The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist

Meanwhile, in a quieter section of the grand ballroom, Seraphina and Ethan moved gracefully across the polished floor, their steps in sync with the waltz that filled the air.

Though elegant in motion, Ethan’s focus was clearly elsewhere—his eyes glued to the pair dancing at the center.

Seraphina sighed and finally turned her head to look in the same direction. She narrowed her eyes, and after a moment, her brows arched in surprise.

"Ethan," she said softly, tugging at his sleeve, "did you just see that?"

Ethan blinked and nodded, his jaw tightening as he followed her gaze. "Yeah... I did. And I can’t believe my eyes."

Everlyn, normally the very image of unshakable nobility, looked... angry. Her pristine, expressionless face—the one she carried like a porcelain mask—was cracking.

There was tension in her brows, a flush to her cheeks, and her lips were pressed in a way that said she was barely holding herself together.

"I can’t believe it," Seraphina whispered. "Big Sis Eve... she’s actually showing it. Not just feeling something, but showing it."

"She never even looked like that when Father scolded her," Ethan muttered, baffled. "Not even when she was fighting in the dueling arena. I thought she couldn’t show emotion, like it was locked away."

Seraphina nodded slowly, her eyes reflecting awe. "It always felt like she had emotions—deep ones—but they just couldn’t reach the surface. But now... it’s there. It’s written all over her face. Just what did that bastard Alex do?"

Ethan’s fists clenched. "Whatever it was, I swear I’ll beat it out of him—"