The words startled her, and she turned toward the source. Axel.

He appeared beside her with an air of authority that left no room for argument. Before she could fully process what was happening, he claimed her arm and whisked her away with such ease it was as though he had done it a hundred times before. The murmur of voices behind them faded as they stepped into the cool night air.

As they walked, she found herself glancing up at him, trying to make sense of what had just happened. He looked calm and composed, his grip firm but not forceful. For the first time, she wondered if this was why Adelaide had fallen for Axel.

There was a quiet strength about him, a confidence that made it seem like he could shield her from anything-even the relentless judgment of a room full of wolves. He was far more of a gentleman than she had imagined.

Not that she had spent much time imagining him at all.

Or had she?

Axel didn't say a word as they moved farther from the prying eyes inside. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but it felt charged-like there were things unsaid, hanging in the air.

When they finally reached the edge of the garden, where the only light came from the soft glow of lanterns strung among the trees, he stopped and released her arm.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with concern.

She nodded quickly, too quickly, and tried to compose herself. "Yes, of course. Thank you for stepping in back there. I thought I might..." Her voice trailed off as she searched for the right words.

"Collapse?" he finished for her, his lips twitching in the hint of a smirk.

She huffed out a breath that was half a laugh, half exasperation. "Something like that."

His gaze lingered on her, searching, as if he were trying to piece something together. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard. They'll take whatever you give them and then some more. If you don't set those boundaries."

"I didn't have much of a choice," she admitted. "They just kept coming, one after the other. I couldn't exactly walk away."

"You could have. You always had," he said simply. "But you didn't."

She looked at him, confused by the weight of his words. There was no accusation in his tone, just an observation that felt more layered than it seemed on the surface.

"You really care about convincing them, don't you?" he added.

She hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Did he mean the families? The crowd? Or...him?

"Of course," she said carefully. "It's important. For my family."

"For your family," he echoed, his tone unreadable.

For a moment, the only sound was the gentle rustling of leaves carried by the cool evening breeze. His eyes bore into hers, piercing and unrelenting, and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, feeling as if he could see far more than she wanted him to.

"So..." she began, forcing a smile and desperately trying to steer the conversation somewhere lighter. "Did you have fun? Two months without me breathing down your neck must've been freeing, right?" Her voice sounded breezy, almost playful.

His expression darkened, and the teasing tone she'd hoped for evaporated. "Fun?" he repeated, his voice low, tinged with something raw. "No, D. Those two weeks were one of the worst days of my life. I was terrified."

The words hit her like a gust of wind.

He ran a hand through his hair, his face crumpling slightly as he spoke. "I thought I might never see you again. I came every day, hoping-begging-to see you, but your parents wouldn't even let me through the door." He exhaled sharply, his eyes closing as though trying to shut out the memories. Or maybe he was holding back tears.

Guilt clawed at her chest, sharp and unrelenting. His worst fear had come true. The real Adelaide was gone, and here she was, pretending to be her. His fiancée, the woman he clearly loved, was dead, and she was just a stand-in, fumbling through a role she wasn't sure she liked to play anymore.

What would he do if he found out? If he learned she wasn't Adelaide? Her stomach twisted at the thought.

She shivered, though it wasn't from the cold. He noticed instantly. "You're freezing. Do you want to go inside?"

"No, I'm fine," she said quickly, trying to sound casual. "I can manage."

He studied her for a long moment, his gaze soft but unwavering. Then he nodded. "Alright. Let's sit over there." He gestured toward a bench nestled in the garden.

As they started walking, he stopped abruptly. "Go ahead," he said. "I'll grab my jacket. I don't want you freezing to death on me." His tone was light, but his eyes carried a seriousness that made her chest tighten.

She nodded and watched him stride off. He moved quickly, purposefully, the way someone does when they care. And as she made her way to the bench, a thought crept into her mind. How fragile had Adelaide been that even a gentle breeze could be a threat? She must've lived a hard, delicate life.

She sank onto the bench, the quiet of the garden wrapping around her like a blanket. The cool air felt refreshing, a welcome contrast to the suffocating months she'd spent indoors, poring over Adelaide's life, memorizing scripts, and learning to become someone else.

As she waited for Axel to return, her thoughts drifted. What would life as Adelaide Whitlock look like from now on? Would she still be confined to her room, constantly monitored? Had she finally passed whatever test the Whitlocks had set for her? Would they now treat her as one of their own?

And then there was the earlier incident-Mrs. Whitlock's hasty retreat, Mr. Whitlock trailing after her. What had that been about? Had she said or done something wrong?

