The elite families of all four cities had received their invitations.
Eastmont stood at the pinnacle of the four regions, and the Shaws were its most formidable titan.
It was an invitation no one dared to decline.
Yet, the high-society circuit was abuzz with a single, feverish question.
Everyone knew the eldest Miss Shaw had married Jasper of Northbrook five years ago in a wedding so opulent it had become legend.
Now, the Shaws were suddenly hosting a gala to announce "a major matter" regarding her. What could be left to say?
Meanwhile, the court of public opinion began its trial of Jasper online.
An anonymous thread went viral, meticulously documenting years of Cindy attending galas alone.
In every photo, amidst the power couples and socialites, she was always a solitary figure.
