At that moment Cora paused mid-step, her head turning slightly toward the voice behind her.
Then, slowly, she turned fully to face him William Victor, the eldest son of the Victor family.
She studied him for a moment, her eyes sharp, unreadable. Her posture was upright, queenly, as the wind gently moved through her hair.
"You're forty-five," she said plainly, her voice calm but laced with quiet emphasis.
Immediately William blinked.
"That makes you twenty-two years older than me."
Her words hung in the air like a test, deliberate and unyielding.
At that moment William cleared his throat and quickly composed himself. "Age…" he said, stepping closer with a soft smile, "is just a number, Lady Cora."
Then he stood tall, firm, his hands folded respectfully in front of him.
"What truly matters is devotion, Respect, Loyalty."
