CHAPTER ONEFrom the solitude of my room, I could hear the festivities below—a celebration that seemed to shake the very walls of the house—my sister's 18 years celebration. The scent of freshly cut flowers wafted through the air, mingling with the laughter that rose like a tide from the guests. The vibrant life of the party was a world apart from my own shadowed existence.I stepped away from the window, catching my reflection in the tall mirror. The blue gown I had chosen hung like a whisper of silk against my skin, its rich hue shimmering under the soft light. Yet it wasn't the gown that held my gaze—it was the mask that covered the scar that twisted across my cheek, a cruel mark that had stolen my place in this family.Beneath the mask, the scar itched, as if it resented its confinement. My fingers trembled as they traced the mask’s edges, feeling the roughness of the scar underneath. The mask was a barrier, both physical and emotional, that I had worn for so long it felt like a p
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