Rylee
This is my first time in the Mansion’s party restaurant on the first floor. The place is lavishly decorated, with a long table set for twenty, and pre-dinner snacks already laid out. The lights are dim, and the flickering candles cast dancing shadows on the walls, adding to the room's elegance.
The guests all seem to know each other well. Even Meg, who’s beside me, is whispering to someone. I sit in the first seat on the left side of the table, trying to endure the occasional curious glances thrown my way. Don’t move. Stay calm, I tell myself. No one’s coming over to talk to me anyway.
The restaurant slowly fills up. Most of the faces are unfamiliar, though I spot Carl, and even Cecilia has been invited. She’s seated far down the table, away from me. The two main seats—the ones at the head and across from it—are still empty. Those belong to Alvar and Hera, who both stepped out to talk.
Suddenly, the living room door swings open, and Alvar strides into the dining room. He’s dress
