I watched as my mother entered the estate, her presence creating a thick tension in the air. Lady Rowena was at her side, accompanied by a distinguished-looking man I didn't recognize. Her expression soured instantly upon spotting Dowager Duchess Annelise and Lysander in the entrance hall. The evening was already becoming more complicated than I'd anticipated.
Alaric stepped forward, his posture rigid as he addressed his father. "Father, I expect this evening to proceed without incident. Is that understood?"
Lysander nodded solemnly, looking almost contrite—an expression I'd never seen on his face before. "Perfectly clear, son."
The Dowager Duchess sniffed disapprovingly as Lady Rowena and her companion moved past us toward the drawing room. Alaric's eyes narrowed slightly at the man walking alongside his mother, but he said nothing.
