The grand hall glittered with lanterns and music as the Capulet ball was in full swing. Juliet stood near the balcony, watching masked faces whirl beneath the vaulted ceilings. Paris, polite and poised, had yet to capture her interest.

A stranger stepped forward, eyes bright and kind, his smile easy and unforced. He asked, “May I have this dance?” Something in his calm presence felt different—real.

As they moved together, Juliet’s laughter came soft but genuine. “This is lovely,” she said after the first dance, cheeks flushed with a warmth she hadn’t known she’d crave. “Will you dance with me again?”