As expected, the exclusive book club gathering took place at Charlotte Bloom's elegant townhouse, nestled just a few minutes from the city center.
The setting was carefully curated, just like everything else in Charlotte's carefully constructed life. Anna had planned her arrival with equal precision, choosing to come early in order to prepare personalized welcome gifts for each of the club members.
On the sun-drenched terrace, she neatly placed copies of the month's selected read—Greek Lessons—on the glass coffee table, their soft covers catching the light. She offered a polite nod of thanks to the maid who handed her a tall glass of something cold and citrusy, the condensation already beading along the glass in the summer warmth.
The other members began to arrive one after another, fashionably late, their heels clicking against the wooden floors as they floated onto the terrace like butterflies drawn to honey.
