The sky painted itself in perfect azure, the kind of postcard-worthy day that practically begged for outdoor adventures and spontaneous picnics. Mother nature had clearly put on her day best.
But, on this gorgeous, sun-drenched afternoon, Everly found herself perched awkwardly in the opulent living room of Shen Manor alongside Jeremy, facing what felt like a tribunal of beaming relatives.
Across from them sat the holy trinity of doting relatives: Grandma Shen and Jeremy's parents, all wearing expressions of such adoring devotion that Everly half-expected them to start fanning her with palm leaves.
They bustled around her like worker bees attending their queen, pouring fragrant tea, sliding plates of delicate pastries closer, and summoning servants to peel grapes with the precision of a royal food taster.
