Chapter 63

• LYDIA
• The music floats softly through the night, a gentle melody that wraps around the air like silk. Everyone seems at ease, even though there is a quiet excitement in every laugh and whisper. Clara and Brad dance at the center of the floor, their hands clasped together, giggling as they try to feed each other pieces of cake without getting messy. Their laughter echoes across the lakeside, bright and free.
• I sit a little apart from the celebration, right at the edge of the lake where the moon’s reflection ripples like a dream. A glass of champagne rests in my hand, catching the silver light. The night smells of flowers and the faint smoke of torches lining the path. I take a slow sip, smiling softly at the sound of joy all around me.