"So tell me, Lady Evelina… what changed?"
Evelina's heart raced, but she tried to stay calm on the outside. Luther was very observant and clever. He spoke with intention, choosing his words carefully to challenge the mask she had built around herself.
He knew.
Maybe not everything. Maybe not the truth in its entirety.
But he suspected something.
She exhaled slowly, forcing her shoulders to relax. "People adapt, Lord Luther. That's the nature of survival."
Luther hummed, tilting his head as if studying her. "Is that what this is? Adaptation?"
Evelina met his golden gaze with unwavering steel. "It is."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched between them.
Then, Luther smiled.
It wasn't warm. It wasn't friendly. It was the smile of a man who enjoyed unravelling puzzles, one piece at a time.
"You truly are fascinating," he murmured, almost to himself.
Evelina lifted her chin. "If this is all, I have work to do."
