"Phoebe, over here, darling!" her mother called warmly, noticing her daughter standing several meters away, her gaze wandering across the ballroom as though searching for something she couldn't quite name.
"Ah... yes, Mom!" Phoebe answered instinctively, quickly pulling herself out of her thoughts.
Her high-society heels carried her gracefully toward her parents. However, her attention remained divided, and before she realized it, she collided with someone approaching from the opposite direction.
Thud!
"Ouch..." A soft gasp escaped her lips as her shoulder bumped rather firmly against the broad chest before her.
"My apologies," a deep baritone said immediately, his voice calm and genuinely apologetic. A steady hand instinctively reached out to steady her before she could lose her balance.
Their eyes met.
For the briefest moment, time seemed to stand still.
