For a brief, fragile moment, even the music seemed to lose its courage. The lively rhythm that had been floating through the room softened into something distant and uncertain, like it suddenly remembered it was only background noise to real human drama.
Conversations thinned out. Laughter faded, and one by one, suspicious gazes slowly turned, settling on Evelyn like she had accidentally stepped into a spotlight she never asked for.
She felt it immediately. That heavy awareness crawling over her skin, that uncomfortable sensation of being seen too clearly when you were still trying to hide your mess behind a polite smile.
Cassie noticed it too. Without making a big deal out of it, she crossed the room and dropped into the seat beside Evelyn, her movement calm and intentional, th
