The cameras flashed so brightly it almost felt like lightning. Aria stood still, her lips curved into the kind of smile she had practiced a thousand times in front of the mirror. Beautiful, calm, untouchable. Her sapphire gown sparkled under the lights, clinging to her body like it had been poured onto her. Every detail screamed perfection, but inside, she felt like she was drowning.
"Smile, Mrs. Draven," a photographer shouted from the line.
She tilted her head slightly, the smile tightening. Sebastian's hand rested firmly on her waist, fingers digging just enough to remind her who was in control. To the cameras, it looked like an intimate touch, a gesture of love. To her, it was nothing but a warning.
"Closer," Sebastian muttered against her ear, low enough that only she could hear. "Don't embarrass me tonight."
Her jaw clenched. Her smile sharpened like broken glass. "Wouldn't dream of it," she whispered back.
