The moment I stepped into the grand hall of the Mones estate, a hush seemed to settle over the crowd. It wasn’t loud or obvious, but I felt it—the way people’s gazes followed me, how their whispers seemed to hover in the air like a secret being passed from one guest to another. For the first time, I wasn’t being stared at because I looked like Marissa. No, they were seeing me. Elena. And I wasn’t sure if I liked it.
The chandeliers sparkled like tiny stars above, casting a warm, golden glow over the ballroom. The grand space was filled with opulence—crystal goblets clinking, velvet drapes flowing along the windows, and the guests, dressed in the most exquisite attire, all masked and mysterious. It was breathtaking, yet suffocating at the same time.
Mason walked beside me, his presence gr
