66.

Lily's POV

My cheeks burned with heat as I watched the women walk into the toilet stalls, giggling and muttering to themselves. They could obviously see through my fancy chignon and my silk black dress. They could see that I was not one of them, and never will I be.

Leaning against the cool bathroom wall, I took a deep breath to steady myself again. I tried to remind myself that this was a party, and I could choose to enjoy myself or not.

But I couldn't shake off the nagging thoughts of Ricardo's unsettling presence. The glitzy chatter outside seemed worlds away from the angst and darkness within me. With a heavy sigh, I finally admitted to myself that there was no use running from the man—I had to face him.

And the only way I could do that was to find my way back to the party hall.

As I prepared to step back into the glamorous chaos of the party, the hushed voices of the two women caught my attention. They were engaged in an animated conversation that quickly shifted to a topic that