The air inside the ballroom shimmered with warmth and laughter, an intoxicating blend of music, candlelight, and celebration. Emma was radiant cheeks flushed with joy, eyes still gleaming from the surprise of the evening. Conversations buzzed around her, glasses clinked in cheerful toasts, and the golden ambiance wrapped around everything like a soft embrace.
But in every celebration, shadows sometimes lurk in the corners.
Across the room, Justine the assistant marketing officer stood by the bar, her smile brittle, eyes sharp beneath her perfectly arched brows. She had always played the part of the supportive colleague, but tonight, envy twisted inside her like a coil of smoke. The way Jonathan looked at Emma, the way everyone flocked to her praised her, adored her it was unbearable.