The Sommelier of Silence

Danica Volkov was a ghost in her own home, a tool to be sold by her cruel stepfamily to the decrepit Baron Valerik for a title. But on their wedding night, the Baron dies, leaving Danica his sole, unexpected heir. His final words weren't of love, but a warning - and a key to a hidden world of coded ledgers and silent transactions. Now, armed with the secrets of the city's elite, Danica reinvents herself as a sought-after 'sommelier of secrets,' a designer whose creations carry whispered messages. Her goal: to orchestrate the Volkovs' ruin at the upcoming Lumina Ball. Standing in her way is Stellan Varady, a stoic Imperial Justicar investigating the late Baron and the only one sharp enough to see the calculating mind behind Danica's flawless facade. He becomes her fiercest rival, yet an unwilling confidant in a dangerous dance of wits. But as Danica dismantles her family's reputation piece by piece, she learns that the Baron's most trusted advisor, the kindly Aleksy, is helping her every step of the way - perhaps too much. In a world built on careful whispers, who is truly pouring the poison?