Humiliated and seething, Cynthia stormed toward the restrooms to fix her makeup. In the hallway, she nearly collided with Sophie, who had stepped out to catch her breath.
Cynthia stopped, her eyes raking over Sophie’s emerald dress with disdain.
“You think you fit in, don’t you?” Cynthia venomously whispered, stepping into Sophie’s personal space.
“Excuse me?” Sophie asked, startled.
“The dress. The waltz. The shy little smile,” Cynthia listed, her voice dripping with cruelty. “You think you’re the heroine of this story. But you’re just a placeholder, honey. You’re the aspirin he’s taking to dull the pain of losing a legend.”
Sophie straightened her spine, channeling the courage she had used to protect Leo in the park.
“William will never love you,” Cynthia hissed, leaning close. “He buried his heart in the snow a year ago. When he wakes up and realizes you’re just the help, he’ll discard you like he did everyone else.”
Cynthia brushed past her, leaving Sophie trembling in the empty hallway, the seeds of doubt planted deep in her mind.