CHAPTER TWO~

Lights twinkled from the large ballroom, where the party to celebrate Lillian and Zeltros' engagement was well underway. The sound of laughter and clinking glasses drifted through the open windows, but Asteria sat in her room, staring out at the night. The last place she wanted to be was at that party.

Her hands gripped the edge of her vanity table, knuckles white with tension. She could already imagine the shallow smiles, the fake congratulations, and the whispered conversations about the new alliance. A celebration for Lillian. A celebration for Zeltros. A reminder of everything she didn't want to face.

A soft knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Asteria?" Alicia's voice came through the door. "Are you ready? The party's already started."

Asteria sighed heavily, not bothering to hide her frustration. "I'm not going."

The door opened anyway, and Alicia stepped inside, her expression firm yet understanding.

"You have to go, Asteria. Your father expects it. The family expects it."

Asteria didn't turn to face her, keeping her gaze fixed on the night outside. "I don't care what they expect. I'm not in the mood to celebrate Lillian and Zeltros."

Alicia moved closer, her tone softening but still resolute. "I know it's hard for you. I know you don't want to be there, but staying up here will only make things worse. You have to show your face, even if it's just for a little while."

Asteria clenched her jaw, trying to hold back the surge of emotions that threatened to spill over. "Why should I have to pretend? Why should I smile for them?"

"Because that's what this family does," Alicia replied, her voice gentle but firm. "We keep up appearances, even when it's hard. Even when it feels like the last thing we want to do."

For a long moment, Asteria stayed silent, her hands still gripping the table. She hated this, hated the idea of walking into that ballroom and pretending like she was happy for her sister. But she knew Alicia was right. She couldn't hide forever.

With a reluctant sigh, Asteria stood up, smoothing the wrinkles in her dress.

"Fine," she muttered. "But I'm not staying long."

Alicia smiled slightly, her expression tinged with sympathy. "That's all I ask."

The ballroom was already filled with guests when Asteria arrived. The glow of the chandeliers reflected off the expensive fabrics of designer dresses and tailored suits, the room buzzing with chatter and laughter. Lillian was the center of attention, as expected, standing beside Zeltros as they greeted the guests. Her face was a perfect mask of innocence, her bright smile flawless.

Asteria felt a knot form in her stomach as she scanned the room. She couldn't bear to look at Zeltros. Instead, she headed to the side of the room, hoping to blend into the background.

As she moved through the crowd, she spotted her fourth brother, Zack, leaning against one of the marble pillars, a drink in hand. His expression was bored, eyes flicking across the room as if looking for an escape from the party.

Asteria approached him, grateful for a familiar face. "Zack."

Zack turned, offering her a small, lazy grin. "Hey, little sister. Didn't think you'd show."

"I didn't have a choice," Asteria muttered, glancing around the room. "Aunt Alicia made sure of that."

Zack chuckled, sipping his drink. "Yeah, she's good at that. I wasn't planning on sticking around for long either. This whole thing is... well, you know how it is."

Asteria nodded, her eyes briefly landing on Zeltros across the room before quickly looking away.

Before she could respond, she noticed a girl slipping out from behind one of the nearby curtains, straightening her dress as she shot a quick glance at Leo, her fifth brother, before disappearing into the crowd. Asteria raised an eyebrow.

"Leo," she said, folding her arms. "Was that—?"

Leo shrugged, not the least bit concerned. "What? It's a party. People get bored."

Asteria gave him a disapproving look. "You were caught by Clarissa earlier, weren't you?"

Leo laughed, shaking his head. "Clarissa needs to mind her own business. I'm not here to please her—or anyone else for that matter."

Asteria frowned, her brother's carefree attitude only adding to her growing frustration. "You can't just keep doing whatever you want, Leo. Sooner or later, you'll get yourself into trouble."

Leo waved her concern away. "Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

But Asteria wasn't convinced. Leo had always been reckless, and tonight was no different. She could see the subtle tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes darted around the room, looking for distractions. He was just as trapped by the family as she was—only he hid it well behind a smile and a casual shrug.

"I just... I don't want you to get hurt," Asteria said quietly, her voice barely audible over the noise of the party.

Leo's expression softened, and for a brief moment, the usual mask of indifference fell away. He reached out and ruffled her hair, a rare gesture of affection.

"Don't worry about me, Asteria. I'll be fine."

Asteria sighed, knowing that arguing with him wouldn't change anything. She stayed by his side for a few more minutes, the two of them standing in companionable silence as the party swirled around them. But even with her brother beside her, Asteria couldn't shake the feeling of isolation that had settled deep in her chest.

