As the clock struck midnight, the tradition began. Masks were raised. Evelyn held her breath as Julian Thorne revealed himself. He gasped, recognizing the girl who had spent the night challenging his wit instead of his wealth.
“I came to fight you for the store,” Evelyn admitted, her voice trembling.Julian looked at the deed in his hand, then back at her. “I think I’d rather have a partner than a tenant.” He tore the paper under the mistletoe. “Merry Christmas, Evelyn.” A Christmas Masquerade subtitles English
“You dance like someone carrying a heavy heart,” he whispered, his voice a low rumble.“And you dance like someone who’s tired of being watched,” Evelyn countered.They slipped away to the conservatory, the scent of pine and peppermint hanging heavy. For an hour, they weren't a debt-collector and a desperate sister; they were just two souls hiding from the cold. As the clock struck midnight, the tradition began
In the ballroom, a sea of silk and satin swirled to a haunting violin. Evelyn felt a hand on her waist. A man in a midnight-blue mask led her into a waltz. He didn't speak, but his eyes—warm and familiar—locked onto hers. He gasped, recognizing the girl who had spent
The snow fell in thick, silent blankets over the Thorne Estate, but inside, the air hummed with the nervous energy of a hundred secrets.
Evelyn Vance adjusted her velvet mask, the silver lace itching against her skin. She wasn't supposed to be here. The gilded invitation in her clutch belonged to her sister, but a Masquerade was the only way to reach Julian Thorne—the man who held the deed to their family’s bookstore.