Chapter 18 18

• I stiffened, my body a tense wire, as the first wave of guests spilled out of the pavilion. They moved toward us, each step an echo in the hollow space of my chest. I plastered the brightest smile I could manage onto my face, even though I could feel it cracking from the inside.
• My legs burned, every muscle protesting, but I couldn’t afford to show it not yet. Half the guests had already passed, their words a blur of hollow compliments. Praise for my beauty. Congratulations to Lorrenzo for securing such a beautiful wife as though that were some grand achievement. The whispers about the wedding night were more biting than I expected, each word like a sharp stone being thrown my way.
• I tried to keep up the charade, but I could feel Lorrenzo’s eyes on me, always watching, always making sure my mask didn’t slip.