—Mabel—
Saturday came in a wink.
The stars twinkled in the sky as guests arrived at Dr. Hart's banquet.
Cameras flashed behind barricades, eager to capture every precious moment.
Across the city, inside a private dressing suite in Alec Rivera's Green Oak mansion, I stood before a vanity as Émilie Laurent rounded me for the umpteenth time.
The glam team had come and gone.
My makeup was flawless.
My hair had been styled in an elegant updo, glossy strands pulled back to reveal my neckline and shoulders.
I continued to gaze at the television to my left. At the guests still arriving the banquet in real time.
According to rumors, only the top five contenders for the government contract had been invited, alongside high-ranking military officials, influential politicians, prominent scient
