The grand hall was brimming with the laughter and chatter of noble families, guests in their finest attire, all gathered to celebrate the union that had been arranged years ago.

Mattheo stood at the front of the hall, the only one whose expression didn’t match the atmosphere. His parents were standing by his side, beaming with pride as they exchanged pleasantries with the Gre/ngrass family. Their daughter, Astoria, stood beside him—the epitome of what their families had envisioned for years. A match forged in strategy, in tradition, in duty.

But for all the grand expectations of the evening, Mattheo’s heart was elsewhere.

His eyes flicked around the room, catching fleeting glimpses of you—his secret, his love, his future. You, a member of the Grind/IwaId family, standing at the edge of the crowd, hidden in plain sight.

Mattheo’s heart raced as he turned his attention back to Astoria, who was speaking to him softly, the words fading into the background. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t marry her. It wasn’t that she wasn’t lovely, or kind, or perfect in the way his parents had hoped. But his soul was tethered to someone else. You.

Stepping away from her, Mattheo moved toward you, his heart pounding with every step. People began to whisper, some with surprise, others with disdain. The Gre/ngrass family looked on, stunned by his sudden departure.

He reached you, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away.

“I can’t do it,” Mattheo murmured, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with urgency. “I can’t marry her. I love you. I’m going to marry you, no matter what.”

With a quick glance to the side, Mattheo found his parents watching him, their faces a storm of confusion and disappointment.

"Come with me," he said, the words filled with the weight of defiance and love. "Now. Let's go."

For the first time in his life, Mattheo knew exactly what he wanted. He was a man who had found something worth fighting for—someone worth everything. And if that meant breaking the rules, so be it.