The morning of the dinner started quietly.Too quietly.I woke before Flavian, slipping out of bed carefully so I wouldn’t disturb him. For a moment, I stood there, watching him.Peaceful.Unaware.It felt strange how quickly things could shift. How easily something fragile could feel stable again, even when you knew better.I turned away before I could overthink it and moved into the bathroom to get ready.Today mattered.Not because of the dinner itself.But because of what it represented.Showing up.Standing my ground.Not letting everything that had been happening push me out of a life I had every right to be in.When I came back into the room, the dress was still there.Exactly where I left it.Folded neatly across the bed.Simple. Elegant. Mine.I ran my fingers over the fabric again, smoothing it out, already picturing how it would look once I put it on.For the first time in days, I felt ready.Not defensive.Not reactive.Just… steady.“I was starting to think you’d changed
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