[Flashback]
"You know what you have to do, Collin," Roseline whispered, her lips barely moving as she passed by him. "Just get the girl lured away while I keep everyone busy."
Collin, disguised neatly as one of the waiters, gave a subtle nod. His uniform blended perfectly with the chaos of the evening—trays clinking, children laughing, adults chatting over wine. No one paid him a second glance.
It was Kathrine's fifth birthday.
The mansion was alive in a way it rarely was. Balloons floated everywhere, colorful streamers hung from the chandeliers, and the lawn was filled with children and their parents—invited personally by Hugo. Kathrine was his only child, his entire world. After losing his wife, he had made a silent vow to be everything for her—mother, father, protector.
"Daddy!" Kathrine's excited voice cut through the noise as she ran toward Hugo, nearly tripping over her dress. "Look what Uncle Gorge brought me!"
She held up the gift proudly.
