Aria stood beside Celine and Harriet, politely smiling as they chatted with a few guests. The ambient chatter and the clinking of glasses surrounded her like a muffled storm. But all of it faded when her eyes landed on a familiar figure walking toward them, Mrs. Francisco… and Elisa.
Her breath hitched, a bitter memory flashing before her eyes, Elisa in Zane’s arms, her lips brushing his neck during their honeymoon. That smug smile on her face as if she owned him. As if Aria had been the intruder.
“Hello, Mrs. Vincent! Thank you so much for inviting us,” Elisa beamed, hugging Harriet tightly, her saccharine tone making Aria uneasy. Both Elisa and her mother turned their attention solely to Celine and Harriet, ignoring Aria as if she were an afterthought, an unwanted presence in a world o
