Joyce POV
I stepped out of the taxi with my suitcase bumping against my leg, the evening air warm and thick like it always got this time of year. Home. Or at least the house I grew up in. It felt different now, like I didn’t quite belong anymore. Elena had texted me three times already, telling me to hurry up because guests were arriving for the engagement party. My perfect older sister, always in control.
I smoothed down my simple black dress, the one that hugged my curves just enough to feel confident but not enough to steal attention. That was Elena’s job tonight. She was the one getting engaged to Isaac, the man everyone said was perfect for her. Successful businessman, sharp suits, the kind of smile that made people trust him with their money and their daughters. I’d only met him on
