Chapter 13 The Dance

• Alessia
• The grand hall buzzed with conversation, laughter, and the clinking of glasses, but for the moment, I was alone. Luca had stepped away to speak with someone across the room, leaving me standing by an ornate column, clutching my glass of champagne like it was a lifeline. The mask on my face felt heavier now, almost suffocating, and I couldn’t help but glance around, searching for Luca—or rather Matteo.
• “Quite the spectacle, isn’t it?” a deep voice interrupted my thoughts.