*Lena*

Mom spread the amber-colored gown over my bed, taking a step back to look at it fully. Her pale brown eyes moved over the glistening silk fabric, but her black brows knitted in frustration.

“No, not this one,” she murmured as she turned back to the wardrobe and began to flip through the assortment of dresses she’d packed for me before arriving in Avondale.

I was sitting at the vanity while a maid curled and braided my hair for the ...