ALEX.
The woman appeared before Sophie could say another word. She moved with the same graceful elegance she had carried all evening, her smile soft, her eyes too bright. The moment Sophie saw her, the child stiffened, her fingers curling into the fabric of my sleeve like she was bracing herself.
“There you are,” the woman said gently, though there was something sharp beneath the sweetness. “Come along now. The party is over.”
Sophie glanced up at me, fear flickering across her face. It was brief, but I saw it. I felt it.
“Wait,” I said quickly, stepping forward. “We were in the middle of a conversation.”
My tone came out tighter than I intended. Jealousy? Maybe. But more than that, something in my chest twisted hard, warning me that something was wrong.
The woman tilted her head, he
