The night was legendary before it had even begun.
The entire world held its breath in anticipation, knowing that what they were about to witness was more than a celebration—it was a declaration of supremacy.
This was Anastasia Raventhorn Vasiliev'scoronation.
Her 18th birthday ball wasn't just an event.
It was an empire unveiling its queen.
The Raventhorn and Vasiliev families, two of the richest, most powerful, and most feared families in history, had built a world that few could ever dream of stepping into.
And tonight, they were letting the world watch as they placed a crown upon the head of their heiress.
Over six billion people tuned in to watch the event.
Six billion.
Cameras captured every detail with such crystal clarity that it felt as if even those watching from a screen could reach out and touch the gold-trimmed marble of the grand ballroom.
And the ballroom—
It was beyond mortal comprehension.
The ballroom was a world of its own, carved from the finest marble, each inch polished until it gleamed like liquid gold under the chandeliers that stretched as far as the eye could see.
The ceiling was so high that it felt like staring into a night sky woven with stardust.
And yet—despite its vastness, despite its grandeur—there was something overwhelmingly suffocating about it.
Because every soul in this ballroom was a king in their own right.
This wasn't just a party.
It was a gathering of gods.
There were only ten families in attendance—
The top ten ruling families of the world.
The people who controlled governments, empires, war, wealth, and fate itself.
And yet, despite their overwhelming power, despite their untouchable status—
None of them were the rulers of this place.
Not tonight.
Tonight, there was only one ruler.
Anastasia.
Her presence had not yet graced the ballroom.
She had not even entered.
And yet—every person present could already feel her dominion.
It was in the air.
In the whispers.
In the heavy weight of inevitability pressing down on them.
For the first time, the world was seeing the true power of the Vasiliev-Raventhorn heiress.
And yet, the shock that followed was not for her.
Because he walked in first.
And the world stopped breathing.