Josephine Astor didn’t invite us—she summoned us. That pristine ivory envelope didn’t feel like an invitation; it felt like a command. The kind you don't ignore unless you want your name mysteriously scrubbed from every guest list, committee, and social event on the east coast. So yes, we were going. Together.
I managed to weasel invitations for Josh and Ally too, mostly to serve as a human buffer between me and whatever snide socialite nonsense awaited. I didn’t want to be cornered into soul-draining small talk or fake smiles. Plus, Leo and I had nothing left to discuss... aside from the lingering tension that kept sneaking up behind us like it wanted something more.
But tonight? Tonight was a whole new level of psychological warfare.
For days leading up to the event, I played the worl
