Chapter 41
The night of the party came faster than I wanted.
I stood in front of my mirror for almost thirty minutes, staring at my reflection. I had changed outfits three times already. Nothing felt right. Every dress either felt too tight, too revealing, or not “appropriate” enough for a Black family event. In the end, I settled on a simple black dress that hugged my curves without being too flashy. It stopped just below my knees, and I paired it with a soft cardigan to cover my arms.
My hands were shaking as I applied my lipstick.
I didn’t want to go. Every part of me was screaming that this was a bad idea. But Ethan had asked me to stand beside him, and after everything we had been through, I couldn’t keep hiding.
When he arrived to pick me up, he looked handsome in a dark navy su
