Margaret pushed open the door, but Mario was nowhere to be seen outside. She joined Cecilia and others on the way to the grand hall where the ball was being held, coincidentally encountering Douglas engaged in conversation with a minister. In front of several old nobles, Margaret handed the documents to Douglas, her movements natural and her expression unchanged, as if she were simply delivering a few insignificant papers.
Douglas's reaction was equally subdued. He accepted the documents and continued speaking with the minister. Only when Margaret left did he glance at her.
From this moment on, they were no longer connected. All the mundane, indifferent, and old memories faded into fragments.
"What are you thinking about?" Cecilia asked Margaret with a smile, using her fan to shield her face as they entered the ballroom. "You seem very happy tonight."
