The music was still going strong, violins rising above the low hum of chatter as couples glided across the polished marble floor. Chandeliers blazed overhead, scattering fragments of gold light across sequined gowns and pressed tuxedos. Waiters moved between the throngs with trays of champagne and crystal flutes that never seemed to empty.
But even amid all the glitter, Arielle could feel it—the weight of stares pressing on her, whispers trailing her like smoke.
Her gown shimmered as she moved, every deliberate step across the dance floor a reminder that she had chosen her own dress, not the one Kairo tried to force on her. And though she held her chin high, she couldn’t ignore the way society’s vultures circled from the corners of the room.
“Shameless.”
“Gold-digger.”
“She must be la
