Semua Bab Masked Desires: Bab 81 - Bab 82

The grand ballroom of the Lockwood estate gleamed beneath the glow of twin crystal chandeliers, each one older than the estate itself and imported from a forgotten French palace. They cast kaleidoscopic reflections across the polished marble floors—light sparkling like champagne bubbles bursting midair. The subtle perfume of white roses and sandalwood drifted on the air as music swelled gently in the background—refined jazz played by a live quartet tucked into the far corner. This wasn’t merely a party. It was a moment decades in the making.Tonight was a celebration. Of love. Of survival. Of victory.Ethan Lockwood stood near the towering arched windows that framed the estate’s moonlit gardens, a glass of aged Macallan scotch in his hand. The black tailored suit he wore hugged him like royalty, no tie, just the open-collar ease of a man comfortable in his power. He looked out over the crowd, seeing not faces but journeys—board members who once doubted him, clients who had turned away