The evening unfolds at a glittering ball where Kitty experiences a whirlwind of joy, certain that the upcoming cotillion will cement her bond with Wronsky. Having refused multiple other invitations in absolute confidence, she dances through the earlier numbers in a dream of happiness. However, her hopes are shattered when she notices a sudden, undeniable chemistry sparking between Wronsky and Anna. Watching them from across the room, Kitty observes the way Wronsky looks at Anna with an expression of humble and passionate devotion, mirroring the radiant, intoxicated joy shining on Anna's face.
Struck by a profound sense of doom and realizing that Wronsky has not invited her for the cotillion, Kitty suffers a wave of despair and flees to a private boudoir. The countess Nordstone soon finds her and confirms her worst suspicions by revealing that Wronsky has asked Anna to dance instead. Forced back into the ballroom by social duty, Kitty is subjected to the continuous torture of watching the pair move together with an exclusive, magnetic closeness. Despite the festive atmosphere, Anna's charm takes on a cruel and terrifying quality in Kitty's eyes, crushing her spirit and leaving her utterly devastated.
As the evening progresses toward supper, the tension culminates when Anna announces her imminent departure for Petersburg the following day. Wronsky questions her with an intensity that reveals how deeply he is captivated by her, and his heart burns as she answers. Refusing to stay for supper, Anna takes her leave, while Kitty is left behind to grapple with the painful reality of a ruined evening and a broken heart.