(Aria)
I wasn’t supposed to stand out.
Alice had made that very clear earlier, in the subtle way she always did — a lingering glance at my dress, a too-bright smile, the quick whisper to her friends about “not wanting distractions tonight.” And honestly, I didn’t want anyone looking at me either. I just wanted to survive this night without becoming part of the spectacle.
But then Luca’s tailor delivered that gown to my room — soft champagne silk that hugged my waist and fell like water to the floor, threaded with tiny beads that shimmered with every breath I took. I had considered not wearing it. I almost chose something simpler, something quieter.
Yet Vincenzo had seen me hesitate, leaned against the doorway, and said with that infuriating half-smirk,
“Wear it, Aria. You don’t hide a
