And for the first time, it wasn't a lie.
She turned and left the balcony, her steps calm, her expression composed. But beneath that calm, a decision had already solidified stronger than fear, sharper than guilt.
Night had fully fallen by the time Bianca was finally inside her room.
The door was shut tight. The curtains half drawn. Moonlight slanted across the floor, casting long, silent shadows. Bianca sat on the edge of the bed, her back straight but her shoulders slack as though all the composure she had worn before her family had finally collapsed without resistance.
Her thoughts drifted back to Kosler Castle.
To Ivanka's calm yet cutting voice. To that smile not the smile of a savior, but of someone who knew she was holding all the control.
"I like people who know what they want… and are brave enough to pay for it."
Bianca clenched her fingers.
