Sonia’s POV
The foyer was too bright.
Light poured down from the chandelier overhead, gilding every edge of marble, glass, and silk. It felt like a stage, and Hayley, of course, played her role flawlessly.
She moved slowly, deliberately, each step clicking against the polished floor. Her wine glass tilted lazily in her hand as if she had all the time in the world, as if we were nothing more than her evening’s entertainment. Her smile, sharp, knowing, never faltered.
I stood stiff by the door, Molly at my side, but the air around me felt heavy, pressing down with invisible hands.
“Still standing, I see,” Hayley murmured, circling me with a predator’s patience. “I’ll give you credit for that, Sonia. Most people in your shoes would have left by now.”
My throat tightened. I forced my gaz
