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Twelve o’clock, pre-dinner preparations underway Guest rooms cleaned, first course prepped

Three o’clock, grounds inspected, driveway tidied, decorations begin going up

Five o’clock, Moreeting guests

Six o’clock, guests arrive Cordelia begins getting ready Cocktails served downstairs in main hall

Seven o’clock, Cordelia downstairs Pre-dinner socializing

The itinerary repeated in my head: twelve, three, five, six, seven Mo smoothly—and for my mother, that meant every minute, every second, was planned down to the letter, every ‘i’ dotted, every ‘t’ crossed and absolutely nothing out of place

Least of all, me

I sat in s and tinkling brass drifting up frouests were surely sipping fro thest thehter was going to marry their sons

It was a scene I was intimately familiar with After all, this had been my life for the last seventeen years

I’d been born into this world, and I knew my place in it As the only child of Elizabeth and Gideon van Rensselaer, I was to remain poised and proper at all times, with never a hair out of place, a lash uncurled, nor a stray co some unspoken shame to my parents I was the perfect vessel to carry on the fa that could’ve made me more perfect in my parents’ eyes was if I had been born a boy

“There we go Ms Cora Ah, aren’t you stunning?”

Ava stepped out froas I could remember A kind woman in her forties, her fawn-brown hair was always pulled back in a thick bun, and her warm, round face wore a smile that could melt the coldest of demeanors

In soht me how to tie my shoes and how to braid my own hair—before my actual mother had declared braids too “coone to, and the one who’d gone out of her way toI needed to weather that particular storm I talked to her about boys, because it was just… easier Knowing my mother, it wasn’t hard to see why

I smiled at her in the reflection and looked at her handiwork My hair fell in thick blonde ringlets around ht ahttoto live on the wild side, Ava had even givenof shi ht pop It contrasted ith the deep green dress , one that matched the shade ofmy mother and father’s peers Our social circles knew them well

My red painted lips quirked, and I stood up, turning to Ava

“It looks incredible You always ood I know Moo perfectly”

“H she did when she had so to say but was too polite to actually say it “Well, if there’s going to be anything perfect tonight, it’s going to be you,men I’m sure your father’s invited They won’t be able to take their eyes off you”

I flushed

“Well, I know that Dad invited the Kings Their son is… Well, I haven’t met him personally, but I’m sure he’s nice”