When Gabriel arrived, his chambers were dark, with the soft glow of the lanterns casting long, flickering shadows across the polished wood and velvet furnishings. The weight of the evening sat on his shoulders, heavier than the fabric of his clothing. The night beyond the windows was silent and endless, and the grandeur of the ball seemed like a distant echo in his mind.
His hands trembled slightly as he undid the cuffs of his sleeves, the adrenaline from the evening's revelations still burning beneath his skin. He removed his coat with measured precision, letting it fall from his fingers onto a nearby chair. His waistcoat was removed first, followed by the meticulous undoing of his shirt's fine buttons, each movement more mechanical than the last.
