The red carpet snaked through the grand foyer of the Harbor City Opera House, velvet ropes keeping the paparazzi at bay—but only just. Flashbulbs strafed Eden Lin's arrival as she stepped from the sleek black SUV, her tailored midnight-blue coat sweeping the marble floor. Reporters craned with microphones.
“Ms. Lin—your first public appearance in years! How does it feel?"
Eden paused, offering a composed nod and a faint, enigmatic smile. She raised gloved hands, palms outward. “Tonight, I'm here to honor the Lin Holdings scholarship recipients."
Cameras clicked as she walked past, heels clicking like precision instruments. Her mask of poise never faltered. Beneath it, her heart pounded—every step a reminder that she was returning to the world that had betrayed her.
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Inside, chandel
