ALEX
I could see the work it took for her to keep her tone neutral. The brief flicker of something in her eyes—anger, pain, or maybe just weariness—disappeared quickly. She turned her attention back to Julie, engaged in polite conversation. But I saw it. She was doing her best to keep me at arm's length.
It hurt more than I thought it would.
I watched them talk, every laugh, every smile Camilla gave Julie, twisting something deep inside me. She'd always been able to laugh, even when everything around her was collapsing. It used to draw me in. Now, it felt like a reflection of what I lost.
The music started, its soft rhythm filling the room, but it did nothing to ease the tension that settled between Camilla and me. Julie stood up, leaving me alone with her. The silence that f
