Chapter 16 Hurt His Sentiments

• Navigating the heavily scented living room, I strode purposefully toward him, encircling him within the wire-like embrace of my arms. It took him a moment to reciprocate my warm welcome, finally wrapping his arms around me. However, tonight was different.
• The familiar warmth I usually felt when enveloped by his embrace was absent. It puzzled me, leaving me struggling to comprehend the change. Perhaps he was taken aback by my unexpected appearance in this adorned living room, or maybe it was the lingering fragrance that had greeted him before my arrival that caused the shift in his demeanor.
• Swiftly dispelling these budding doubts, I withdrew myself from the embrace. "How's the party?" I inquired, attempting to break through the unspoken tension that lingered.