Chapter 25

• Ivy stopped, but she didn’t turn around. Her breath caught for a second, but she held it in with her chin lifted and her back straight. A few guests near the edge of the ballroom began to turn in their direction. The soft strains of string instruments still played in the distance, but the air around the pool had shifted—thickening with tension.
• Clara didn’t stop.
• “The mask, the dress, the jewelry... I’m guessing all of it belongs to Mr. Josh, doesn’t it?” Her voice was sharp, slicing through the murmurs. “But dignity? Unfortunately, you can’t buy that at any boutique, Aeri-ssi.”