Seraphina's Point Of View
I stood frozen on the polished marble floor of the grand entrance lobby, my emerald silk gown suddenly weighing heavy around my ankles. The fabric that had felt luxurious moments ago now seemed to constrict around me like a second skin I couldn't shed. My breath caught somewhere between my ribs and throat. The junior staff member who had been escorting me toward the VIP section halted as well, blinking awkwardly as the wealthy crowd's chatter swelled around us like an incoming tide.
My eyes locked onto the man before me. I regarded him with absolute, unfiltered indifference… the kind of cold detachment I'd spent six months perfecting in front of my bathroom mirror, practiced until it became armor. Each morning, I'd stared at my reflection, teaching myself to feel nothing. Now, facing him, I discovered the lessons had taken root deeper than I'd imagined.
