The masquerade idea just kind of stuck in Selene’s head, like that last piece of a jigsaw you finally shove into place and go, “Oh, there it is.” For the first time since shuffling into the Smith estate—haunted by her busted-up heart and a husband she basically got handed like a business transaction—she had something to do besides mope. Suddenly it was a whirlwind: Olivia blowing up her inbox, random vendors calling at weird hours, a parade of fabric samples, color swatches tossed everywhere, and endless charts. Total chaos. But, honestly? She needed the noise.
Except, the more she drowned herself in the gala madness, the more she clocked that Raymond was doing his best ghost impression. They still technically shared a bed, but it felt more like roommates in a dorm than, you know, actual
