The scene opens at a lavish party hosted at **Harvey’s mansion**, where high society gathers. **Bjorn**, a nobleman, arrives late and is greeted with thinly veiled curiosity—especially about his absent wife, the **Grand Duchess**. Despite polite smiles, the constant reminders of her sting.

Bjorn endures the party’s gossip and fake pleasantries, drinking heavily to numb his frustration. His brother, **Leonid**, checks on him at their mother’s request, but Bjorn brushes off concern with sarcasm.

When he escapes to a quiet hallway, he hears a **scream**—just like one from his past involving **Erna**, a woman Hines had once victimized. Recognizing the pattern, Bjorn confronts **Robin Hines**, a predatory nobleman harassing a maid.

What follows is a **brutal beating**—Bjorn unleashes his pent-up rage on Hines, blaming him for past wrongs. The violence is cold and methodical, ending only when Hines, bloody and broken, weakly agrees to Bjorn’s terms.

But as Bjorn turns away, **Hines attacks him from behind with a fireplace poker**, setting up a dangerous confrontation.