Juliette's Point of View
After Lucian left, I sat alone in my chambers, staring at nothing.
The jade pendant haunted my thoughts. His careful refusal. The way he couldn't quite meet my eyes when he said it wasn't suitable for me.
A knock at the door interrupted my brooding.
"Luna?" Rosie entered quietly, her expression concerned. "You've been in here for hours. Is everything alright?"
I didn't answer. Couldn't find the words.
Rosie closed the door behind her and approached slowly. She studied my face for a long moment, then her own expression crumpled with understanding.
"It's about that jade pendant, isn't it?" she asked softly. "The one that wasn't in the ledger."
I nodded mutely.
"Oh, Luna." Rosie sat beside me, her eyes filling with tears. "You poor thing. It's so unfair. You'
