Asher had learned to anticipate Bella’s whims. He knew the playful tone in her voice that often preceded subtle jabs, the way her eyes would glint when she noticed someone observing him, the way she could turn the simplest moment into a showcase of his inadequacy.
Yet, nothing prepared him for Saturday afternoon.
Bella had invited him to her weekly book club—an event he had never attended before. She described it as “just a casual gathering of friends, nothing to worry about.” But when he arrived, he realized “casual” was a misnomer. The room was filled with women in designer dresses, their hair perfectly coiffed, their accessories sparkling under the warm light. Laughter and clinking glasses filled the air like a carefully orchestrated symphony, and he immediately felt like an outsider.
