Michelle POV
The air outside was cool and still, a quiet kind of relief after the brightness of the ballroom. The garden stretched wide under the soft light of paper lanterns, the hum of conversation fading behind me.
I hadn't meant to wander off, but after hours of smiling and pretending to blend in, my head needed a break.
That was when I noticed him — standing by the stone railing near the fountain. Steven.
He didn't seem surprised to see me. Just turned his head slightly, acknowledging my presence without a word. His jacket was open, tie loose, the faintest hint of fatigue around his usually composed face.
"I thought you'd already escaped," I said, stopping a few feet away.
He didn't move. "Not yet."
"Waiting for someone?"
"Driver," he said simply.
I smiled faintly. "You make it sound tragic."
His expression didn't change, but something in his eyes shifted — maybe amusement, maybe just reflection.
"Nice place to hide," I said after a pause.
