"I know she pretends, but you can see it in Luna's eyes—she wants to kiss Matthew until she forgets his name," said Victória with a sharp smile, taking another sip of champagne.
Lumine laughed, covering her mouth with elegance. "And him? He's practically orbiting around her like a satellite in 'in-love and repressed' mode."
Nikoly raised an eyebrow, discreet as always. "If that's a satellite, he's almost crashing into her atmosphere."
The three laughed quietly, but soon Victória sighed, resting the glass on the side table. "Girls, I'm going to the bathroom quickly before more people try to drag me into diplomatic dances."
"Do you want us to come with you?" asked Lumine.
Victória waved her hand lightly and looked at a discreet corner of the ballroom.
A tall man, in a black suit and rigid posture, watched the scene with attentive eyes.
"Relax. My blood guard is right there. The Family sends him everywhere with me since that kidnapping attempt failed in the past. If someone sneezes too hard, he probably intercepts the wind."
Nikoly laughed through her nose. "You say that as if you don't like being watched 24/7."
"Oh, yes. It's wonderful to have a shadowy guy following me to the nearest coffee shop. A romantic dream."
The girls laughed while Victória walked away with firm and confident steps, her long dress swaying softly through the corridors of the luxurious hall.
The bathroom was at the end of the main corridor, flanked by marble columns and Venetian mirrors.
A few minutes later, as she left the bathroom, Victória walked back, distractedly adjusting her earring.
And then, the unexpected happened.
A foot, strategically positioned, extended in front of her.
She had no time to react.
The heel slipped.
Balance was gone.
"Damn—"
She was already preparing for the fall—elegant, but still humiliating. She closed her eyes, mentally cursing the universe for ruining her dignity.
But the floor never came.
Instead, strong and warm arms wrapped around her in an instinctive reflex.
The world spun for a second.
When she opened her eyes, Victória came face to face with a pair of eyes like frozen jade, fixed on hers.
The man holding her was a painting made with divine generosity.
Natural white hair, slightly tousled, contrasted with fair skin and a firm jaw. The suit was sober, but with polished silver details, and an emblem on the chest, discreet yet imposing.
The air froze.
One...
Two...
Three...
The temperature dropped two degrees.
"Are you alright?" — he asked, his voice deep like the silence of a snow-covered mountain.
Victória, still pressed to his chest, smelled the arctic breeze.
She cleared her throat, trying to hide the embarrassment. "Yes, yes... I—it was just basic social sabotage. Thank you for... not letting my face kiss the marble."
He smiled slightly, not letting go immediately. "Always a pleasure to prevent noble collapses at diplomatic events."
She finally stepped back, adjusting her posture.
Grateful, yes.
But now alert.
"You are...?"
He made a slight bow, enough to confirm his lineage. "Prince Kael of Cryon. Second in line to the glacial throne."
Victória was speechless for a second.
Cryon... The Polar Continent.
One of the most isolated and enigmatic kingdoms in the world. Highly advanced in thermal technology and biogenetics, but with little political interaction with the other nine continents.
"Wow... the polar continent rarely sends representatives to galas in warm continents. And even more rarely a prince?"
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"And you are Victória Lancaster-Monroe. Diplomatic fiancée of a generic noble who's now flattering oil barons."
Victória blinked. "You know me?"
"Strategic knowledge is part of my role, Miss," he smiled with a cold charm.
"Hm. And what else do you know?"
Kael tilted his head slightly. "That you hate the dress you're wearing, even though it's beautiful."
Victória narrowed her eyes, surprised. "How...?"
"Your fingers keep adjusting the left seam whenever you're impatient. And you've done that three times in five minutes."
She gave a crooked smile. "So you're observant."
"Always. Especially when an intriguing woman is literally thrown into my arms."
Silence.
One...
Two...
Victória looked away for a moment, but there was an unusual warmth on her cheeks, which had nothing to do with the heat of the hall.
"Well... since I saved your physical integrity, may I at least escort you back to your friends?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "Sure. But only if you promise not to say anything else that makes me seem transparent."
"No promises. But I'll try."
