Lucian stood rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed on Isabel with an intensity that he scarcely noticed himself. His mind raced with a whirlwind of thoughts, all centered around the woman who had once been his entire world. The Isabel he loved, the Isabel who had fallen from the cliff that night, the Isabel he believed lost forever—was now standing before him, transformed and more distant than he could have ever imagined.
She was different now. The timid girl who once hesitated to even show herself to him in public was gone. In her place stood a regal princess, commanding the attention of every man in the room, her poise and grace elevating her above them all. It was a stark contrast to the Isabel he had known, and the realization hit him with a force that left him breathless.
He watched as
