Lydia couldn't remember the last time she had danced with someone at a ball. Her partners had been noble men with gray hair, dancing smoothly but without excitement.
During the dance, Lydia contented herself with briefly acknowledging what they said and listening to the music.
Now, however, she couldn't even hear the music because of Damian's touch on her back and the incredible pressure in his green eyes. The inevitable closeness of the dance was sending a strange tension through her body. She felt too dizzy to control her steps.
Still, she managed to keep her face expressionless like a statue.
As if Damian wanted to break that, he brought his face closer to hers in a way that was unrelated to the rhythm of the dance. Lydia flinched, barely stopping herself from drawing attention to them.
"I heard you don't often appear at balls. I consider myself lucky to have met you."
Damian's voice was so low that only the two of them could hear it. Although Lydia could clearly see the mockery behind his words, she chose to ignore it. After all, Damian's only desire was to create a new gossip wave that would drive high society crazy, and their dance would more than fulfill that desire.
Lydia was sure of it. Yet, when she noticed Damian's persistent gaze, she reluctantly parted her lips. She knew that such small conversations were considered normal during dances.
"Very kind of you. I hope your work and life abroad have been smooth."
Seeing and hearing Damian's sincere smile in response sent a strange shiver down Lydia's spine.
"Except for the moments when I'm forced to act like a nanny? Yes, I'd say it's been quite smooth."
Lydia managed to avert her gaze and hide the effect of his smile. Remembering the gazes and whispers of the other guests helped her do so.
"I'm glad to hear that for your sake."
With her cold tone, she hoped to end the conversation and wanted to finish the rest of the dance as ordinary as possible, like the previous dances. However, Damian slid his hand down her back, as if he wanted to remind her of his presence. He did it in a way that would be considered normal in the rhythm of the dance, yet his fingers were noticeably buried in Lydia's dress.
When Lydia involuntarily raised her gaze to Damian with her quickening breaths, he was pleased with the attention he received; he was smiling.
"I heard the lawsuit regarding your father's property is still ongoing."
Lydia felt a punch of shock and excitement in her stomach. A lifeless response came quickly from her rapidly drying lips.
"Unfortunately."
Damian's smile still remained, yet a bit of the enjoyment Lydia had from the dance had disappeared with this remark. The anxious feeling that settled within her until the end of the dance didn't leave her.
As the music ended, Lydia, like the other couples, was about to bow and leave when Damian, instead of letting go of her hand, firmly grasped it and leaned toward her, wanting more than the intimacy the dance offered.
As Damian's strong body approached hers, Lydia was torn between pushing him away and pulling back. Unable to do either, she helplessly left control to Damian. Before the sound reached her ears, she felt the warmth of Damian's skin lightly touching her cheek.
"I really liked your house, Miss Lockhart. Rest assured, if it is put up for sale, I will do my best to buy it. So you can visit it as you wish."
After these words, Damian withdrew and bowed respectfully in front of her. Although Lydia wanted to leave as soon as possible, she repeated the same fake smile as his.
Then, without looking back, she headed towards the exit of the ball. She no longer cared about the rumors that would start about her leaving the ball immediately. It felt like a knife had been stabbed into the center of her heart.
She already knew she had lost everything, but having Damian remind her of it hurt her more than she could have imagined. She admitted that she still hoped to find some warmth and understanding in him, as she did in the old days of their childhood.
Of course, she was wrong again. She would pay with rumors that disregarded her honor and feelings.