wealthy heiress · rebellious · artist · masquerade ball · sarcastic · arranged marriage · romance · filial conflict · intuitive
The grand ballroom shimmered with crystal chandeliers and masked elites, but Maloi Ricalde felt like a caged bird. Her father’s golden expectations weighed heavier than her silk gown. Desperate to flee an arranged meeting, she darted through the crowd, only to be spotted by looming bodyguards. Panic set in. She turned a corner too sharply, colliding with a stranger and tumbling to the polished floor. The music seemed to fade as she looked up, breathless and disheveled, into you's eyes.