"Empathy can steal the spotlight where wealth cannot."
—Ava Carter Reed
Ava's Point of View
The Leronz gala sparkled in a way that only old money and new ambition could create. A string quartet hummed in the corner, their notes soft enough to let the clinking of champagne flutes punctuate the air. The scent of lilies—elegant, faintly sweet—drifted above the richer smells of whiskey and roasted duck.
I had been to charity events before, back in college as a volunteer usher, but never as this—Mrs. Reed, in a dress that shimmered like moonlight against the dark curve of Dylan's tuxedoed arm. Every step we took through the crowd left whispers in our wake. I'd perfected a small polite smile, the kind that didn't betray the knot of nerves twisting in my stomach.
