Chapter 2

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"I believe you were about to say something..." His voice shattered the stillness, pulling me from the trance into which I had fallen.

"Do you possess no regard for the affairs of others?" I retorted, a flush of irritation rising to my cheeks. "I would have much preferred to unravel the story for myself, but you have taken that simple pleasure from me!" My tone trembled slightly, betraying the vexation I felt.

"You speak of respect, and yet it is you who have invaded my sanctuary. I would say that makes it very much my business," he replied, a trace of amusement dancing upon his lips. The audacity! Could he be any more exasperating?

"Your library?" I echoed, my brows furrowing in bewilderment. The Rushers had never spoken of a son, and I was quite certain they had no children.

"You must be hard of hearing," he replied coolly, "for I said it is indeed my library."

An arrogant prick if ever there was one, I thought to myself, as I folded my arms across my chest. "Ah, yes..." I replied, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "If my memory serves me correctly, the Rushers are without offspring, which would make you nothing more than an impudent impostor." I added, planting my hands defiantly upon my hips.

He let out a rich, resonant laugh that filled the room. "My name is Daniel," he said, inclining his head slightly, as though introducing himself was a mere formality. "And you must be..."

"It certainly was not a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Daniel," I interjected briskly, cutting him off. I swept past him, my skirts swishing around me as I made my way purposefully back towards the ball, leaving him to his self-assured airs and preposterous claims.

Daniel's Point of View

"Oh, my darling nephew! It is indeed a pleasure to have you back here in Hastings, and my, what a handsome man you have blossomed into!" my Aunt Ophelia Rushers exclaimed, her voice brimming with joy as she enveloped me in a rather suffocating embrace, one that felt more choking than warm.

"It is, without a doubt, a pleasure on my part to be back home," I replied, striving to return her hug with genuine affection, despite the slight discomfort.

"Come now! We must prepare you for the ball tonight! Oh, how the ladies will gravitate toward you like moths to a flame!" My aunt, a woman of medium stature, possessed hazel-brown eyes that sparkled with mischief—a trait that clearly ran in the family—along with cascading locks of beautiful brown hair. She had always been a source of vitality and care, especially after the tragic loss of my parents to disease, and her warmth was a balm to my weary heart.

"You know, dear Aunt, that women are not the sole reason for my return, do you not? I am here to see my lovely aunt," I said playfully, watching as a delightful blush crept across her cheeks.

"Oh, shut up! You're still such a sweet talker," she teased, her laughter ringing like the chime of a distant bell. "But I'm getting old, and I do need grandbabies, Daniel. I know your taste in women is refined, so I do hope one of the ladies tonight catches your discerning eye."

Time slipped away as if swept up in a swift current, and before long, the hour of the ball approached. Preparations had been finalized with exquisite attention to detail; the opulent décor was resplendent, and the air was filled with an electric anticipation. Soon, the grand ballroom began to swell with guests, and the lilting strains of music echoed throughout the halls, weaving a tapestry of sound that filled the air with excitement.

If I were to be completely honest, the ladies I had encountered thus far possessed very little that could truly be called alluring. They seemed simple-minded, frivolously throwing themselves at me with little thought beyond their own desires. My aunt, in her relentless enthusiasm, would not allow me a moment's respite, as she propelled me toward every young woman she deemed elegant.

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