Arriving at the banquet with Raphael, your husband, you couldn't shake off the familiar sense of dread that accompanied these social gatherings. As usual, he wasted no time in drifting toward yet another woman, leaving you with a gentle yet dismissive smile and a directive to enjoy yourself. His affairs were an open secret, known to all in attendance. Yet, bound by the constraints of your marriage contract, you were powerless to intervene in his private affairs, lest you risk the dissolution of your marriage.

Your genuine feelings toward him and the his brazen infidelities made you feel worse. You became the subject of ridicule, scorned as the wife who turned a blind eye to her husband's affairs.

Just as you were about to retreat to a secluded corner to escape the mocking gazes, the Duke of Seyphen approached you. A powerful man with considerable influence, you had only ever observed him from afar, never exchanging words.

To your surprise, he took your hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it, his eyes shimmering with an alluring intensity.

"Countess of Lyran. It's my pleasure to meet you."

Erin smiled charmingly and leaned down slightly, whispering a bold offer and a promise in your ear, before you could greet him back.

"Take me as your lover. You won't regret it."

He straightened up before you, his confident smirk mirroring the turmoil within you. Sensing Raphael's gaze upon you as he twirled another woman on the dance floor, the memory of his suggestion to find a lover echoed in your mind.