She was still mulling it over when something soft and warm draped over her shoulders.

"Thanks," she murmured, pulling the jacket closer. The faint, masculine scent of cologne clung to it, filling her senses.

There was a pause, long enough to feel deliberate. Then a voice-low and smooth with a hint of amusement-broke the silence. "You're welcome."

She froze, every muscle in her body tensing. That voice wasn't Axel's. Axel's voice was deeper, richer, with a warmth that felt like home. This voice... This voice was different. Also pleasing, but different from what she wanted to hear.

Before she could react, the figure stepped into view. Her breath caught in her throat.

It was him. The strange guy from earlier, the one whose name she still didn't know.

He looked at her with an expression that danced somewhere between playfulness and desperation, like he'd been waiting for this very moment for far too long.

"You..." The word slipped out before she could stop herself, her voice trembling just enough to betray her.

"Me," he replied, his smirk deepening as if he found her unease amusing.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, trying to inject authority into her tone, but it sounded more defensive than anything.

"Ouch." He placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "I thought we'd moved past this stage."

What was that supposed to mean? She wanted to ask but decided against it. This is definitely a conversation for Adele later, she thought grimly.

She glanced behind her, scanning the dimly lit garden for Axel. What was taking him so long? She wasn't equipped to navigate this exchange. She hadn't prepared for it, and the growing tension made her fear she'd slip up and say something Adelaide wouldn't have.

Without waiting for an invitation, he sat down beside her, his movements casual, almost possessive. "It feels good to sit with you again," he said, leaning back slightly as if this was his rightful place. "By the way, you looked breathtaking tonight. You always do."

A jolt of confusion shot through her. Her skin prickled under the weight of his words. What was happening? Why was she having this conversation at all? Everything about it felt wrong, out of place, and deeply unsettling.

Could she just get up and leave without making it seem like she was running away? Would Adelaide have stayed? And-what kind of relationship did she even have with this guy?

"Remember the night we sat here, staring at the stars?" His voice softened, laced with something raw and bittersweet. "The past two months you were bedridden, I sat under the stars every night. And smiled, remembering the conversations we had that night."

Her heart hammered against her ribs. Panic bubbled in her chest, threatening to spill over. What was he talking about? Did this mean Adelaide had been... toying with two men? No, no, no. Please, no. That couldn't be it. She couldn't be part of that. The guilt of pretending to be someone she wasn't with Axel was already suffocating. Now this? She couldn't.

She glanced behind her again, silently begging for Axel to appear and rescue her.

He did the same too. After a pause, he turned back, his expression unreadable. "Axel left."

"What?" The word came out in a stutter, disbelief and unease washing over her in equal measure. Her gaze snapped to him, her mind racing.

"Family business," he said, his tone flat, like it was no big deal.

For a moment, Nina just stared at him, the pieces finally coming together in a way she didn't like. Just as the thought crossed her mind, the man beside her-Nathan Graves, the name finally clicking into place-looked at her too. He was Axel's cousin.

She swallowed hard, her mind screaming for an exit strategy as Nathan leaned back against the bench, utterly unbothered.

"Well," he said, that smirk curling back into place, "looks like it's just us again as always."

Thankfully, Nina didn't have to force herself to say anything because the sound of soft footsteps behind her broke the silence. Turning her head, she saw who it was, and relief poured through her like a tidal wave.

"Master Graves, I was told to inform you that the party is over. And Miss Adelaide, your presence is needed by your parents," the servant said, bowing slightly.

Nathan didn't move. He didn't even acknowledge the interruption, sitting there as if rooted to the bench. His silence surprised Nina, but honestly, she didn't care. If he wanted to pretend to be a statue, that was his problem, not hers.

She was about to stand and leave when suddenly, his hand shot out, resting firmly on her lap.

Her eyes widened in shock at the boldness of the gesture. Every nerve in her body screamed to shove his hand away, but then reality crashed in: she wasn't herself. She was Adelaide, and whatever dynamic Adelaide had with Nathan, she had to tread carefully.

"Let go of me, Nathan," she said, her voice cold, measured.

He flinched, his fingers twitching slightly, and for a moment, she thought he'd obey. But instead of letting go, he looked at her with an expression she couldn't quite place-hurt, confusion... something deeper.

The way he flinched at the mention of his name made her pause. Had she said it wrong? He was Nathan, right? Doubt crept into her mind, but she forced herself to maintain the icy exterior.

"Why?" he asked, his voice low and sharp. "Were you gaslighted again?"

