Page 9

They were just photos, but even the thought of posing felt exhausting. I straightened my ridiculously expensive dress, fixing my face into something resembling happiness, and headed back inside.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of forced smiles and shallow laughter. The gifts piled up on a table, each one more extravagant than the last. I thanked everyone, nodding and smiling until the words felt meaningless. The music grew louder, the crowd more animated, but I felt like I was moving through it all underwater, disconnected and heavy.

As the party wore on, I found myself sitting on the edge of the pool in the bikini I’d changed into, nursing another glass of something fizzy and sweet as my friends laughed and splashed in the water. I stared at the crowd around the deck, watching as everyone else danced and lived in the moment.

That should be me, I thought.This is my party.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the anxiety twisting in my stomach. Every laugh, every cheer, every flicker of happiness around me felt like a reminder of everything I was about to lose.

I was already feeling like I wasn’t a part of their world.

And soon, when graduation came, that would be true.

* * *

A copious amount of alcohol was clouding my head as I walked down the outdoor path when the party hadfinallyended. The pebbles of the walkway bit into the bottoms of my feet with every step, and my discarded party dress was gripped in my hand.

Turning the corner, I stumbled when Everett was suddenly there. “Sorry,” I whispered. Things had been strained between us since that talk a few days ago. I needed to work on that. He’d already done so much for me. I needed to not be a brat. It wasn’t his fault that I was useless.

“There you are.” He smiled, but it was a different smile than he normally gave me. “I’ve planned an after-party for you. It starts in an hour.”

“An…after-party?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. My pulse was suddenly throbbing in my neck, and it felt like there was a charge in the air, an energy filled with something I couldn’t quite name…but it made the hair on my arms stand on end.

His smile deepened. “Yes, a more…exclusive gathering.” He tilted his head slightly, studying me with those eyes that always knocked me off guard with how much they resembled my mother’s. “There’s a new outfit waiting for you upstairs. It’s on your bed. Take a shower and put it on. I’ll be waiting.”

My throat tightened. I nodded, unable to form words. I was moving on autopilot as I climbed the stairs, feeling Everett’s gaze follow me until I was out of his sight. Was this going to be more bad news? Was this where he told me that I actuallycouldn’tstay until graduation and he was kicking me outnow?

Although, why would I wear a new dress for that news?

I really shouldn’t have drunk so much. It was hard to think clearly about anything.

Pushing open the door, the first thing I saw was the dress. It lay neatly on my bed, draped across the blankets. A thin, black slip dress. The fabric shimmered under the low light, silky and delicate. I was still holding the white lace dress that I’d worn to the party. Was it…intentional that the dress on the bed was the exact opposite of the one I had worn today?

Maybe this was a fancier party.

That could be it.

My gaze flicked to the silver slingbacks and the small black lipstick tube next to the dress. Slowly I walked to the bed and picked it up, undoing the cap and staring at the color.

The bright pink color wasn’t something I usually wore.

I stared at the dress for a long time until Everett’s voice echoed in my mind:I’ll be waiting.

Forcing myself to the shower, I washed the chlorine out of my hair and then dried it until it lay straight against my shoulders, applying light makeup after that. By the time I reached for the dress, my hands were trembling.

The fabric was cold against my skin as I slid it on, the thin straps resting softly on my shoulders. The front dipped down, leaving my cleavage exposed. I stepped into the heels, and then I picked up the lipstick and applied it, turning to the mirror.

There was a stranger in the reflection. That couldn’t be me. The pink-stained lips stretched across my face, seeming to mock me cruelly.

I turned away and took in a deep breath. Whatever he had to say, or whatever this was—I would accept it gracefully. Everett had done so much for me; he’dsavedme. It was stupid for me to feel nervous.

The mansion was silent except for the distant thump of music. I followed the sound, each step feeling heavier than the last. The music grew louder as I walked down the staircase, a slow, pulsing, dragging beat that did funny things to my insides. Everett had had the occasional party with work associates before, like the one he’d caught me watching last year, but I’d never been allowed to go. Who had he even invited to the party tonight? All of my friends had left.

When I reached the living area, I stopped dead in my tracks.

The room had been transformed. The lights were low, casting long shadows over the sleek furniture. The air smelled faintly of something sweet and smoky, unfamiliar. And the guests—there were men everywhere, all dressed in tailored suits.

But that wasn’t what stopped me, a scream building in my throat, my blood running cold in my veins.