Chapter 35

• The party was still in full swing, a whirl of color and music filling the grand ballroom. I made my way through the crowd, forced smiles and polite nods hiding my discomfort. The envy in some of the eyes that followed me was hard to ignore. No matter how many people greeted me warmly, there were always those whose gazes lingered with jealousy.
• “Congratulations, Luna,” one woman said, raising her glass in a half-hearted toast. “You’ve certainly... surprised us all.”
• “Thank you,” I replied, my voice steady despite the tension in my gut. “I suppose surprises can be a good thing.”