The heavy silence that followed Dante’s declaration was like the static before a lightning strike. Aunt Bethany leaned toward Emilia, her voice a sharp, jagged whisper that carried clearly across the polished wood of the table.
"If he is bluffing, Emilia—and we all know he is—you will be the laughingstock of the city by morning," Bethany hissed, her eyes darting toward the Kades to ensure they saw her disapproval.
“How could you let it go this far? How could you choose a man with absolutely nothing to offer but empty words and stolen moments? Look at what you are throwing away."
Emilia didn't answer. She sat with her spine rigid, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles turned white.
The anxiety was a physical weight in her chest, a cold knot that tightened every tim
