The marble steps of Aguas Tower had never felt this cold beneath my heels, not because the weather had shifted, but because I had stopped confusing high ceilings and curated smiles for safety a long time ago.
I stepped from the car in silence, dressed in midnight-blue silk that hugged my body like armor, each detail chosen not for beauty, but for control, because sometimes the sharpest blade a woman can carry is the illusion that she’s still playing the game they believe they’re winning.
Flashes from reporters didn’t faze me.
Gasps at my presence no longer thrilled me.
Because tonight wasn’t about being seen.
Tonight was about reminding everyone that I hadn’t disappeared I had evolved.
Inside, the gala unfolded in gold and glitter, a room full of names printed on marble plaques and w
