ara
re the floor-to-ceiling window of my apartment, looking down at the street
ing window, watching the guests arriv
throwing it back in a thousand tiny reflections. My hair was tied up in an elegant bun, and my makeup cleverly concealed the bandage on my fo
buzzed.
Are you ready?" His voic
, my tone fla
last look at my reflection,
For a moment, he was speechless. Then
he gown Seraphina gave
king past him toward
ut... why? She went to so much tro
looked at him with a cold, fl
to me complying. He assumed I had simply changed my mind at the last
He tried to break it. "My father was saying we should disc
s. "Really? I would have thought you'd be more
le in his cheek jumped. The sil
The screen lit up wi
of hesitation, before answe
na? What
ufactured panic. "Julian... oh, it's a disaster! The zipper on my gown broke, an
transparent excuse as last time. M
ned instantly. "Shh, don't wor
tion, he spoke to the driver. "Turn the car a
early elsewhere. He used a tone that brooked no argument. "Seraphina has
was going to abandon me at the gates of the party, leaving me t
een humiliated, my eyes b
nd smiled. A calm, serene sm
ht," I
ment would have. A flicker of doubt crossed his face, but S
lit entrance of the Croft family's sprawl
fterthought as he was already urging the driver to hurry. Th
lders. I was a solitary figure in a gown that the world had ne
he looks they gave me. The quick, curious glances. The whispers behind cup
red th
rs were steady as I scrolled through my contacts and press
an Th
fore the first
a stark contrast to Julian's impatient tones. It wa
the thrill of impending vict
uation. My date has run off, and I find myself in desperate need of a new partner. One who c
ng him. I knew, with a certainty that set
of warmth through me. "It would be my honor. And for the record, the 'expe
gave a li
commanded, yet it was laced with a protectiv
ne wen
phone, my sm
/1/122401/coverbig.jpg?v=ea60c14d0930726228e72425e3fc37c8&imageMogr2/format/webp)