“I’m fine! Perfectly fine!” Vanessa raised her champagne glass high at the prestigious social event that evening. Her smile was far too wide, her laughter far too loud, prompting several guests to exchange uneasy glances.

“Vanessa, you look… different,” a socialite whispered softly.

“Different? Hahaha! What do you mean? I’m always dazzling, aren’t I?” Vanessa burst into laughter, but suddenly her eyes welled up with tears. The champagne glass in her hand trembled. “But… why is everyone leaving me? Am I no longer worth anything?”

Confusion rippled through the room. An elderly gentleman carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. “Perhaps… you need some rest.”

But Vanessa shoved his hand...