Chapter 305: Perfect couple

The moment Xavier slid the cold gold band onto her finger, a sharp crack echoed through the night sky, followed by a sudden burst of radiant light. Fireworks rushed straight up past the towering glass windows of the grand ballroom, erupting into brilliant blooms of crimson, gold, and violet.

A deafening roar of applause erupted from the crowd below. Xavier reached out, gently helping Yuki up from her kneeling position, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Framed against the dazzling, fire-lit sky, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

Or, at least, that was how it looked from the perspective of the hundreds of onlookers cheering below.

Over near the high-society lounge, Killian swirled the amber liquid in his crystal glass slowly, watching the glittering spectacle with a cool, unreadable gaze. He hadn’t taken a single sip the entire evening; he simply had no appetite for the grand farce.

As the cheering intensified, a slender figure draped in opulent evening wear—looking so remarkably regal one might assume she was a family member of the couple—approached Killian with a full glass of champagne. It was Yvonne, adorned in an impossibly expensive silver fox stole and dripping with flawless solitaire diamonds.

“They look absolutely perfect together, don’t they?” Yvonne chimed smoothly, lifting her glass toward his in a silent toast, a sharp, triumphant smile gracing her features.

Killian offered a faint, polite smile in return, easily reading the transparent thoughts flashing across her face. Of course she was in a splendid mood tonight. With Yuki officially bound to the Gamma heir, one major, unpredictable obstacle was permanently cleared from her daughter Eloise’s path to the Ravencourt throne.

Killian didn’t bother answering her rhetorical statement. Instead, he declined the toast entirely, setting his untouched glass down on a passing waiter’s tray with a soft, decisive clink. “Forgive me, Lady Yvonne,” he explained smoothly, adjusting the cuff of his suit coat. “I am simply not in the mood for a drink tonight.”

Yvonne blinked, momentarily taken aback by the subtle rejection, but she quickly smoothed her expression into a graceful mask. “Ah, that is quite fine, Lord Killian,” she chimed sweetly. She tilted her head, her sharp eyes scanning his immediate surroundings. “Are you not accompanying Eloise this evening?”

Killian’s smile remained fixed and cool. “She is indeed my date for the evening,” he replied, his tone smooth as glass. “However, she is currently occupied with my brothers.” He gestured vaguely toward the edge of the ballroom floor before turning on his heel. “If you will excuse me.”

Out on the raised platform, the final fireworks faded into soft smoke, and the roaring applause gradually settled into a steady hum as Xavier and Yuki parted. Keeping his hand firmly intertwined with hers, Xavier carefully guided Yuki down the marble steps into the centre of the grand ballroom.

The sea of dressed-up nobles parted instantly, forming a wide, respectful circle around the newly engaged couple. Xavier turned to face her, sweeping a deep, flawless bow as he held out his hand once more. “May I have this dance, Miss Ravencourt?” he asked softly.

Yuki offered a faint smile, placing her hand in his. “You may, Mr Velmore.”

The sweeping tones of a romantic waltz began to echo from the live orchestra. Xavier slid his right hand smoothly onto the small of her back, pulling her into the rhythm of the dance. They glided across the polished floor with effortless grace, his grip firm and steady against her waist.

Yuki’s heart hammered frantically against her ribs. The suffocating weight of hundreds of staring eyes pressed into her from every angle. Her gaze began to wander nervously over Xavier’s shoulder, searching the vast sea of faces—scanning the crowd as if desperately looking for a familiar anchor amidst the overwhelming glare of the chandeliers.

Xavier leaned down, his lips brushing softly against the shell of her ear in an intimate, protective gesture that made the surrounding elders smile. “Eyes on me, Yuki,” he murmured, his voice low, crisp, and carrying a quiet edge of command. “Your fiancé is right here before you.”

Her heart skipped a violent beat. Realising she had been openly evading his gaze since they stepped onto the floor, a hot flush of embarrassment crept up her neck.

Yuki lifted her head, finally locking her eyes onto his clear, honey-brown gaze staring down at her with steady intensity. “I’m sorry,” she whispered softly.

Xavier gave her a gentle, weak smile, his thumb stroking reassuringly over her hip. “It’s alright. Just stay with me.”

They continued their waltz, moving in perfect synchrony beneath the towering crystal chandeliers. Even the cynical pack nobles who had secretly harboured bitter prejudices against Yuki’s unknown origins couldn’t help but admire the breathtaking sight. Whispering compliments and admiring murmurs rippled through the surrounding crowd.

“They look so gorgeous..”

“She is as stunning as her sister…”

“I understand why the Velmore guy gave up the mine..”

Standing near the perimeter bar, Kieran watched the dance with an unnervingly calm expression, a dark, strange thought intruding upon his mind. ‘ They really do look perfect together.’

His sapphire eyes flicked away from the dancing couple and landed on Kaden, who was currently tossing back his fourth glass of hard liquor. It had barely been an hour since they arrived, and Kieran’s brow furrowed tightly.

Kaden was staring intently down into his empty glass, his knuckles white around the crystal stem, utterly refusing to look up at the dance floor—as if staring into the alcohol was the only thing worth noticing here

Beside them, Eloise let out a low, disdainful snicker, fanning herself lightly. “Honestly, people are wildly exaggerating,” she scoffed under her breath. “It’s just a standard waltz.”

Kaden let out a dry, harsh scoff of his own, slamming his empty glass down onto the high table and immediately signalling the bartender for another.

At long last, the final violin note died down, and the music came to an end. Xavier and Yuki offered each other a final, graceful bow as another enthusiastic round of applause echoed through the hall.

“Let’s get back to our seats,” Kieran announced flatly, turning away as the crowd began to disperse back toward the dining tables.