The Twisted Wedding Night
This was just her—and me.
From the edge of the park, I noticed the bodyguards standing a little straighter than usual, their eyes scanning not just the surroundings, but occasionally glancing toward me. I could almost feel the tension radiating from them, a subtle reminder that the world I’d entered was always watching, always measuring.
Alice returned, breathless and smiling, holding the hand of a small boy she’d been chasing. “Lily, look! I made a friend!”
“That’s wonderful, Alice,” I said, crouching to her level. “See? Sometimes you just have to try, and the world opens up.”