CHAPTER 83

SOPHIA'S POV

The Royal Palace of Madrid sparkled like a jewel under the night sky, with its grand stone walls lit up by soft golden floodlights.

Inside the grand ballroom, high arched ceilings covered in gold leaf and old paintings rose above hundreds of international officials, diplomats, trade ministers, and global shipping leaders. Classical string music played softly from the upper balcony, while waiters in uniform moved through the crowd with silver trays of fine champagne and small Spanish dishes.

I walked into the ballroom on Lucas's arm, and the whole room seemed to pause for a second.

Lucas was a picture of dark, masculine elegance. He wore...