Ellie snorts beside me. “You always say that.”
I glance at her. “Because I am.”
“Mm,” she hums, unconvinced. “You look like you’ve been planning a war all morning.”
I can’t help it—I laugh.
“She has,” Sofia says calmly, reaching for her tea. “She’s been waiting for Timofey all day.”
Ellie takes my arm and leans her head on my shoulder. “Trust me, we’ve all been there.”
I smile, shaking my head slightly.
Across the room, Vivian’s voice rises just enough to draw everyone’s attention. She’s already in the middle of a story, eyes bright with mischief as she gestures with her glass.
“I’m telling you,” she says, laughing, “that night was a disaster waiting to happen, and no one saw it coming.”
Someone groans. “Oh no…which one?”
“The winter gathering a year ago,” Vivian replies. “The one at the old estate—before they renovated it.”
A few of the women immediately react, laughter bubbling up like they already know where this is going.
“Yes!” Ellie lifts her head slightly. “The chandelier incident!”
“That was a full-blown catastrophe,” Vivian says, pointing at her.
I lean forward slightly, intrigued despite myself.
“What happened?” I ask.
Vivian grins at me. She settles back, eyes gleaming. “So,” she begins, “everything was perfect. Formal dinner, everyonedressed like they were about to attend a royal ceremony. Crystal glasses, live music, the whole thing.”
She pauses for effect.
“And then one of the men—who will remain nameless to protect his dignity—got drunk and decided it would be a brilliant idea to give a toast while black-out drunk.”
“Oh my goodness.” Raelyn covers her face with her hand, and I have a distinct feeling the man in question is Konstantin.
Sofia sighs softly. “It’s always a man.”
“Always,” Vivian agrees. “He climbs onto a chair to make some dramatic toast, right? Talking about loyalty and legacy. Mind you, we were also all drunk, not to the same degree, obviously, but we weren’t sober at all. It was wild. One of those times when there was no war. Just peace.”
We all exchange potent glances, and then Vivian grins again.
“And just as he raises his glass,” Vivian continues, barely holding her own laughter now, “his elbow hits the chain holding the chandelier.”
Ellie gasps dramatically. “It was so scary at the time—”
“Yes,” Vivian says, pointing again. “The entire thing starts swaying. Everyone freezes. And instead of getting down like a normal person, he panics and tries to steady it.”
That’s it. The room loses it.
“He made it worse, didn’t he?” I say, already laughing.
“Much worse,” Vivian confirms. “Because the next thing we know—” she claps her hands once—“the chandelier crashes straight onto the table.”
The room erupts.
