Claire Sherwood sat on the sofa, exuding an air of noble elegance, her eyes filled with hope. She hoped Justin Nash would invite her to dance.
To her surprise, the man stepped forward and took Sophie's hand instead. With a faint smile in his eyes, he asked, "Dance with me?"
With his arm around her waist and her hand on his shoulder, the two twirled onto the dance floor. Claire's smile froze on her face.
Seeing her constantly sidling up to Justin all evening, Vincent Thorne's expression darkened. In a fit of pique, he ignored her and dragged his sister, Iris Thorne, out to dance.
Iris Thorne thought, "...Am I just a seat-filler?"
Elsewhere at the ball, Tristan Sherwood's face was equally stormy. He watched Justin wrap his arm around Sophie's waist. Every spin they took felt like a knife twisting brutally in his heart, leaving him in unbearable, agonizing pain.
