Chapter 178: The corner of my eye

Ashley's POV

As we pulled up to the hotel hall, a wave of relief washed over me. Thankfully, the birthday was not at the imposing Thorne mansion. The mansion always felt like a battleground to me—an unfamiliar, unforgiving space where I couldn’t find my place. There, I was constantly on edge, feeling like I was surrounded by too many expectations, too many watchful eyes. But here, in the neutral, well-lit hall, everything seemed different. The polished floors, the tasteful decor, the soft hum of conversation—it all felt less like a place I had to fight to fit into and more like one where I could just…exist for a moment as myself, and not an impostor, though I knew it wouldn’t last long once I had to mingle and pretend that I was my jovial outgoing sister.

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to smile as I stood beside Annabelle. She clung to my side like I was the only thing holding her together in this sea of unfamiliar faces. It was strange, how comforting it was to have her close, desp