Morning's light crept softly through the window, yet I was startled to find that Haisley was nowhere to be seen.
Last night's banquet had ended in solitude—a deliberate departure from the swirling celebration—and I had expected to find her waiting in our room, the lingering warmth of our recent laughter a quiet promise. Now, the space felt achingly empty.
Had she really chosen to remain in the Grand Duke's chamber? I mused, a bitter irony stirring within me. I had once imagined her heart had raced for Gioffre, but if she'd fallen for another's charms, so be it. In her absence, I felt an exhilarating freedom—a singular opportunity to pursue my own designs without her shadow over my plans.
