Chapter 90: The Engagement Party

The soft hum of music floated through the air, mingling with the chatter and clinking of glasses. Outside, the evening sky was painted in warm hues of orange and pink as the sun dipped below the horizon, setting the perfect backdrop for the engagement party Damien and I had been planning for weeks. It was small—just a handful of close friends and family, people who had been there for us through the highs and lows. This wasn't a lavish celebration, but it was ours, a reflection of everything we had been working toward.

I stood by the grand window in the living room, looking out at the garden where the party was unfolding. Damien was chatting with some of his friends, his smile warm and genuine as always, but there was a hint of tension in his posture, a subtle unease that I couldn't quite place. Sophie, ever the observant one, was helping Lucas and a few other guests with drinks, her laughter ringing out across the lawn.