Kaelen's POV
The applause for Celestine is still a physical weight in the room—a warm, safe pressure that reaffirms the status quo of the estate. But as the host’s voice cuts through the lingering hum of approval, that warmth begins to evaporate.
“Serenity.”
The name hangs in the air, Stark and solitary. The applause that follows is polite, but it carries the sharp edge of expectation. People lean forward. The atmosphere shifts from comfortable appreciation to a taut, curious silence.
Serenity steps from the wings. Against the backdrop of the red carpet and the @AiRunwayProd branding, she looks almost ethereal, yet grounded by a gravity the rest of us lack.
Celestine is at my side, her presence a familiar anchor. Instinctively—automatically—I place my arm around her shoulders. The ges
