Chapter 398

• After a long soak in my marble spa tub and slipping into my custom couture gown, I stood in front of the mirror polished, poised, and composed. To the outside world, I was the very image of elegance and control. Inside, I was holding myself together with invisible threads.
• I dabbed a little concealer beneath my eyes to blur the dark circles shadows left behind by too many sleepless nights and too much grief. I pressed my lips together and gave myself a quiet nod, as if I could silence the ache by pretending it didn’t exist.
• The evening’s event was branded as a “family celebration” a New Year’s gala hosted by the Royalson Foundation, which the public affectionately called the Royal Family. But underneath the soft lighting and champagne flutes was an undercurrent of expectation. Legacy. Power. Reputation. Attendance wasn’t optional; appearances had to be made. And made flawlessly.