Scarlinda's soft violin music carried on, unbothered.
Julian sat alone at the table.
Nothing across from him.
His hair, face, and the custom suit he'd worn specifically tonight were all soaked through.
Someone had thrown a full glass of wine at him.
That someone had already stormed out.
He wiped his face with a napkin and kept eating, expression unreadable.
His phone rang. Tyler.
The basement bar at The Grand Hollister Hotel.
The second Julian walked in, he spotted a full whiskey tower in front of Cassandra. Tyler sat beside her, clearly trying to keep her from doing something she'd regret.
Not far off, Zhao and a few of his friends were loudly entertaining their dates, none of it especially tasteful.
"Julian"
Tyler spotted him first, pulled him over to the table.
"Sister Juli
