The three of them sat quietly around the dining table. The room was dim, lit by soft candlelight that made shadows dance on the walls. The air felt heavy but calm, filled with a strange silence that none of them knew how to break. Outside, the night was still, and the faint sound of the palace guards' footsteps echoed in the distance.
Lydia glanced back and forth between Ivan and Tatiana. She felt a swirl of emotions inside her—confusion, embarrassment, and something like a little spark of jealousy. Why did Ivan look so different when he looked at Tatiana? She had never seen that side of him before. His face was unreadable now, as if he was lost deep in thought, and he didn't say a word. Her heart beat a little faster, but she tried to keep calm.
Tatiana noticed Lydia's curious eyes and smiled softly. "It must have been embarrassing," she said gently, her voice calm and kind. "Since I interrupted both of you."
