The Reluctant InvitationElara hadn’t left her room since the confrontation at the foundation. Her notebook was filling with jagged handwriting — fragments of defiance, confessions of pain, words she didn’t always believe but wrote anyway to make them real.When Lena entered that morning, Elara expected another cup of tea or a kind word. Instead, Lena carried a garment bag.“There’s a charity gala tonight,” she said firmly. “At the Rosemont Hotel. Everyone who matters in Garden Metro will be there — donors, politicians, journalists. And yes, Cassidy’s circle.”Elara’s stomach dropped. “Then why would I walk into that?”“Because if you don’t,” Lena said, “they’ll keep building the story without you. Right now, silence makes you guilty in their eyes. If you show up, if you stand tall even when they sneer, you’ll remind them you still exist.”Elara shook her head. “They’ll eat me alive.”“They’ll try,” Lena admitted. “But you’ve survived worse. And you won’t be alone.”Elara stared at th
Last Updated : 2025-10-06 Read more