#27: Cecelia Was Definitely Surprised
Cecelia entered the reception hall with a puzzled lift to her brow, admiring the grandeur she had curated until confusion slowed her steps. The room brimmed with one hundred unfamiliar faces, precisely the number she demanded, yet nothing matched her expectations. These were not society fixtures or lifelong family friends.
They were not Leon’s former colleagues either. Some wore uniforms and scuffed shoes, some wore borrowed jackets, and many looked humbled by the chandeliered light. Their attire seemed out of place in the ballroom, but their eyes held a purposeful gaze. Murmurs rose around the tables. Cecelia searched for answers and found only mystery.