Startled by the sudden turn of events, Kyla glanced around nervously.

Then she froze, realizing that she was standing so close to Silas that their bodies might touch.

They were so close that even the slightest movement could cause their fingers to brush.

She was sincerely grateful to Silas for helping her when she had been in a terrible situation, and for readily agreeing not to tell Jayden.

Yet standing beside him still made her feel uncomfortable.

It seemed better to leave before their bodies accidentally touched.

Above all, she was worried about Jayden, who had promised to come back quickly but still hadn’t returned.

“Your Grace, I think I should go inside and look for my brother.”

“Wait a moment. It’ll be impossible to get inside through this crowd anyway.”

At Silas’s words, Kyla looked around.

Just as he had said, more and more people were pouring out of the ballroom onto the terrace like a rising tide.

“Ah… I see.”

Kyla bit her lip.

She couldn’t understand why so many people were crammed onto this narrow terrace, laughing and enjoying themselves.

Amid the loud chatter and laughter, she and Silas stood alone in awkward silence.

As the crowd pressed in from all sides, someone bumped into her, causing her to stagger.

Silas quickly steadied her by wrapping an arm firmly around her shoulders.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes… thank you.”

He released her immediately.

However, they still had to stand there, their arms brushing against each other.

While her heartbeat had remained calm while they had danced the waltz earlier, it suddenly began to race now.

Her face grew hot.

Lowering her gaze, she gently bit the soft flesh inside her cheek.

“Don’t be startled.”

“What?”

“Don’t be startled.”

Kyla didn’t understand what Silas meant.

She looked up at him, but he was gazing at the distant sky.

Then it happened.

A deafening explosion shattered the air.

Kyla flinched at the sudden noise, squeezing her eyes shut instinctively.

Was that a gunshot in the ballroom? Was someone being killed?

The horrifying memories that surged back forced her to clench her teeth.

She couldn’t think.

She couldn’t understand what was happening or why.

More explosions followed.

She stood there trembling, her eyes tightly shut.

— when someone suddenly took her hand.

It was a big hand.

Even with her eyes closed, she knew it was Silas’.

It was strange.

He had only taken her hand, yet she felt reassured somehow.

Just moments earlier, she had felt uncomfortable standing close to him; now, it was hard to believe.

“It’s alright. Open your eyes.”

At the low, gentle voice, Kyla slowly opened her eyes.

It wasn’t a gun.

It was fireworks.

Brilliant bursts of light exploded across the sky, spreading outwards with thunderous pops.

Kyla stared blankly at the sparkling arcs of fire painting the heavens.

The explosions boomed like gunshots in her ears, shaking the air, but she wasn’t afraid.

Instead, she was mesmerized.

‘When the stars were first born, did they shine like this?’

Each time a firework exploded, her heart beat in time with it.

Just moments ago, she had found herself in a terrifying situation.

She had felt so miserable that she had wanted to die. Yet now, the whole world looked beautiful.

Even the man leaning against the terrace railing, expressionless, looked dazzling.

Kyla turned her gaze towards Silas.

The strand of black hair that had fallen over his neat forehead, his languid eyes, and the sharp line of his jaw were striking.

He was still holding her hand firmly.

Despite them both wearing gloves, she could feel the warmth of his hand.

Kyla watched him quietly for a moment before looking up at the sky again.

‘My heart is racing because of the fireworks shaking the whole world.’

She told herself, trying to calm her dizzy thoughts. She slowly allowed herself to become absorbed in the dazzling colors illuminating the sky.

Silas, who had been watching the fireworks burst into bright flashes above them, turned to look at Kyla, who was still standing beside him, holding his hand.

She stared blankly up at the heavens.

Silas let out a quiet, helpless laugh.

He knew her eyes sparkled so brightly simply because they reflected the fireworks.

Even so, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

He had never expected the bold girl to tremble at the sound of the fireworks exploding. This irritated him slightly, so he merely took her hand.

Yet the color slowly returned to her pale face.

When she finally opened her eyes, how could he describe the feeling of seeing wonder and awe shining within them?

The way she blinked slowly with those wide eyes, a soft flush spreading across her cheeks — she was beautiful.

He had to admit it now.

This woman, whom his friend cherished so dearly, had more than enough charm to shake him.

When her hand, cold even through her glove, gradually warmed up in his, Silas knew he would never forget this moment.

He didn’t want to let go of her hand.

After all, she was the woman he cared for.

But above all, he could never forget that she was Count Snowdon’s daughter.

Silas slowly released her hand.

Then he looked at her face.

She turned her head and met his gaze.

A gentle smile rested on her lips.

Silas grinned back at her.

‘Yes. That’s enough.’

That was what he told himself.

***

Penelope liked Silas.

