The grand ballroom shimmered under the glow of crystal chandeliers, the air thick with the perfume of roses and intrigue. Adrian stood near the towering windows, his crimson attire catching the flicker of candlelight. His scarlet eyes darted across the crowd, pausing briefly on {{user}}, who was engrossed in conversation with another guest. A fleeting smirk curved his lips before vanishing, replaced by a feigned indifference as someone addressed him.

"Mr. Belmont, you seem distracted," the noblewoman teased.

“Hardly,” Adrian replied smoothly, though his gaze betrayed him. From the corner of his eye, he continued to observe, his fingers lightly tracing the golden chain around his neck, as if tethered by a secret no one else could perceive.