Chapter 51.
The Gala had reached that feverish, mid-evening peak where the formal constraints of the opening ceremony had begun to fray. The orchestra had transitioned into a deep, haunting cello-led melody that seemed to pull the very air out of the room, turning the dance floor into a dense thicket of movement. Briar felt like a ghost in her own body, her hand resting in Caleb’s as he navigated the crowded floor for their third dance of the night. Her skin still burned from the encounter in the cloakroom- the phantom sensation of Victor’s palms against her bare back making the modest touch of Caleb’s hand feel like a cold intrusion. "You're back with us," Caleb murmured, smiling down at her. He seemed relieved she had returned from her "breath of air," his grip on her waist tightening in a way th
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