Evangeline reads the latest issue of The Daily Rumor, in which Kristof Knightlinger warns Northerners that Marisol, the so-called Cursed Bride, has come to ruin Nocte Neverending. The article claims Marisol is jealous of Evangeline and has been seen searching spell shops for ways to turn Evangeline back into stone.

Marisol is devastated and decides she cannot attend the night’s festivities, fearing that her presence will make people believe the lies or blame her if anything goes wrong. Evangeline urges Marisol to go anyway, arguing that hiding would make her easier to villainize, while appearing openly could show everyone that Marisol is kind, harmless, and not defined by scandal.

Evangeline frames Nocte Neverending as Marisol’s chance for a fresh start and convinces Marisol to attend. Marisol begins to recover her confidence and compliments Evangeline’s gown, but when Marisol touches a silk violet on the skirt, the flower tears free. Evangeline tries to dismiss the accident, yet the broken threads and the article’s accusations revive old suspicions about Marisol’s possible jealousy.

When Frangelica arrives to take them to the carriage, Evangeline’s doubts sharpen because Kristof’s previous reporting about Evangeline had been mostly accurate. Pretending she has forgotten her gloves, Evangeline returns to the suite to search Marisol’s room for spell books before the ball.

Evangeline finds only cooking books in Marisol’s room, suggesting Marisol’s visit to any unusual shops may have been innocent. Marisol then enters with Evangeline’s gloves, which had been left in the sitting room, and asks why Evangeline is in her room. Evangeline lies awkwardly, and Marisol’s confused suspicion makes Evangeline realize that she is hiding far more damaging secrets of her own.