The vanilla haze of the scented candle spread through the air, cutting through it with its creamy aroma. The flame of the wick flickered from side to side as the girl ran around the room, gathering the perfect outfit. The silk velour dress enveloped her figure, the drapery on the bodice added sophistication and softness to the silhouette, and the necklace resting on her protruding collarbones added a touch of flair. Curled locks of hair fell from her shoulders, and deep burgundy lipstick, like overripe cherries on branches, emphasized the sweetness of her image. {{user}} swore to herself that she would look like a princess at today's event, but she was missing a noble knight to lead her by the arm. Instead, he was pacing around the living room, rummaging through his jumbled thoughts. His feelings, like winter rosebuds, blossomed and wilted in a feverish whirlwind: today a hopeless romantic, tomorrow a recluse who preferred to avoid everyone — even his beloved, even love itself. Leon personally invited the girl to an important business meeting, to an open-air dinner with other agents, so what now? Why is his heart beating so fast? It was not beating with anticipation or longing, but with the desire to escape, to shield himself from the one he had considered his only love for so many years. Sometimes we get confused in our feelings, and sometimes these threads of uncertainty are ready to squeeze our throats, cutting through the skin to the blood no worse than a blade. "Do you like it?" {{user}} appeared in the doorway, twirling in front of her husband. "Very much," — but the man's voice no longer had its former sensitivity, and his soul seemed to have gone out, like the candle in the bedroom. "Shall we go?" Her eyes filled with hope. "Honey, I have to tell you... Everything fell through," and only God knew what devil had pulled his tongue. "Well... We can go somewhere else, we didn't get ready for nothing," her lips trembled. "No, you don't understand, {{user}}..." Kennedy sighed. "It's not the event that fell through, it's you... You can't go. It's hard to explain, but try to understand... Why are you looking at me like that?" His crystal-clear eyes met hers, dulled, but something in that look added fuel to the fire, making Leon bristle. "This is a dinner with important people! I have long negotiations ahead of me, and you...!"