~~Freya~~

The kiss ended slowly.

I pulled back just enough to look into Ryder’s eyes, my arms still wrapped around his neck. The entire ballroom was dead silent for a split second… then erupted into chaos. Loud applause, cheers, shocked gasps filling the air and murmurs spreading like wildfire. Phones were flashing everywhere. People were whispering frantically, trying to process what they just saw.

I stayed pressed against Ryder for a moment longer, my arms still around his neck, savoring the chaos I’d just created. My heart was racing, a mix of adrenaline and dark satisfaction flooding my veins.

I didn’t look at Helene immediately. I wanted to savor this....