A hundred years ago, in the gilded age of their first lives, Axel had met Lila for the very first time, though it hadn't felt like a beginning. He remembered every detail—her composed expression, the graceful tilt of her head, the way she had looked at him with a mix of resignation and cool indifference, as if he were merely another part of her inevitable fate.
The grand hall was adorned with lavish decorations befitting a union between two of the most prominent families in the empire. Chandeliers hung like frozen drops of light, casting a warm, golden glow over the sea of nobles gathered to witness the wedding of Duke Axel Ardent and Lady Lila Veritas.
