CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT: Two Souls

I remain calm, my jaw set in defiance as I roll my eyes at Yvanna's accusatory glare. Her question hangs in the air like a dagger, sharp and unforgiving, demanding a response that I’m unwilling to give.

Instead of answering, I reply, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "Even if I say no, you still won't believe me, will you?"

Yvanna grunts, and with a swift motion, she slaps her clutch against my chest before storming out of her seat. The sound of her departure echoes in the silence that follows.

I don’t even spare her a glance as she leaves, my gaze fixed on some distant point in the garden as I wrestle with my own conflicting emotions.

Dwight finally concludes his announcement, and Evelyn steps onto the platform to embrace him. The other guests gather around too, offering words of comfort and support, even mom and dad joining in the display of familial solidarity.

But I remain rooted to my seat, my feet unwilling to move, my heart still heavy with the weight of my own guilt. I can