Masquerade always gives the illusion of anonymity.
[But hiding your identity by simply covering half your face is not so easy. They may not recognize you from a distance, but it’s worth exchanging a couple of phrases, and it becomes clear who you really are.]
[Especially if you're Shane Blanchard.]
[For a person like him, being incognito is almost impossible. His face appeared in the newspapers every now and then, he was recognized even from a carriage at full speed.]
[Is he even trying to hide?]
[If few people knew about Luciana, then everyone knew Shane. And what is he even doing here, at this masquerade? He must have a lot of things to do...]
"Known for his promiscuity." - Like a devilish whisper, Lucian’s voice sounded in his head.
[Masquerade is a place where even if you recognize someone, decency orders you to pretend that you didn’t recognize them. People here hide their names, titles, faces, and for one night they become free from duties and restraint.]
[...No. If he wanted to cheat, he would have done it when I myself persuaded him to be with Genevieve.]
[If Shane Blanchard was capable of cheating, Adaline wouldn't be in this position. Of all the men she knew, he was the last one who would betray him.]
[She was sure that after that declaration of love, he would not betray.]
[And yet...even if he had cheated, she had no right to reproach or blame.]
[After everything she's done, it would sound ridiculous to accuse him of infidelity.]
[And Shane’s feelings have long become…different. Where there was love, now something akin to hatred grew.]
[And, if love was real, then hatred too.]
[There are no rules saying that lovers must be faithful. He might want revenge, to fulfill her worst fear, living with a husband who would cheat.]
[It seems to have gotten better lately...but they didn't even really talk. Adaline didn't know what he was thinking about.]
[Maybe Lucian knew he would be here?]
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously for a moment. [That's a cunning one...]
[Lusian could well have set everything up. Even if he was forced to cooperate with Shane, the resentment that he was literally walked over remained.]
[Anyway, if I'm spotted, I'm screwed. Better to sit it out for now.]
[But you can’t sit under the table forever either. If anyone found her here, it would only make things worse.] Adaline carefully crawled away from Shane and, making sure she was out of his line of sight, stood up.
[And why am I, a grown woman, crawling at the ball...]
She was tense, still afraid that Shane would approach. But I soon realized that I was worried in vain.
[There was such a crowd around him that he simply could not see it. It seemed like he was surrounded on all sides.]
[He was, without a doubt, that same Shane Blanchard. The way he was imagined by everyone who has ever seen him on the pages of chronicles. And no one wanted to miss the opportunity to get closer, because he rarely appeared at social events.]
[He was alone. Even Edwin was not around, he usually kept the curious at a distance.]
[Lately, Shane has been appearing with Adaline at meetings with potential magicians. He did not leave her one step and rejected everyone who tried to talk to her, ordering them to contact her later, in person.]
[Since you can’t meet separately, they use balls...]
[And now Shane, wearing only a mask, calmly talked to people. With women.]
[His marriage didn't stop anyone. His presence was seductive in itself.]
Adaline knew: [she has no right to be jealous. She shouldn't have been here at all.]
[But seeing him communicate so easily with others was painful.]
She was angry. [I wanted to chew something. Preferably strong.]
[How was it before?]
Chewing on the canapes, she involuntarily returned to her memories.
[Once upon a time, she herself did everything to stay away from Shane. From the moment Genevieve appeared, she pushed him towards her in every possible way. But even before that I avoided him as best I could. She knew: the closer she got, the more painful it would be later.]