The evening air pressed heavy with silence as Marrin stood in her dressing room, the faint scent of roses lingering from the gala earlier that night. The mirror reflected a woman she barely recognized. The elegant gown, the perfect curls, the diamonds—everything gleamed, but none of it felt like her.
She reached up, brushing her fingertips across the glass, almost expecting another woman to reach back.How many masks had she worn in this life?How many times had she smiled while her heart was breaking?
Behind her, the clock ticked softly, a metronome to her thoughts. Each second reminded her of the decisions she had made since her return—the quiet manipulations, the controlled charm, the patience she'd learned to wield like a blade.
It was working.Vivienne was uneasy now, unsure why every