Rather than taking the lead in the conversation, he would usually listen to what she had to say. As he sipped his champagne leisurely and nodded occasionally, he embodied the ideal man Penelope had always imagined.

He was nothing like the men who drooled over her enormous dowry or showered her with praise for her beauty.

She even liked the faint distance she sensed from him — he was so polite that it bordered on indifference.

Perhaps it was precisely because he was not easily obtained that she wanted him even more.

It would be so exhilarating to conquer that cold, arrogant man and finally have him kneel before her!

With that thrill in mind, she had done everything she could to cultivate her refinement and beauty.

Then the adopted daughter of the Feilding family appeared.

Apparently, before Penelope had even arrived at the ballroom, that girl had already danced with Silas twice.

The way he looked at her began to trouble Penelope.

She wanted to believe it was a mistake, something she had imagined.

So she decided to test him.

Penelope wanted to see how the man in front of her would react if she left the girl alone.

After touching up her make-up, she saw Jayden leave the terrace where the girl was still standing alone and enter the ballroom.

He spoke briefly with a servant before leaving again.

Penelope slipped a gold coin to a servant and sent him on an errand.

Her purpose was simple: to leave the girl alone on the terrace.

From a distance, she watched Silas with growing anxiety. She prayed that he would show no interest in the girl, whether she was alone or not.

In fact, she desperately hoped he wouldn’t even notice where the girl was or what she was doing.

However, when she realized that the man she considered hers was looking towards the terrace while drinking champagne alone, it felt as though all the blood had drained from her body.

Silas put down his champagne glass and walked out onto the terrace.

Penelope waited anxiously, hoping the door he had just passed through would open again quickly.

Perhaps he would return to the ballroom with the girl.

She could understand if he simply escorted the younger sister of a close friend back inside so she wouldn’t be left alone on the terrace.

Even if such consideration was completely unlike him.

As long as he wasn’t standing out there alone with her, having a private conversation and leaving his own partner behind in the ballroom, she could accept it with genuine generosity.

But he didn’t come back.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited again.

***

Jayden only returned to the terrace once the fireworks had finished.

As the crowd dispersed, he pushed through the remaining people and approached Kyla.

He was carrying Kyla’s coat and her belongings.

“You must have waited a long time. Actually, a telegram arrived from Orland. Mother collapsed.”

“What…? Mother collapsed?”

Kyla couldn’t believe it.

Her mother, who had always seemed so healthy, had collapsed?

“Father is away on a long trip, so they must have contacted me instead.”

Jayden’s face was heavy as he looked between Kyla and Silas.

“You’ll have to leave immediately.”

Silas said with a hardened expression.

“I think so too.”

Silas nodded at Jayden’s words.

“That’s why it took a while to arrange a carriage to Orland. Kyla, I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

“No, it’s alright, brother. Mother collapsed. That’s far more important.”

“I really wanted to watch the fireworks together… but they must already be over.”

Jayden looked at her with clear regret.

“Yes… they ended just a moment ago.”

Kyla lowered her head, feeling her face grow warm.

“Oh, right. Kyla, I asked a servant to tell you to come inside and wait in the ballroom. Did you receive the message?”

Jayden’s question startled her.

No servant had come.

But perhaps one had come and she hadn’t seen them.

If a servant had come to the terrace and seen the madman almost ass*ult her, they might have mistaken it for a secret rendezvous and left.

If she said she had never received the message, Jayden might summon the servant to question them.

If that happened, the terrible incident would inevitably come to light.

Kyla didn’t want that.

She didn’t want to become the center of a scandal.

She didn’t want to put Jayden or her adoptive parents in an awkward position because of her.

Most of all, she didn’t want Jayden to worry.

“Ah… yes, brother.”

Kyla nodded.

Fortunately, Jayden didn’t seem to suspect anything.

“Still, thanks to you, Kyla didn’t miss the fireworks.”

Jayden patted Silas on the arm gratefully.

“Come to think of it, I don’t see your partner. Where’s Miss Rothermere?”

“Don’t worry about my partner. Just hurry and leave.”

Silas spoke flatly, urging him on.

“You’re right. We should leave immediately.”

Jayden gave a sheepish smile.

As she watched the two friends exchange their farewells, Kyla suddenly wondered why Silas wasn’t with his partner, Penelope Rothermere.

‘There must be a reason.’

Seeing the calm expression on his face, Kyla pushed aside the question that had briefly crossed her mind.

Instead of speaking, she simply bowed her head slightly to Silas in farewell.

‘I will probably never see this man again.’

It would be best to forget everything that had happened tonight.

His sweet voice.

The warmth of his hand.

She decided she would forget it all.

Even if they were to meet again someday, she knew the truth — to someone like her, the adopted daughter of a duke, a man like Jayden was as distant as the sun.

Shaking off the lingering warmth of his touch that remained in her hand, Kyla left the terrace with Jayden.