LIORA’S POV
The room fell silent as I stepped inside.
At least a dozen women sat arranged in an elegant circle, teacups balanced on delicate saucers, their eyes all turning to assess me. The afternoon light streaming through the tall windows made everything look deceptively warm and welcoming.
But the expressions on their faces were anything but.
Seraphina bounced forward, pulling me with her. “Everyone, you remember Liora!”
A few polite smiles but mostly cold stares.
“Of course we remember,” one woman said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “How could we forget?”
Elora glided to the center of the room, gesturing to an empty chair. “Please, Liora, sit. Make yourself comfortable.”
I moved to the indicated seat, hyper-aware of every eye tracking my movement. Seraphina settled
