Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 477: Their Own Happiness Aurora was the star of the evening. Meanwhile, Gemma, without any sense of restraint, was snapping selfies from every angle, drawing the attention of many. People were probably thinking how peculiar her behavior was- clearly someone who had never seen a grand occasion before.

Aurora had changed into the evening gown Julian prepared for her. He, who always wore dark suits, had made an exception today by donning a white one. The ballroom was decorated exquisitely, like a scene straight out of a fairy tale. Aurora hadn't worn such a princess-like dress in a long time. If she remembered correctly, the last twas on her 18th birthday.

Back then, as the eldest daughter of the Montgomery family, her grandfather had hosted a grand banquet, inviting the upper echelons of society to celebrate her coming of age. It had been a kind gesture, though the event was later marred by unexpected twists and turns.

She descended the staircase, her hand lightly brushing the railing. At the bottom of the stairs, Julian was already waiting for her. With a gentlemanly bow, he extended his hand in invitation.

Aurora and Julian had interacted many times before, but tonight's atmosphere felt different. Meeting his deep, affectionate gaze, she felt her heart race. He took her hand and led her into the center of the ballroom. As the music shifted to a graceful waltz, the other guests naturally sought out dance partners and began to dance.

Eric glanced at Emily, who was thoroughly enjoying her cake. "Let's go. We're dancing." "What? Dancing?" Emily asked, her lips still dusted with a bit of tiramisu.

"What's the matter? Don't tellthe daughter of the Langdon family doesn't know how to dance?" Eric raised an eyebrow.

"Who says I can't? I'm just worried you'll step on my toes," Emily retorted with a scoff.

Truthfully, she had never liked wearing dresses, let alone dancing. Her father had once forced her to practice, and she'd ended up stepping on her instructor's feet so many times that she nearly drove him to quit. While she could remember the basic steps, she had no real talent for it.

"I won't." Eric wiped the crumb from the corner of her mouth with his finger, then pulled her toward the dance floor.

Emily froze for a moment, still feeling the lingering touch of his fingers on her lips. Before she could process it, she found herself in the middle of the floor. "What are you waiting for? Do you wantto dance with a statue?" Eric teased, a soft laugh escaping his lips. He reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Emily's hands were pressed tightly against his chest. "Don't be nervous. I'll lead," he whispered gently into her ear, his voice warm and soothing.

Her heart raced wildly, but her body soon began to follow his movements. It was only later that she realized why she'd never been able to dance well before-it was because she didn't care about her past partners. Eric, however, seemed to have a magnetic pull that guided her effortlessly. Not only did she not step on him, but she quickly becfamiliar with the steps.

Throughout the dance, Eric's attention was fixed solely on her. There was no sign of Aurora in his gaze. Perhaps it was the atmosphere, so perfect it felt like a dream. Elsewhere, Gemma was unwilling to miss an opportunity. "lan, can I be your partner? You know I'm the best dancer here," she said eagerly.

Gemma had gone all out tonight, wearing a tic evening gown with heavy makeup. Her dress, tight and low-cut, left little to the imagination-she had clearly overdressed in an attempt to stand out. It was her chance to mingle with high society, a dream she'd longed to fulfill.

"I already have a partner," lan replied bluntly. Only now did he truly realize how peculiar Gemma was-so peculiar that he was at a loss for words.

"What? How could you have a partner?" Gemma's sharp voice pierced the air, though it was fortunately drowned out by the music. Otherwise, it would have drawn even more attention.

"She's right there. Go find someone else," lan said curtly, eager to distance himself from her.

Heather, unlike Gemma, was reserved. Though it was her first tat such an event, she quietly enjoyed the food or stood off to the side, watching others dance. Several men had already approached her to ask for a dance, but she declined. She had only learned to dance briefly in college, with little practice since, and wasn't confident in her skills. That's when lan stepped in.

"Me?" Heather asked, still processing what lan had just said.

"Helpout," lan whispered in her ear.

His warm breath brushed against her skin, and Heather, who had never even held a boy's hand, instantly turned red, her pulse quickening. Before she knew it, lan had led her onto the dance floor. "I-I'm not very good," she stammered, lowering her head in embarrassment.

"It's fine. I'm not that great either. We can learn together," lan said with a light laugh, placing his hand gently on her waist.

As their hands met, Heather's face turned an even deeper shade of red. It was the first tin her life she had ever been this close to a man. Ian, on the other hand, wasn't much more experienced. But in his effort to avoid Gemma, the two had inadvertently ended up paired together.

Being academic overachievers, they quickly grasped the basics of the dance. As they grew more comfortable, their initial awkwardness faded. Gemma, m realizing there was no no chance with lan, reluctantly turned her attention to another man. Heather glanced up at lan and noticed, for the first time, how attractive he was. Though not as striking as Julian, he was undeniably handsome. Ian, looking back at Heather, took in her delicate features and soft demeanor. Her lightly applied makeup enhanced her natural beauty, and her shy smile stirred something within him.

Aurora, however, remained the center of attention. She was the epitof a fairy-tale princess, and tonight, she truly felt like one. With her head resting gently on Julian's chest, she thought to herself that she might just be the happiest woman in the world. Meanwhile, Mona approached Asher. She noticed that, as always, no matter where he was, his eyes followed only one person-Aurora. It had been the sbefore when Aurora was alone, and it hadn't changed now that she had Julian by her side. His feelings for her only seemed to grow stronger with time. "What are you doing standing here? Go dance," Mona encouraged him.

"I'll pass. Watching you all is enough," Asher replied, settling onto a nearby sofa. Mona couldn't hide her disappointment, and Asher saw it clearly. But his heart wasn't with her. He had always been cautious with matters of the heart, unwilling to settle for less. Even though he knew he had no chance with Aurora, he couldn't bring himself to hurt Mona either. Mona deserved someone who truly loved her, someone better than him. He couldn't even love himself, let alone someone else. If he couldn't offer her a future, he wouldn't give her false hope. That's why he had agreed to let her return hto assist Aurora.

He hoped Mona would find someone who truly suited her. But that person would never be him.

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