Nadia turned around and walked away from us without saying another word. Her heavy yellow skirt dragged across the polished floor while she hurried to find another group of friends. She had failed to embarrass me, and her obvious frustration made the thick tension in the room feel slightly lighter.
Mason relaxed his shoulders and looked down at me with a steady expression.
"She will not bother us again tonight because you ruined her confidence," Mason said in a low voice over the loud music. "But my uncle is a much smarter opponent, and we cannot afford to lose our focus. We need to walk to the main stage right now."
We navigated through the massive crowd of wealthy guests together. We did not rush our steps, because we wanted to project absolute calm to anyone watching us. Waiters in white uniforms walked past us carrying silver trays, and the bright crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the long tables set for dinner.
