Adrien realized she didn’t look at him with pity or greed. She saw him as a man—wounded, but still worthy of dignity.

And something in his heart began to stir.

Masks Falling

Weeks passed, and Cassandra’s pretense collapsed completely. Her scorn grew bolder. She mocked him in private, calling him “a shadow of who he once was.”

The final blow came one evening at a grand terrace party. Dressed in silk and diamonds, Cassandra laughed loudly among friends. With a cruel grin, she gestured toward Adrien in his chair.

“Look at him now,” she sneered.