Diana's gaze snapped to Cassius, questions tumbling through her mind.
How had he acquired such knowledge? Where had this book come from?
What mind could contain such revolutionary insights?
But his response was a subtle smile, his eyes glinting with an untouchable mystery, as he urged her not to dwell on the origins, only to understand that the notebook, and all its secrets, would be hers if she accepted his request.
The offer elevated him in her eyes, casting him as a figure of near-mythic stature, his intellect and power placing him beyond her reach, a noble whose gifts could alter the course of history.
Yet, her cheeks burned, a flush spreading across her skin, her body tingling with the realization of how far he was willing to go for her.
In a world where men guarded their pride, where love was a weakness and women were often reduced to vessels for duty or desire, Cassius's proposal was unthinkable.
