His gaze lingered.
Did he notice me?
A cold bead of sweat ran down my temple. I avoided meeting his eyes directly, raising my fan to cover the lower half of my face.
I waited.
For a reaction. For anything at all.
But nothing came.
The seconds stretched unbearably long, my muscles tightening as I stood frozen in place. For the first time, I prayed not to be seen by him.
Finally, I dared to look up again.
He was already gone.
Now, he stood several steps away, speaking casually with another nobleman as if nothing had happened.
Relief washed over me.
Perhaps… he had not seen me after all, but the possibility lingered at the back of my mind.
Maybe I should leave now, before he actually does. It would not be a good look if I'm recognized.
Just as I was about to slip away, something caught my eye.
The plain girl had bumped straight into the duke.
Startled, she apologized repeatedly, the words tumbling from her mouth without pause. Her eyes darted away, unable to meet his.
But his remained fixed on her, unreadable.
The ballroom went cold.
Whispers spread through the crowd, followed by quiet gasps.
My stomach twisted as I watched history repeat itself once more.
I wanted to do something—anything, in fact.
But I had no idea what I was supposed to do. All I could do in that moment was watch.
He smiled at her and helped her up. I wasn't sure if my eyes had fooled me, but I thought I saw a flicker of amusement in his gaze. It felt like mockery.
Instinctively, I grabbed another drink and gulped it down, my fingers digging into my palm until they nearly drew blood.
I no longer wished to watch this unfold, but my legs were stiff, glued to the ground.
The girl's face turned red as she bowed to greet him, her hands trembling slightly.
A bold, short human man stepped forward and knelt before the duke. A girl who stood beside him—likely the plain girl's sister—grinned faintly in the background.
"I ask for forgiveness for my daughter's clumsiness. She has been weakened by illness," the man said, his head completely lowered toward the marble floor.
"Rise," the duke said, smiling politely, brushing the matter aside.
The girl's eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting to be forgiven. A group of girls seated near me seethed with envy, wishing they were in her position—though not long ago, they had hoped to avoid it entirely.
"Humans," I spat with annoyance.
The girl bowed once more in gratitude. Now I could finally see her face.
She was radiant, with wide eyes that held a spark of ambition.
The same spark of ambition.
"May I have this dance with you, my lady?" he asked charmingly, startling everyone, extending his hand toward her.
The plain girl, now blushing profusely, placed her delicate hand in his palm.
And off they went to the dance floor.
Other couples soon followed.
They danced together effortlessly, their steps perfectly in sync—as if they had rehearsed countless times before.
A lump formed in my throat as I watched them move hand in hand across the floor. The music faded into the background of my mind, while my thoughts screamed loudly at me. I finally broke away and walked off. I had seen enough and only wished to rest.
Did I make another mistake by not ending her?
That was the only thought that screamed the loudest.