His words hit her like a slap. She blinked, stunned for a second, before quickly regaining her composure. "And why would you think that?" she said, keeping her tone steady, though her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

He didn't answer immediately, and she seized the moment to add, "Well, it doesn't matter what you think, Nathan. It's late, and you should go now."

His hand flinched again, and this time, his face twisted with something that looked dangerously close to pain.

"You stopped calling me that a few months ago," he said softly, his voice carrying a sadness that made the air feel heavier. "What's wrong, Addie?"

The nickname made Nina's stomach churn. His familiarity, the weight of whatever history they'd shared, hung in the space between them like a storm cloud.

Oh God. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. Her suspicion had been right-Adelaide had been seeing two Graves. For someone so frail, she certainly had a knack for making bold choices.

Now that Nina was caught in the middle of this tangled web, she was utterly lost. Who had Adelaide truly loved? Why had she been cheating on Axel when they were engaged to be married next month? And more importantly, what on earth had Nina gotten herself into?

She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to bolt. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," she said finally, trying to keep her voice steady. "But I need to go."

She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Rose standing nearby, waiting patiently. She was the perfect excuse to escape this awkward and increasingly tense situation.

"Goodnight, Nathan," Nina said, mustering as much calm as she could. She was about to stand when his hand shot out again, gently but firmly holding her in place.

"Stay a little while longer," he said, his voice softer now, but his expression deadly serious-an expression she hadn't seen on him all night. "Please."

The plea in his tone, coupled with the intensity in his eyes, froze her. It was as if her limbs and mind were no longer her own; she was suddenly incapable of acting on her own will.

"Miss Adelaide..." Rose started to speak, her voice cutting through the tension like a lifeline.

But Nathan whipped his head toward her, his face darkening with anger. "Get out of here," he snapped.

"But-"

"I said go," he growled, his glare so sharp it could have cut through stone.

Rose hesitated for barely a second before scurrying away, disappearing into the shadows.

Nina stared at Nathan, completely bewildered, trying to process how this situation had spiraled so quickly. How had she managed to land herself in this mess?

One thing was clear: she couldn't stay. Whatever Nathan thought, whatever he said, it didn't matter. She had to leave.

Without another word, she rose to her feet, determined to put an end to this. But before she could take a single step, Nathan grabbed her hand and stood as well, his eyes filled with an intensity that made her stomach twist.

"When will I see you again?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost pleading.

"I don't know," she replied, keeping her tone as steady as she could, though her insides were anything but.

"What really happened during those two months, Adelaide?" His voice broke slightly, his confusion and desperation palpable. "Why are you suddenly so cold to me? Were you threatened?"

Sweet Jesus. Her stomach dropped. She had failed miserably in her role as Adelaide with Nathan, and it was showing. This wasn't sustainable. If she didn't pull herself together and play along, he'd start asking questions-dangerous ones.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she forced a small, practiced smile. "You didn't do anything wrong, Nathan. I'm just tired, okay? We'll talk another day." She shrugged the jacket off her shoulders and handed it back to him, her fingers brushing against his briefly.

But even then, he didn't let go. Instead, he leaned in closer, his intentions unmistakable. Her senses screamed at her to act before this spiraled any further.

"What are you doing?" she blurted, her voice laced with alarm she couldn't quite mask.

His lips curled into a faint smirk, but there was something unsettlingly sincere in his gaze. "Can't I at least get a goodnight kiss?"

She almost shouted, No, absolutely not! But she bit down on the words, forcing herself to maintain the calm, composed facade she had practiced so many times. Instead, she managed a light tone, "Not tonight, Nathan."

He pouted, his playful expression doing little to lighten the tension between them. "That's not fair," he said, tilting his head slightly. "How about a hug then? Surely you can't say no to that."

Her mind raced. Refusing would draw too much attention-it would be suspicious. With reluctant resolve, she gave a stiff nod. "Fine. A hug."

Before she could brace herself, Nathan pulled her into a hug so tight she felt like the air had been knocked out of her lungs. His arms wrapped around her as though he never wanted to let go.

"I missed you," he murmured into her ear, his voice thick with emotion. He repeated it like a mantra, along with a string of sweet nothings she couldn't bring herself to focus on. Every fiber of her being was on high alert, desperate to escape this moment without creating a scene.

She tried to steady her breathing, forcing herself to remain still, but inside, she was plotting her next move. There was no way she could let this happen again.

Then, like divine intervention, the sound of footsteps echoed behind her. Relief flooded through her, but as quickly as it had arrived, it dissipated when she heard Mrs. Whitlock's sharp, authoritative voice cut through the tension.

"Adelaide, get over here. Nathan, it's time for you to return to your family. The party's over."