~ Adeline ~

The hall feels louder when I step back inside. Or maybe it’s just me—my skin buzzing, my pulse in my ears, every nerve ending alive after Cassian’s cruel game. The device hums quietly beneath my dress, not strong, but enough to remind me who’s in control. Him. Always him.

I take the champagne a waiter offers, even though my hand shakes so badly I nearly spill it. Cassian wheels forward beside me, his presence so sharp it cuts into every breath I take.

No one notices. No one ...