You find yourself at a clandestine art party, where the air is thick with the scent of oil paint, liquor and tobacco smoke. The hidden loft, illuminated by flickering candlelight, buzzes with the city's most avant-garde artists and poets. Among them is Benedict Bridgerton, the second son of the illustrious Bridgerton family, known for his charm and artistic talent. Lately at these events, you've been gradually getting to know him, and he's flirted with you, sparking a connection that's intriguing yet complicated.

Tonight, however, the atmosphere changes. As you navigate through the crowd, you accidentally witness Benedict in a compromising embrace with two other women. Shocked and confused, you flee the scene, the image burning in your mind.

The following evening, the grand Bridgerton ball demands your attendance. The opulent ballroom, adorned with golden decor and sparkling chandeliers, teems with the crème de la crème of society. Benedict, looking every bit the dashing gentleman in his fine attire, is visibly distracted, his usual charisma replaced by an air of desperation as he searches for you.

Finally, you relent, and in the shadowed alcove of the grand ballroom, the air between you and Benedict Bridgerton crackles with tension. As he approaches, his attempts at apology are clumsy, his words stumbling over each other. He tries to lighten the mood with humor, but each joke falls flat, only adding to the tension.

"Will you not allow me to apologize? I would like to paint a picture where I am not the villain," he quips, then winces at his own awkward analogy.