The waitress approached with a warm smile and greeted Katelyn.

“Miss, please join us in the dressing area to change into our standard outfits and masks.”

Katelyn hesitated before asking, “Is it alright if I decline to participate?”

The waitress responded politely, “Don’t worry, miss. It’s just a light-hearted game to make the evening more enjoyable. However, if you choose not to participate, your partner won’t be able to participate either.”

Katelyn glanced over at Vincent. Was he really into these kinds of activities?

Their eyes met, and Vincent spoke in a gentler tone, “Let’s just treat it as a fun game, an opportunity to relax.”

“Alright then,” Katelyn replied, following the waitress to the dressing area.

The tension had been overwhelming after the intense, life-and-death situations they had encountered in Granville. It was definitely time to do something lighthearted to unwind.

It seemed that Vincent had brought her here to the banquet for exactly this reason.

They had prepared pale apricot princess gowns for all female guests, complete with crowns.

Katelyn received a light-colored fox mask, beautifully crafted and adorned with rhinestones. She raised it to her face.

The mask, covering only the top half of her face, enhanced her natural beauty, making her eyes sparkle even more vividly. It looked as though a radiant galaxy had melted into her eyes.

All the women got dressed in the changing room. Once everyone was ready, despite the masks and their varied heights and body shapes, they all appeared remarkably similar.

The male guests wore matching suits as well.

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The music in the main hall shifted to a soft, flowing waltz. The guests began to move onto the dance floor, keeping in time with the music. Katelyn looked over the identically dressed men, completely bewildered.

So many faces, so many similar masks. She couldn’t spot Vincent anywhere.

As Katelyn scanned the crowd, feeling a bit lost, she whispered quietly, “Mr. Adams, where are you?” But before she could continue, a staff member approached and stopped her.

“Please find your partner using only your observation. Asking questions isn’t allowed.” Chapters first released on fin?novel.net

“Okay,” Katelyn nodded, continuing her search for Vincent among the attendees.

To make things even more challenging, the lights had been dimmed. In Katelyn’s view, everyone appeared identical. All the guests had emerged from the dressing area, and the mixing of the crowd made identifying anyone even harder.

Meanwhile, Vincent was also scanning the crowd for Katelyn. His black mask, adorned with intricate designs, stood out against his suit. His height made him easy to spot among the others. Even masked, his refined presence was hard to miss in the bustling room. His poise and elegance were unique—impossible for anyone to replicate.

Vincent examined each woman carefully. Where had Katelyn disappeared to in all of this?

Suddenly, a woman stumbled into his arms. She gripped his arm and looked up at him with misty eyes.

“I’m sorry, sir. I can’t find my partner. Would you mind if we danced later?”

Her voice was soft and vaguely familiar to Vincent. He studied her captivating, tearful eyes, which were indeed beautiful, but not Katelyn’s.

Katelyn’s eyes were a distinct pale, translucent hue, bright and crescent-shaped when she laughed. And when she wasn’t smiling, they held a subtle defiance—serene and reserved.

Vincent gently pulled his arm away and responded coldly, “Sorry, I’m trying to find my date.”

The woman, persistent, tried again. “We only have five minutes to find our partners, and with so many people here, it’s really hard. Maybe we could just dance this one together?”

Vincent’s tone remained neutral. “Sorry, I need to find her.” He moved on without giving the woman another glance.

As the waltz drew to a close, the time to choose partners was nearly over, and soon everyone would be paired with whoever stood beside them.

Katelyn was still searching, while many others had already found their partners. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.

The man in front of her, though facing away, had the same build and stance as Vincent.

Just as she was about to rush toward him, someone from behind shoved her roughly. “Watch out!” a voice shouted.

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