Chapter 3
The pool area was already bursting with energy when we arrived. Music pulsed through the air, the bass thrumming in my chest. Bodies glistened under moonlight, laughter and splashes filling the air as Elara's friends lounged on chaises, sipped cocktails, or dove into the shimmering blue water.
Heads turned as Elara stepped into view, her silver fringe dress catching the light like a beacon, her bikini leaving very little to the imagination. But everyone's eyes stayed on me longer.
Elara didn't give me time to hesitate. She dragged me forward, her grip tight and her smile sharp as a blade. "Everyone," she called out, her voice cutting through the noise with effortless authority. "This is Isabella. She's new."
A dozen pairs of eyes locked onto me; they looked curious, assess
