“Phone.”
“Of course.”
Arthur checked the time.
“Thirty minutes.”
I could hear Julian laughing inside.
His public laugh.
Smooth.
Easy.
Unbothered.
Arthur asked:
“Ready?”
“No.”
He waited.
“I’m going anyway.”
At 10:05, I entered the ballroom.
Chloe saw me first.
Her phone lowered.
Evelyn followed her gaze.