The Kiss that Sparked it All

Ellinor shifted her gaze to the banquet hall’s entrance.

In walked Balfour, decked out in a light–colored suit, exuding an undeniable charm.

Guests nocked to him, raising glasses, exchanging greetings, and creating quite the buzz.

In fact, when Theo walked in earlier, he had quite the fan club too. But Theo’s icy demeanor meant he wasn’t exactly the warmest guy in the room. The crowd soon got the hint and backed off.

Balfour, on the other hand, handled the compliments and attention like a pro. He’d raise his glass and flash a smile, cleverly feeding off the crowd’s energy. But beneath the pleasantries, one could sense a cold indifference.

As Ellinor watched Balfour, he caught her eye. A brief flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure and went back to chatting with an older gentleman, not giving her a second glance.

Ellinor shrugged off the encounter and redirected her attention to other parts of the hall, observing the scene in detail.

up of older men and women, with a sprinkle of

bash had an old–school vibe; it was not really the hip and

set up a quaint stage in

today could sit

a gift, sit politely for a bit, and then

was just too darn boring

a soft spot

monastery without any playmates, she devoured all the books she could find. In her free time, she’d seek

having a ball at

a

over? Her mom’s hometown was always filled with sweet and warm memories. She couldn’t recall the specifics, but the feeling