|| Lilac’s POV ||

The air was thick with the mingling scents of expensive perfumes and gourmet food, the atmosphere both luxurious and suffocating. We sat at the table, the tension palpable, our fake smiles plastered on like masks. The server had just poured us one of the most expensive wines on the menu, the deep red liquid swirling in the crystal glasses like liquid fire. I took a sip, the taste rich and bold, but it did little to ease the knot of unease in my ...