The music dimmed, replaced by a soft piano melody drifting through the air like the calm before a storm. The host’s voice rang out, rich and excited.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we’ve all been waiting for…”

The crowd turned to the golden platform in the center of the ballroom. Cameras lifted. Conversations stilled. Champagne flutes stilled mid-air.

Ava stood near the far side of the room, Damien's hand resting on the small of her back like a silent chain. Her stomach twisted into knots. Her breath came too quickly. Her skin itched beneath the fabric of the red dress she’d once admired in the mirror.

And then… Ethan stepped...