When Ciel was released, he smoothed down his sparkling jacket exaggeratedly and shot Thiago a look.

Pete approached them and handed a drink in front of him.

Ciel downed it in one gulp.

Lilianna had also seen what happened earlier with Ciel. Her gaze quietly swept the room.

Rather than someone who wasn’t stone-walling her the way Neville was or someone who was pretending she didn’t exist the way Grayson was.

Her eyes landed on Ciel.

Ciel, who had just gotten his drink and felt her stare, froze with the empty glass still raised to his lips.

"Ciel!" Lilianna brightened. "I haven’t seen you in ages! You look amazing—is that the newly released designer special?"

Ciel’s eyes quickly darted to Julius. Then to Thiago. Then to Pete. Then, in desperation, Bryan, who acted as if he saw nothing, talked with Chronos.

"...Thanks," Ciel managed. "It’s, uh. Custom."

"It suits you! These accents are gorgeous." Lilianna stepped closer. "We should catch up properly. I’ve been so out of touch lately."

Ciel involuntarily stepped back, bumping into Thiago’s shoulder.

Out of touch. Interesting way to describe being abducted from a Mecha Research Institute.

"Sure, sis, later," Ciel said, his voice slightly too high. "I-I need—another drink. Pete. Pete, another one. Make it double. Triple. Make it whatever you want, just make it now."

But Pete, who probably predicted this would happen, already came back behind the bar without anyone noticing.

Ciel panicked for a second but then saw someone else in the crowd. "Oh, who was that? New face? Sis Lili, how about you introduce me to them?"

Lilianna saw Ciel looking at Sarah and Iris and then looked at Neville and Grayson from afar. She seemed to be weighing whether to lead Ciel to Iris and Sarah first or Neville.

While Lilianna was thinking, Thiago already pinched Ciel on the arm.

Ciel snapped back at Thiago as if to ask what his problem was. But then, Thiago nudged his head to point at Sarah and Iris’s side.

Julius, who saw Thiago do that, hurriedly grabbed Thiago by the shoulder and silently pointed at Helena, who was busily talking with Sarah and Iris.

Colonel Vane, who saw them silently arguing, patted both of them on the shoulder as if to say that there was no need to worry; he would be with them.

Julius and Thiago contemplated whether to agree or not. But Ciel, who had no tact, didn’t even hesitate the moment Colonel Vane offered that.

Ciel grabbed Lilianna by the arm and forcibly dragged her to Iris and Sarah’s side.

Julius and Thiago, who saw that he was speechless. They had no choice but to trail behind them to the living room.

Eventually, as they chatted and warmed up to each other, they moved to the game room.

Ciel’s voice rose, "No—Sarah, that’s cheating, you can’t just—you moved the ball with your hand! I saw you!"

"Prove it," Sarah’s voice rang back, bright and unapologetic.

"There are literally cameras everywhere!"

"Then why are you yelling instead of pulling up the footage?"

"Because—because it’s the rules—"

A pool ball clattered to the floor, and someone swore.

As Lilianna was watching the uproar at the pool table, she felt like she was forgetting something.

Helena, who suddenly appeared by her side, quietly patted her on the shoulder.

Lilianna looked at her in askance, but Helena didn’t look at her. Her eyes were still on the pool table while she was pointing at something on the back.

As soon as Lilianna turned her head in the direction she was pointing at, her eyes caught a glimpse of Neville and Grayson.

Without Pete around, she saw Neville burrowing his head on Grayson’s chest.

Meanwhile, Grayson just let him do that. He adjusted the angle of his elbow so that Neville’s cheek could nestle more comfortably. He was even patting Neville’s head like coaxing a cat.

The worst part was that Grayson was enjoying this particular treatment. His mouth relaxed, eyes half-lidded, utterly satisfied.

Something hot and sour curdled in her stomach.

’He’s really a parasite.’ Her inner thoughts whispered

This time, it didn’t feel completely like her own thought, but it did articulate her feelings perfectly.

’Look at how he clings to Grayson’s arm. He clearly doesn’t love Grayson. He just loves the privileges that come with being in a relationship with him. If you don’t peel back that mask tonight, Grayson will be stained forever.’

Lilianna’s jaw tightened.

’If we let this slide, it’ll be all over.’

Lilianna straightened and made up her mind. She went past Helena and controlled her expression again.

"Neville!" She pitched her voice warmly. "Have you thought about it?"

Neville didn’t move. His face was still half-pressed into Grayson’s shirt, one hand curled loosely around the fabric near his waist.

He looked like a man who was utterly comfortable and intended to die where he was.

"Neville?" she tried again, much brighter this time.

"Mm." He still didn’t look at her. "I’m fine here."

’He’s not even pretending to be polite anymore. See? See how he behaves when he thinks Grayson will always be there for him?’

The sour thing in Lilianna’s stomach bubbled up; she could taste the iron on her throat.

She changed her strategy and rolled one shoulder back. She elongated her neck and drew the eye along the line of her jaw.

"Come on, don’t be like that. We’re at a gathering. Everyone needs to play something fun together. You know—like a friendly competition."

A friendly competition?

What a harmless phrasing of the word.

Bryan, who overheard it, paused mid-sip. Julius’s head turned a little.

Meanwhile, Helena, mid-sip, hid her widening smirk.

Finally, some progress.

Grayson’s fingers paused mid-pat but said nothing.

Neville finally lifted his head a little, put back on the glasses that he had put on the table to get a clear look at Lilianna.

Just as everyone was expecting him to get annoyed with Lilianna’s pestering and be all-out rude, Neville did the unthinkable.

"Not interested," he said, devoid of all interest.

Then he put his glasses on the table, and then he turned his face back into Grayson’s chest.