At the last moment, Alina pulled back, pushing him gently.
"Austin." Her voice was breathless and shaky. "You're drunk. You're not thinking straight."
"I'm always thinking straight," he murmured. "And I guess, that's the problem."
She swallowed, trying to steady herself.
"If you weren't drunk," she said quietly, "would you still do this?"
Before he could answer, a knock shattered the moment. The sound echoed through the stone walls, loud and jarring, like something breaking.
Alina stepped back immediately while Austin stayed there, his eyes still fixed on her. Alina walked towards the door and opened it.
Audrey stood in the corridor, looking terrible. Her dress was rumpled, her hair messy, falling around her face in tangled strands and her eyes were red and swollen. She looked like she had been crying for a long time.
"Audrey…"
Audrey didn't respond. She stepped past Alina and into the room, her gaze fixed on Austin.
"I need to speak with him alone."
