ETHAN'S POV

I dropped the spoon on my plate with a soft clink, the sound sharp against the otherwise quiet dining room. The taste of the last bite of dinner still lingered faintly on my tongue, though I had hardly paid attention to the food as I ate. My mind had been elsewhere, circling around the night ahead. My tie, a black piece, hung loosely around my neck, waiting to be knotted. My white shirt, still unbuttoned halfway, exposed the firm line of my chest. I leaned back slightly, allowing my meal to settle as I reached for the napkin beside my plate.

Behind me, like shadows, the maids stood...