LILY
The air in the foyer felt heavier the moment I spotted Ella walking toward us.
At first, I thought she was just coming to greet Ace. That was normal. She lived here too, after all. But the look on her face—tight, sharp, burning—made my stomach sink before she even opened her mouth.
Her steps were fast, purposeful, the sound of her heels striking the marble too loud in the quiet house. I straightened instinctively, my fingers curling into the fabric of my dress as unease spread through my chest.
Ace was beside me, close enough that I could feel the warmth of him, but even that didn’t steady me.
“What is this?” Ella demanded, her voice slicing through the space like a blade.
Ace frowned. “Ella—”
She didn’t let him finish.
“So this is the dinner you had planned?” she snapped, her