As the two walked side by side down the corridor, the Lancaster family's guard watched from afar, already calling the family contacts to report that "a man with white hair and elegant demeanor is subtly flirting with young Victória."
Victória, in turn, smiled slightly.
Maybe, just maybe, the gala would have some unexpected fun.
— back to the girls —
"Took your time, huh?" murmured Luna, swirling her champagne glass distractedly as she looked toward the hallway where Victória had disappeared minutes earlier.
"Making friends in the bathroom with some ancestral spirit?" Lumine mocked, frowning with mild concern.
Nikoly, always attentive, narrowed her eyes. "Or with a security guy wearing a weird tie. Because the Lancaster family's blood guard has been talking alone on his communicator since she went in."
Before they could speculate more, the group noticed a discreet movement at the back of the hall.
From the corridor, Victória reappeared… accompanied.
"Oh my God," murmured Luna, pausing mid-sip.
"Who is that Norse god with white hair beside her?" whispered Lumine, already leaning forward.
"Is he... an RPG elf? Or straight out of a sci-fi drama?" added Nikoly, already activating her internal investigation radar.
The man beside Victória walked with the calculated elegance of a trained diplomat and the icy aura of ancient royalty. His steps were nearly silent. His beauty was absurd, ethereal. A prince out of an arctic fairy tale.
Victória, on her side, wore a faint smile. Disguised, but not enough.
"Her expression changed," observed Luna.
"Changed how?" Lumine asked, without taking her eyes off them.
"From 'I want to escape this event' to 'Interesting, let's see where this goes.'"
"Well, I'm already invested in this plot," declared Nikoly, folding her arms.
When the unlikely pair finally approached, the three girls exchanged knowing looks with the kind of telepathic synchronicity only best friends share.
It was the classic: "we're going to tease you for the rest of the night."
Victória cleared her throat, visibly trying to keep her composure. "Girls, this is Prince Kael of Cryon."
"Ahhhh…" the three said in unison, with the same tone of fake astonishment.
Kael gave a brief courteous bow. "An honor to meet Miss Lancaster's friends. She speaks of you with much affection."
"She does, huh?" replied Luna, trying not to laugh. "She never mentions icy princes."
Victória shot a murderous glance at Luna, but it was too late.
Lumine, with her coldest and most elegant tone, launched: "Prince Kael. The Cryon continent rarely sends representatives to events like this. What brings you to the Gala?"
Kael replied without hesitation. "Diplomatic business. But nothing that can't be softened with a good glass of champagne and pleasant conversation."
"Diplomacy with charm. Classic," commented Nikoly, already analyzing 67 things at once.
Luna, finally, smiled. "Well, Vicky, I hope you enjoyed the meeting. Because he's pure polar eye candy."
"You're unbearable," grumbled Victória, but the hint of a smile betrayed her.
Kael only smiled, with the air of someone who knows he's become the night's topic and is perfectly comfortable with it.
"If you'll excuse me, ladies, I'll fetch another glass of champagne. Miss Lancaster, if I may..."
Victória nodded, and he walked away with a step worthy of an Oscar-winning film.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Lumine was the first to explode. "FOR THE LOVE OF THE ANCESTORS, WHO IS THAT MAN?!"
"A prince. From the snows. With white hair and green eyes. And a warrior's body sculpted in the divine forge," Nikoly summarized with academic precision.
Luna fanned herself. "Vicky... that's your second option tonight. And with much more charm than the idiot fiancé."
Victória sighed dramatically, her shoulders dropping slightly. "The universe wants to torture me with emotional fork-in-the-road decisions."
"We just want that fork to turn into a swift elimination," said Lumine. "You only have to choose between 'boring fiancé who treats you like a statistic' or 'polar prince with strong arms and a sharp mind.' Easy."
"You girls are a problem."
"And you'll thank us later," winked Luna.
The girls exchanged looks, and the party mood returned.
But now... with more storyline.
Kael returned moments later with a glass of champagne in his hand.
The gaze—ah, the gaze—was fixed on Victória, as if the crowd in the ballroom had vanished and only she remained, there, lit by the golden glow of the imperial chandeliers.
