“LADY Thalia, won’t you at least look at me?”
The young man’s voice was gentle, almost pleading. He sat across from her at the tea table, his striking emerald-green eyes fixed on her with quiet desperation. They shimmered under the soft afternoon light, full of unspoken longing and the weight of something left unsaid. Thalia, however, kept her gaze averted. She brought the porcelain cup to her lips and took a slow sip of the warm tea, feigning interest in the view beyond the open balcony. The golden hues of autumn spilled across the garden outside, where the leaves danced gracefully in the wind before falling to the ground. The crisp breeze slipped past the silk curtains and brushed against her skin, carrying with it a scent of earth and fading blossoms. A silence settled between them, te
