The night was too loud.
Laughter, music, whispers—every sound pressed against your skull as if the entire ton had gathered just to suffocate you.
And at the center of it all—
Daphne Bridgerton
She stood across the room, radiant as always. Untouchable.
Untouched.
As if nothing ever truly reached her.
Not your silence. Not your distance. Not even your pain.
You didn’t remember walking up to her.
Only that suddenly, she was in front of you—too close, too calm.
“Your Highness,” she greeted softly, like nothing had changed. Like everything between you was still light, still easy.
That was it.
That was what broke you.
“Do you ever feel anything?”
Your voice cut sharper than you intended.
She blinked, caught off guard. “I—what?”
“You heard me.” Your jaw clenched. “Or do you only pretend not to understand when it’s convenient?”
Her expression faltered slightly, confusion mixing with something quieter.
Hurt.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
And that— that calm, measured tone—
It snapped something inside you.
“You don’t know?” you let out a hollow laugh, shaking your head. “Of course you don’t. You never do.”
“Because it’s easier, isn’t it?” your voice dropped, colder now. “To smile, to laugh, to act like everything is perfectly fine while you—”
You stopped yourself.
But it was too late.
Her eyes searched yours now, no longer soft—just uncertain.
“While I what?” she asked quietly.
“While you stand there and look at me like I matter,” you said, voice tightening, “and then turn around and choose him anyway.”
Silence.
Heavy. Suffocating.
Simon Basset wasn’t even in the room, yet his presence sat between you like a wall that had already won.
Daphne’s lips parted, but no words came out.
And somehow—
That hurt more than anything she could’ve said.
“You don’t even deny it,” you whispered, more to yourself than to her.
“I…” she finally spoke, voice trembling just slightly. “I never meant to hurt you.”
A bitter smile pulled at your lips.
“That’s the problem, Daphne.”
You stepped back, the distance finally matching what had always been there.
“You never mean anything.”