You mean the VIP escape route?"
"If you want to call it that."
Elena studied him carefully.
"You're serious."
"Yes."
She exhaled slowly.
"Alright."
They began walking together across the ballroom.
As they passed through the crowd, Elena became very aware of something.
People weren't just looking at Adrian.
They were looking at both of them.
Whispers followed quietly behind them.
When they finally reached the wide glass doors leading to the terrace hallway, the noise of the ballroom faded slightly.
Cool night air drifted through the open space.
Elena leaned lightly against the railing outside and exhaled.
"That's better."
Adrian stood beside her.
"You handled Seraphina well."
Elena glanced sideways.
"Was that a test too?"
"No."
"Then what was it?"
Adrian looked back toward the ballroom doors.
"Seraphina likes to measure people."
"And tonight she measured me?"
"Yes."
Elena thought about that for a moment.
"Well, I hope I passed."
Adrian looked at her.
"You didn't fail."
She smiled slightly.
"That almost sounds like praise."
Adrian didn't reply.
But something about the way he was looking at her now felt… different.
More focused.
More deliberate.
Elena suddenly realized how close he was standing.
Not touching her.
But close enough that if she moved even slightly, their shoulders would brush.
She cleared her throat softly.
"You know something?"
"What?"
"That thing you did earlier."
"What thing?"
She gestured vaguely.
"The silent bodyguard stance."
Adrian frowned slightly.
"I wasn't doing that."
"You absolutely were."
"I was making a point."
Elena laughed softly.
"That's exactly what I mean."
Adrian looked back toward the ballroom again.
Then he said something quietly.
"She was observing you."
Elena's smile faded slightly.
"I noticed."
"And I don't like it."
The words came out before he seemed to think about them.
Elena turned her head.
"You don't like people observing me?"
Adrian met her eyes.
"No."
There was something unexpectedly intense in the way he said it.
Elena held his gaze for a moment.
Then she looked back out at the city lights beyond the terrace.
For some reason, her heartbeat had become slightly faster.
Inside the ballroom, surrounded by powerful strangers, she had felt completely out of place.
But standing here beside Adrian…
She felt strangely calm.
Even if she still didn't understand one thing.
Why Adrian Volkov had suddenly started acting like losing sight of her tonight would be a mistake.