Chapter 1 – Prologue

The night air brushing against her exposed shoulders was cold. Occasionally, faint white breath escaped between her slightly parted lips.

Daphne Sinclair leaned against the balcony railing, tilting her head back to gaze up at the night sky. Sparkling, sparkling. A beautiful night sky, as if sprinkled with diamond dust. Perhaps it was just her mood, but tonight the moon seemed especially large.

“Here you are, Miss Sinclair.”

The balcony door opened, and a man stepped outside.

“I couldn’t find you, I searched for quite a while.”

The man smiled at Daphne and handed her the champagne glass he had brought for her.

‘Who was this man again? Viscount Demps? No, was it Count Demps?’

She had met so many people in such a short time that her memory was hazy. Daphne gave him an awkward smile as she accepted the glass.

“But what were you doing out here?”

“I just needed some fresh air. After being inside the ballroom all night, I started to feel a bit stifled…”

“Ah. Sometimes that happens. Especially when you’re surrounded by so many people, like tonight.”

The man nodded in understanding at Daphne’s words.

“By the way, it looks like this ball is going to be far more successful than anyone expected.”

“Indeed. Countess Bovanne must be very pleased.”

“This is the first social event she’s hosted since earning the title of Countess. Even if she doesn’t show it outwardly, she must have put in a lot of effort behind the scenes. Thankfully, it seems to have turned out better than expected, so she can finally relax.”

At his words, Daphne pictured Countess Bovanne in her mind.

The poor viscount’s daughter who married Count Bovanne, a man twenty years her senior. When news of their marriage broke, there was much talk in society.

“No matter how luxurious the Bovanne County’s parties are in this area, I never imagined that two members of the royal family would attend.”

The man took a sip of champagne, glancing at the door leading to the ballroom as he muttered.

“And on top of that, even famous figures from other countries showed up.”

Daphne unconsciously followed his gaze. Groups of people chatting in clusters. There was a particularly crowded spot among them.

Eyes sparkling as if seeing something rare, cheeks flushed with excitement, and lips constantly curling upward.

In the midst of the heightened atmosphere, a man dressed in black formal wear stood.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with a straight back and long legs. Elegant yet captivating, reminiscent of a sleek black panther.

Daphne’s expression instantly hardened as she saw the man.

“Indeed.”

She hurriedly turned away, fixing her gaze somewhere far off.

“Who could have predicted this?”

She struggled to appear calm, but her hand gripped the slender neck of her glass tightly.

Unlike the dark and quiet outdoors, inside was bright and dazzling as day, with everyone showering praise on that man.

Daphne hadn’t expected he would appear at the ball tonight, either.

“Will you stay out here, Miss Sinclair?”

The man, unaware of Daphne’s agitation, asked. She steadied her voice, fighting to keep her expression from twisting.

“Is there any reason I need to go back in right now?”

“Well, there are some important figures inside. Two Princes, and of course, the famous Duke McClift.”

He shrugged.

“Everyone seems eager to get close to that handsome Duke, but you don’t seem interested, Miss Sinclair?”

“Duke McClift or whoever—aren’t they all just people in the end?”

Daphne frowned sharply at his question.

“I don’t care how impressive he is; I have no desire to fawn over him or act coy. And that goes for anyone, not just the Duke—even if the Prince himself were here…!”

She snapped, her voice tinged with irritation, then fell silent and drank her champagne in large gulps.

“My, my. Miss Sinclair, be careful. If you drink that quickly, you’ll get tipsy fast.”

The man moved closer, pretending to stop her.

“That’s surprising. I thought all the ladies would be taken with that Duke.”

“And if I’m not, is that a problem?”

“No, not at all. In fact, it’s refreshing and charming to see you’re different from the others.”

Despite Daphne’s prickly response, the man was unfazed. He even seemed amused, scanning their surroundings with a sly look.

“Miss Sinclair, aren’t you cold? Your dress is awfully thin.”

Once he confirmed no one else was around, he stepped closer to Daphne, still leaning against the railing.

“Now that I think about it, the night air is chilly. You might catch a cold.”

His voice carried a hint of slyness, and the strong scent of his cologne filled her senses.

As Daphne wondered what he was up to, his thick, blunt hand covered hers. Then his other hand wrapped around her shoulder.

His touch on her bare skin sent shivers down her spine.

“What do you think you’re doing? Let go of me. Now.”

Daphne glared, shoving him away forcefully.

Crash. The champagne glass in Daphne’s hand fell to the floor and shattered loudly. Still, he didn’t care. He ignored her rejection entirely, pressing closer to her again.

“Don’t fight it. Come, let me hold you. I may not be the biggest man, but I can certainly hold someone as petite as you, Miss Sinclair.”

“Why are you doing this? Did I ever say I was cold, or ask you to hold me?”

“You don’t have to say it out loud for me to know. You’re shivering with your shoulders bare, and as a gentleman, I can’t just ignore that.”

He licked his upper lip with a round motion of his tongue.

“This is all for you, Miss Sinclair. I’m only offering kindness because I’m worried you might be cold.”

“If you keep this up, I’ll scream!”

“It won’t do you any good.”

The more she backed away, the more snake-like he pressed in. Daphne’s back hit the cold wall. She had nowhere left to retreat. He came right up to her, grabbing her wrist.

“You’re not a virgin anyway, so what’s the harm in spending the night with me? Isn’t that right?”

“Let go… let go of me…!”

Daphne was about to scream at the man’s persistence when—crack. The sound of glass shards crumbling echoed in her ear.

Both froze, instinctively looking in the same direction.

And then—

“…Excuse me. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

How long had he been standing there? A man stood quietly just inside the doorway, nodding slightly in apology.

“I didn’t expect anyone to be out here already.”

His tone was calm, but his voice was dry and carried a chill. Hearing it, Daphne flinched.

‘No, it couldn’t be.’

The man stepped out of the shadows. Moonlight poured over his head, illuminating his features.

Jet-black hair.

Ocean-blue eyes.

A face as perfect as a marble sculpture.

‘Why…’

Daphne’s face went blank, feeling the blood drain from head to toe.

It only took a moment, but she instantly recognized him.

The one who set the ballroom ablaze with excitement tonight.

And the very reason she’d fled to this lonely balcony in the first place.

“It’s been a while, Miss Sinclair.”

Politeness veiling an oppressive force.

The current Duke McClift, Ryan Everett McClift, stared at her with icy eyes.

* * *

Daphne Sinclair, niece of Count Sinclair, was a remarkable beauty.

Her lustrous auburn hair cascaded to her waist, her skin was as fair as porcelain, her green eyes were clear and bright, her nose was delicately shaped, and her plump lips sat gently beneath it.

Her beauty, reminiscent of the flower fairy Loretta or the goddess of beauty Lete, won much admiration and envy from many women. Daphne made her debutante appearance at eighteen.

Having lived her whole life in Hillsboro, Daphne came to the city of Roxanne just for her debutante. Roxanne was a city not too far from Helmberry, the capital of Westro, and its population reached nearly two million—a truly large metropolis.

Though not as renowned as Helmberry, the sanctuary of high society, Roxanne’s social scene was fiercely competitive. Noble ladies from Roxanne, as well as many young women like Daphne who couldn’t afford to debut in the capital, chose Roxanne as the next best option.