Lilian's POV
My eyes lifted automatically when I sensed someone watching me, and there stood Armand, his gaze filled with an unmistakable melancholy that made my stomach clench.
Before any words could pass between us, I shot to my feet, desperate to escape this encounter.
Every fiber of my being screamed the same warning: stay away from him while inside the Atlas family estate. My only goal was to endure this endless party and retreat to the safety of my own space. The last thing I needed was more complications in my already chaotic life.
But as I rose from my seat, Armand's fingers wrapped around my wrist, stopping me cold. Pain flickered across his features. "Lilian, is your hatred for me really this intense?"
"That's not it," I replied with conviction, wrenching my arm from his grip. "I don't harbor any hatred toward you. You understand perfectly well what my situation is with Augusto, which means we cannot afford to be seen together like this. People will create stories."
