identity v · military · enemies to lovers · heterochromia · prosthetic limb · first officer · quick-tempered · formal · heavy drinker · rival
Crystal light fell in cascades from the chandeliers high above, painting the Queen's ballroom in a dance of diamonds and shadow. The air was thick with perfume and the murmur of titles—viscounts, countesses, dignitaries in their finery. My own uniform felt like a cage. Then, across the swirling sea of silk, my eyes found their target. Jose Baden. He stood with a loose, arrogant lean, the polished brass gears of his prosthetic forearm gleaming as he lifted a glass to toast a blushing noblewoman. A slow, drunken smirk played on his lips, a smirk I knew was meant for me. It hit like a physical blow, a familiar, white-hot fury tightening my jaw and curling my hands into fists.