It wasn't long before Lillian's voice echoed through the room, calling for attention, and Asteria knew it was time for the official announcement. She could feel everyone's eyes turning toward the happy couple, their cheers and applause already starting.

But all Asteria felt was the growing weight of everything she couldn't say, the unspoken words choking her as she stood there, alone in a room full of people.

The weight of the party pressed down on Asteria, each laugh and cheer making her feel more distant and disconnected. The air inside the ballroom felt thick, suffocating, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push away the growing sense of anxiety that gnawed at her.

She needed air.

Gripping her glass of red wine tightly, Asteria made her way to the nearest exit, slipping out unnoticed. The cool night breeze hit her face as she stepped into the garden, instantly providing some relief from the stifling atmosphere inside. The neatly trimmed hedges and soft glow of the garden lanterns should have been calming, but her thoughts raced, bouncing between her family, the engagement, and Zeltros.

Zeltros.

His presence lingered in her mind, no matter how hard she tried to push it away. His cold eyes, the way he'd watched her earlier at the dinner, the tension in his gaze whenever it fell on her. She hated it, but part of her was drawn to him in a way she couldn't explain. It was wrong. It was all wrong. He was engaged to Lillian, and yet...

Distracted, Asteria turned a corner in the garden's path and walked straight into a solid figure, her glass of red wine sloshing wildly.

The sharp intake of breath and sudden warmth of liquid splashing across fabric told her what had just happened.

"Oh no!" she gasped, stepping back quickly, eyes widening in horror as she took in the sight before her. Zeltros stood there, his white shirt stained with a deep red blotch where her wine had spilled across his chest.

For a moment, there was silence. His cold, calculating expression faltered for just a second, showing his irritation before he masked it again.

"Asteria," Zeltros said, his voice low and clipped. He glanced down at his ruined shirt and then back at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Really? Red wine?"

Asteria opened her mouth to apologize, but the words caught in her throat. Her heart raced, and she could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I didn't mean to—"

He cut her off with a sigh, waving a hand dismissively. "It's fine. Accidents happen." His tone was indifferent, but his gaze lingered on her, sharp and unreadable.

For a moment, Asteria thought he might walk away and leave her standing there, mortified. But instead, he took a step closer, the corner of his mouth twitching into the faintest hint of a smirk.

"You should be more careful where you're going," he said, his voice softening slightly, though his words still carried an edge. His eyes flicked over her, a look of amusement mixed with something darker. "I don't mind a mess... but not on me."

Asteria swallowed hard, her mind racing as she tried to process what was happening. Zeltros was always distant, cold even, but now, standing this close to him, she could feel the strange pull between them—the tension that hummed in the air like electricity.

"I—" she began, but before she could finish, Zeltros leaned in, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

"You look lovely tonight, Asteria," he said, his words dripping with a subtle flirtation that sent a shiver down her spine. His eyes glinted with something she couldn't quite place, something dangerous. "Too lovely to be hiding away in the garden."

Her breath caught in her throat as she felt a strange fluttering in her stomach, the butterflies she had fought so hard to ignore now swirling uncontrollably. She hated the effect he had on her, hated how she couldn't stop her heart from racing when he was close.

But before she could respond—before she could even make sense of the storm of emotions within her—they were interrupted.

"Zeltros!"

The voice came from the direction of the house, sharp and urgent. Asteria turned to see Xavier, one of Zeltros' closest friends, standing near the entrance to the garden. His eyes flickered between the two of them, a curious smirk playing on his lips.

"Your fiancée's looking for you," Xavier said, raising an eyebrow. "She's wondering where her future husband has disappeared to."

Zeltros straightened, his expression hardening once more as he glanced at Asteria. Whatever playful energy had been there moments ago was gone, replaced by his usual cold detachment.

"Right," Zeltros replied, giving Asteria one last look before turning away. "Duty calls."

He walked toward Xavier, who threw a quick, knowing glance back at Asteria before they both disappeared into the house.

Asteria stood there for a moment, her heart still racing as she tried to calm the storm inside her. The encounter had left her feeling unsteady, confused by the way Zeltros had spoken to her, the way he had looked at her. He was engaged to her sister, yet in that moment, it had felt like there was something unspoken between them—something dangerous.

But she couldn't let herself think about it. Not now. Not ever.

Pushing the butterflies down, Asteria gathered herself and made her way back to the house. The party was still in full swing, the music and laughter filling the air as if nothing unusual had happened.

As she re-entered the ballroom, she blended back into the crowd, her heart still heavy but her mask firmly in place once again.

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