Tonight was the annual masquerade ball my family held every single year. It wasn’t just a party—it was a tradition, something that had been going on for generations. People looked forward to it, dressed up for it, and whispered about it like it was the biggest event of the season. The mansion had been prepared for days, every corner scrubbed and polished until the marble floors shone like glass. The chandeliers above glimmered with hundreds of candles, their light bouncing off the golden ...