Sophie tightened the final clasp at the back of the gown, her fingers quick and precise. I stared at the mirror, the reflection too polished to feel like mine. Midnight silk clung to my hips, dipping into a neckline Sophie had declared “dangerous but necessary.” Crystal beading caught the lamplight, scattering it like stars over my chest.
She stepped back, tilting her head as though appraising a painting. “Better,” she murmured. “Almost passable.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My stomach twisted, but I smiled anyway. “Almost passable? I’ve been standing here like a mannequin for thirty minutes.”
Copper hair gleamed under the light as Sophie arched a brow. “Darling, tonight is not about you being comfortable. Tonight is about you looking untouchable.” She smoothed t