"For you," he said with a slight smile, offering the glass with a subtle bow that no noble from the American continent would ever have the class to perform.
Victória allowed herself a genuine smile. "Thank you. You seem... used to this kind of event."
"Not at all," he replied, casually. "But I think you distract me enough to make it seem that way."
Victória raised an eyebrow, suspicious, and slightly blushed. "Do you throw out these lines all the time, or am I just getting the special treatment?"
"You're the first woman to knock me over in the middle of a gala. I think that makes us close, doesn't it?"
Victória laughed, light and delighted, and the sound was sweet enough to melt the snowflakes of Kael's continent—if they could hear it.
Around them, the hall was still bustling, but it was as if a microcosm had formed. Two poles, dancing in orbit around each other.
On the other side, Luna, Nikoly, and Lumine watched everything like three spies on a secret love-monitoring mission.
"That right there... is pure chemistry," murmured Lumine, nudging Luna with her elbow.
"She'll forget the idiot fiancé by the end of the night, I bet," added Nikoly, taking a sip from her glass.
Luna kept her eyes on Victória and Kael, but for some reason, didn't notice the soft and nearly silent approach behind her.
"And here I thought I was the one causing those sighs in you," said a familiar voice.
Luna froze for a moment before returning to normal.
Matthew...
Luna turned around, her heart thundering as always, but her face remained... icy. "You? You only give me migraines and emotional blood pressure disorders."
"Interesting," he murmured, smiling like he had just heard a compliment. "Because you cause diplomatic chaos in my nervous system."
Nikoly and Lumine exchanged looks. "We should go to the bathroom."
"Good idea. All my single cells are starting to get depressed."
The two disappeared discreetly, leaving Luna and Matthew in that same inverted gravitational field now also trapping Kael and Victória.
"You look... stunning," said Matthew, genuinely.
Luna tried to roll her eyes.
Tried.
But they refused to leave orbit.
"I'm not even wearing makeup," she murmured, crossing her arms. "Blame the dress. Or the French store that designed it. Or the euro, maybe."
"Then I need to send flowers to France tomorrow."
As the two pairs engaged in conversations and smiles that melted time, Victória's idiot fiancé appeared like a storm announced.
Liam marched among the guests with a furrowed brow and eyes fixed on Victória like she was lost property.
"Victória," he growled, teeth nearly grinding. "What are you doing with this… stranger?"
The hall went silent.
Everyone turned.
Kael didn't move.
Didn't blink.
But the air around him seemed to drop another five degrees.
Victória, however, raised her glass calmly and replied with a polite smile. "Talking. Something civilized nobles do when they're not spewing arrogance all over the hall."
Luna and Matthew walked over quickly.
Lumine and Nikoly (who had vanished, reappeared instantly) stood around, like a royal shield.
"This is the fiancé?" whispered Luna, with visible disgust.
"The one we should throw in a cage with hungry alligators? Yes," replied Lumine.
Nikoly only watched. Eyes half-closed, discreet smile. As if already processing the cancellation of the marriage contract in 12 legal forms.
Liam puffed out his chest... he was handsome, sure, but in a plastic way. Nothing about him was real except the rage and misogyny stamped on his face. "You're my fiancée, Victória. You can't go around throwing yourself into the arms of... icy strangers."
"I tripped, you idiot," growled Victória. "And the icy stranger was kinder to me in ten minutes than you've been in ten years."
The entire hall fell silent.
One or two mocking smiles appeared at the edges of the room.
Kael finally spoke. "Prince Kael of Cryon, Mr. Liam. And I'd recommend moderation in your words when speaking to a lady."
Liam stepped forward slightly, but Victória's personal guard was already moving discreetly behind him.
Luna leaned in and whispered in Victória's ear. "Do you want me to hire a lawyer to sue him for pre-marital emotional trauma?"
"Give me five minutes," replied Victória, blood boiling with the elegance of an irritated queen.
Matthew looked at Luna and shook his head, as if to say "you really attract the most chaotic ones."
Luna just smiled. "We're magnets for trouble because we're the kind of women worth fighting for until the character sheet runs out."