As Mitchell moved through the crowd, murmurs of surprise rippled around him like waves crashing onto the shore. Clara kept her eyes tightly shut, trying to block out the world, but it was impossible. Her smeared makeup had exposed her features, and those who knew her began to recognize her.
"Wait… is that Clara?" a sharp voice broke through the noise, drawing heads to turn.
"That can't be!" another murmured.
"She’s the flawless-looking woman from before?" A louder exclamation followed.
Clara felt their stares like daggers. The whispers grew louder, and the room buzzed with speculation. Heat rose to her cheeks, and she wished desperately for the ground to swallow her whole.
Mitchell, on the other hand, didn’t falter. His stride was steady, his face impassive as he carried her in his ar
