The morning of the announcement party dawned brighter than any day Maya could remember. The air itself seemed charged, every breath filled with a mixture of anticipation and nerves. From the moment she woke up, the Denovan estate had been buzzing..maids rushing with trays of flowers, decorators climbing ladders to hang velvet drapes, chefs shouting last minute instructions in the kitchen. The once quiet home was now the center of attention for the entire city.

Inside Maya’s bedroom, the atmosphere was no calmer. The faint scent of hairspray and perfume lingered in the air as two stylists hovered around her, fussing over her hair and makeup. Brushes swept across her...