Leroy shot her a dark look, which Ariel returned with a deep flush spreading across her cheeks. Her thoughts were a jumble, her heart aching for Shiloh.

Poor Shiloh!

After a tense pause, the actor she was paired with finally recovered, taking her hands gently in his. "I—I love you too, my dear Yvonne..." His voice trembled slightly, betraying his own uncertainty.

Another pause followed, presumably awaiting Shiloh's response. However, she seemed frozen in place, her face as pale as ash. The actor, at a loss for what to do, instinctively pulled her into his arms again. The lights dimmed for the scene change, leaving the audience in a stunned silence.

Ariel, with her hand covering her mouth, glanced over at Leroy. He let out a long, resigned breath. "Well, it’s not like nobody knew," he whispered helplessly.

To her right, Ariel noticed someone pushing their way through the crowd. Mr. Warner had finally managed to reach Mandy.

"My dear, sorry it took so long," he said smoothly, his demeanor completely unaffected by the turmoil.

Mandy looked at him silently, her lips forming a thin line.

"He doesn’t seem... bothered," Ariel murmured, watching as the playwright took Mandy’s arm, looking up at the stage with a glimmer of anticipation, as though eager for the next act.

"Why would he be? He’s got Shiloh singing his praises."

Ariel nudged the monk with a frown. "Mr. Warner’s not that calculating, Leroy. This could just be a terrible coincidence."

"It’s a coincidence that three women are involved with him?" Leroy’s tone was skeptical.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Ariel shot him a disbelieving look. "Where do you get three?"

The monk grinned down at her knowingly. "Shiloh, Mandy, and... mystery woman."

Ariel sighed in resignation. "Fine, three. But I still say it’s a coincidence."

Just then, the stage lights brightened once more. The audience held its breath in anticipation as Shiloh prepared to deliver her lines. With a graceful glide across the stage, she began, "Oh Bradford, this theater... it’s stunning."

The crowd exhaled collectively, the tension breaking as the actor playing Mr. Marlowe joined her, relief evident on his face. "My dear, this is ours now. I can inspire others as you have inspired me..."

The play continued, following a predictable course. The final scene was an overly dramatic portrayal of the Marlowe wedding, with swelling music accompanying Yvonne's kiss with her new husband. As the stage darkened, the music lingered in Ariel’s ears. She joined the applause, appreciating the performance despite the evening’s earlier disturbances.

The stage lights illuminated once more for the actors' final bows. Ariel’s gaze drifted to the source of much of the evening’s confusion. A few feet away, Mr. Warner stood with a bright smile, clapping harder than anyone else around him.

That Mr. Warner.

Lowering his hands, Leroy followed Ariel’s gaze. "No shame, huh?"

Ariel frowned, watching as the playwright rejoined Mandy, his arm around her. "None."

As the actors left the stage and the applause gradually subsided, a low murmur filled the air. The crowd began discussing the play—more specifically, Shiloh’s performance. Behind her, someone gasped and giggled, "Can you believe she said Daniel?!"

Ariel bit her lip, struggling to suppress the urge to turn around and confront the insensitivity. Leroy gently took hold of her arm.

"Hm?" Ariel wondered, her gaze fixed ahead as she fought the temptation to glare over her shoulder.

"We should probably join the others," Leroy suggested, nodding toward the playwright and the rest of the group. Ariel sighed and nodded, dreading the prospect of facing both Mr. Warner and Jasper.

As Ariel and Leroy approached, Mr. Warner greeted them with a broad smile. "See here, now we can get some more opinions. What did you two think of tonight’s show?"

"I thought Shiloh was great," Ariel said, unable to mask the slight insinuation in her tone.

"She was, indeed," Mr. Warner agreed, then turned to Leroy.

"I agree with Ariel," Leroy added simply, exchanging a brief glance with her.

The playwright’s smile widened, though he seemed to sense something he couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Across from them, Ariel felt Jasper’s gaze burning into her. She swallowed hard, staring down at her feet as her face grew warm with embarrassment.

Over my dead body.