༺ Noah's POV ༻
Normally, I wouldn't have bothered showing up at something so utterly beneath me.
But the prospect of free wine made it worth the effort.
Besides, appearances had to be kept.
My reputation as the academy's infamous villain wouldn't sustain itself if I kept lurking in the shadows.
I was making my way to the refreshments table, mentally cursing how crowded the hall was, when disaster struck.
Just as I grabbed a glass of the finest red wine they had to offer, someone collided into me.
The glass tumbled from my hand, and the crimson liquid splashed all over my meticulously tailored coat—and the equally exquisite dress of the person I had bumped into.
I froze.
My heart dropped into my stomach.
Oh no.
Not her.
Anyone but her.
Standing before me, drenched in wine, was none other than Princess Elara Velden, the second-born of the Imperial Family.
