Chapter 311

Author's pov Sebastian guided Cecilia gently down onto the seat, his hand resting at her waist just long enough to steady her. She didn't need the help, but the contact calmed something tight and fluttering in her chest. Across from them, Luna Regina and Alpha Yardley sat with the kind of effortless grace that came from years of private dinners, and knowing how to command a room without ever raising their voice. Zaria had claimed the armrest of a nearby chair like a throne, one bare foot swinging lazily. York stayed glued to his phone, scrolling like someone who'd seen a hundred evenings like this and didn't expect much from the hundred-and-first. The butler gave a subtle nod, and within seconds, a quiet parade of tea, bite-sized canapés, and polished golden trays flowed in with the precision of a Broadway stagehand. No one spoke. Not yet. Luna Regina's gaze landed on Cecilia. Her expression was warm, but a little too careful. "Cecilia," she began, her voice smooth but slightly stiff,