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CHAPTER 7: The First Save

Author: Kene Smart
last update Last Updated: 2025-12-20 21:12:22

ELENA’S POV

The dress came on Thursday.

Mrs. Gantry wheeled a garment bag into my room on a rolling rack, her expression pinching as if the fabric might offend her.

"Mr. Blackwood had this sent for you."

I waited until she left before I unzipped it. Slowly, I pulled the zipper down, revealing the contents.

I stopped breathing.

It was emerald green silk that shimmered like water in the afternoon light. A fitted bodice with a sweetheart neckline that flowed into a skirt that would billow and snap when I twirled. It was my favorite color.

How did he know my favorite color?

There were shoes too. Gold strappy heels. Exactly three inches—the maximum I could wear and not feel like I was dying after an hour.

I'd mentioned that once. To Chloe. In my apartment in Queens. He couldn't have possibly known that.

But I wrapped the dress around me and stared in the mirror. It was perfect. Terrifyingly, maddeningly perfect. It was armor disguised as silk.

Saturday Night.

The ride to the gala was sil
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