The Ling Clan's grand hall pulsed with life. Lanterns shone from gilded pillars, tables overflowed with fine wine and dishes, and nobles from across the region mingled beneath silk banners.
At the center sat Ling Tian, dressed in white robes embroidered with golden thread. Tonight would cement alliances—the clan awaited his engagement announcement. His fiancée, Mei Ling of the Bai Clan, stood by his side, radiant in her crimson gown.
But as the patriarch rose to toast, Mei Ling suddenly stepped forward.
Her voice rang over the crowd. "I cannot continue this lie. I, Mei Ling, hereby sever my engagement with Ling Tian!"
Gasps shook the hall. Ling Tian froze where he sat, his hand stiff around his cup.
Mei Ling crossed the room and stopped before a young man in crimson robes—Yun Xian, the Yun Clan's arrogant heir, who smirked with satisfaction.
Standing beside him, she declared: "Why would I tie myself to a declining heir when I can stand beside a true dragon?"
The hall erupted in whispers.
"Ling Tian abandoned by his bride!"
"How shameful… in public, no less."
The elders looked uneasy. Ling Hu smiled faintly, concealing his triumph.
Yun Xian raised his goblet mockingly, looking across the hall at Ling Tian. "Better luck next time, cousin."
But Ling Tian, though struck, lifted his chin. His gaze burned as he spoke clearly. "Mei Ling… your choice is yours. But remember this moment well. For one day, you will regret the chains you clasp around your own neck."
The laughter echoed all around. But in Yun Xian's eyes—just for a heartbeat—there flickered unease.