Juliet continued cheerfully.
"There's a drinks and snacks area out here."
She nudged a small pebble with the tip of her heel as she wandered farther down the pathway.
"I want to try some of the desserts."
Her smile widened.
"And besides..."
Her voice softened.
A warmth entered it.
"What's a better way to spend some alone time together?"
For a brief moment, silence filled the line.
Juliet waited.
Then she smiled mischievously.
"I don't think you're enjoying the party very much anyway, are you?"
The instant those words left her mouth, something shifted inside Cassian.
His entire body went still.
The warmth in his eyes vanished.
A dark memory surfaced without warning.
Another party.
Another smile.
Another drink she had handed him with those same innocent eyes.
A drink he had accepted without hesitation because it came from her.
A drink that had left him violently ill for three days.
A drink she had convinced him to take because she wanted Vincent to win a development project during the auction.
The memory hit him harder than expected. His jaw slowly tightened. The hand holding his phone clenched. The muscles in his forearm visibly tensed.
Below, the laughter and music from the ballroom suddenly felt distant.
Juliet continued chatting happily, completely unaware of the thoughts racing through his mind.
Cassian didn't answer immediately.
Several long seconds passed.
When he finally spoke, his voice sounded calm.
"You can eat and drink whatever you want first."
