As the carriage rolled smoothly through the cobbled streets, Annalise kept her hands folded in her lap, her sapphire blue eyes fixed on the gloved fingers twisting in her lap. The silence between her and Ethan was thick, but not entirely uncomfortable—at least, not for him. Annalise, on the other hand, felt the weight of the night pressing down on her chest.

She had attended noble gatherings before, but always as a maid, a shadow at the edges of glittering grandeur. Now, she was to walk through those gilded halls as the Duchess of Vornhart, arm in arm with the man society called a monster.

"Hold your ground, Annalise," Ethan's voice cut through her thoughts. Deep, smooth, but edged with something softer—concern? "You are no longer a maid. You are the Duchess of Vornhart. They will look down on you because they are small-minded fools. Do not let them see you hesitate."

She glanced at him then, her gaze lingering on the harsh scars that marred the left side of his face. The candlelight flickering from the carriage sconces cast deep shadows over the ruined skin, but his golden eye, the one unblemished by the fire that had stolen his beauty, glowed with fierce determination.

"I understand," she murmured, lifting her chin. "But it's not just me they despise, is it?" She hesitated before adding, "You don't have to endure this either. We could leave."

A mirthless chuckle escaped him. "And allow them to think that a Vornhart fears their whispers? I'd rather tear out my own tongue."

She had expected as much. Ethan Vornhart was many things—scarred, feared, ruthless—but he was not a coward.

When they arrived at the grand hall, their entrance was met with a hush that rippled through the opulent crowd. The herald's voice rang through the cavernous space:

"Presenting His Grace, the Duke of Vornhart, and Her Grace, the Duchess of Vornhart."

The title still felt foreign to Annalise's ears, but she straightened her posture, remembering Ethan's words. She was not a nobody. She was not simply a maid playing dress-up. She was a duchess.

Yet, the nobles did not look at her with respect. They whispered behind feathered fans, their gazes filled with poorly masked disdain. To them, she was an insult—a lowborn woman, an unworthy intruder in their pristine world.

And Ethan? Their disgust for him was less whispered. The barely concealed sneers, the way they recoiled from his presence, made her stomach twist in anger.

"They think we suit each other," Ethan murmured under his breath, his lips barely moving. "The maid and the monster."

Annalise clenched her jaw. "Then let them think it," she said. "But they will not forget that this monster holds power over them."

Ethan turned his head slightly, regarding her with a flicker of surprise before amusement softened his sharp features. "Good girl."

As they moved further into the hall, nobles approached Ethan, offering reluctant greetings. But Annalise? She was ignored, treated as if she were invisible.

She knew this game. If she were still a maid, she would have lowered her head, stepped aside. But she was not a maid.

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"Duchess Annalise Vornhart," she announced, curtsying gracefully before the closest noble. She did not wait for permission to be acknowledged.

Several nobles stiffened, their eyes darting to one another. A ripple of discomfort passed through them. A woman who knew her place was easy to dismiss. A woman who did not… was dangerous.

Before anyone could formulate a proper response, a voice interrupted.

"Ah, my dear Duke Vornhart. What a surprise to see you here."

Annalise turned to see a striking woman gliding toward them. Lady Evelina Falkenridge, a vision of cold beauty, her auburn curls gleaming under the golden chandeliers. Her gown, an exquisite piece of craftsmanship, sparkled with wealth, and her piercing blue eyes flicked to Ethan with predatory interest.

"Lady Falkenridge," Ethan greeted coolly.

"You honor us all with your presence," Evelina continued, her tone smooth as silk. "And I see you've brought… company." Her gaze finally settled on Annalise, her lips curving into a practiced smile. "Forgive me, but I was under the impression that the Duchess of Vornhart would be a noblewoman."

A carefully placed insult. One meant to put Annalise on the defensive, to make her shrink away.

But Annalise had spent her life around cruel noblewomen. She did not shrink.

"Then it is fortunate, Lady Falkenridge," Annalise said, her own smile just as poised, "that I never concern myself with the impressions of others."

For the first time, Evelina's composure slipped—just a fraction. But it was enough.

Ethan exhaled, a sound so small only Annalise caught it. When she glanced up at him, she saw the faintest trace of something warm in his golden eye. Approval.

It was the first time she had seen him look at her like that, and to her own surprise, it made her heartbeat quicken.

Evelina's lips twitched. "How… refreshing."

She turned her attention back to Ethan, clearly unwilling to waste more of her energy on Annalise. "I do hope you have time to speak with me later, Your Grace. We have so much to discuss."

Ethan barely inclined his head. "I doubt we do."

Annalise watched Evelina's eyes flicker with something sharp and unreadable before the noblewoman took her leave, vanishing into the sea of aristocrats.

Annalise exhaled, finally allowing herself to acknowledge the tension thrumming through her veins.

"You did well," Ethan murmured beside her.

She looked up at him. "So did you."

He huffed. "I have had years of practice."

Annalise hesitated. And then, with quiet determination, she lifted her gloved hand and lightly touched the side of his face—the unmarred side.

Ethan went utterly still.

"You don't have to endure this alone," she said softly. "We are in this together."

A muscle in his jaw twitched. Then, after a long moment, he turned his head ever so slightly, pressing his scarred cheek into her palm.

A silent acceptance.

The night was far from over. But for the first time, Annalise felt as though they were standing side by side, not just as unwilling partners, but as something more.

Something that could change everything.