y felt like a

focating in its luxury. A makeup artist worked diligently, applying layers of foundation like spack

k. A woman in a white dress that was far

e of the bridesmaids, dressed in a pale gold gown that highlighted her

yes doing a quick, dismissive scan. "Who would have thou

cked in, analyzing the micro-expressions. The slight tremor in the corner of Hephzib

hzibah announced, waving a dismissive han

exquisitely wrapped box. She opened it to re

, her voice dripping with false sincerity. "Let

perceive the imperceptible, detected a subtle smell in the air around the compact, a faint shimmer of airborne particles under the light that b

chotic break at the altar. Turn the sham wedding into a comple

e. "Oh, wow. That's so expensive. For me?" She took

ssed her cousin's face. "Of course,

nerously. She leaned in, her smile widening a

nstant, E

phzibah's wrist like a steel clamp. The motion wa

escaping her lips. The powder puf

he stammered, her eyes

warmth. "A gift this nice," she said, her voice a low, chill

he powder puff with her other hand and, before her cousin could scream, pressed it firmly

rance Pruitt, swept in with a gaggle of other relati

iles v

ephzibah's wrist, her face a mask

e began clawing at Eliza's arm. "You ungrateful lunatic! How dar

ged her face into an expression of fear and confusio

, running to her mother. "She j

ons from other relat

t is great. I just wanted her to t

it b

in spread across her face. She giggled. Then s

ice filled with awe and terror. "T

had tak

of her bridesmaid dress, babbling about spiders in her hair. She even

ychotic breakdown, h

erance, whose face had drained of all color. The woman understood. She understood

of security, who had been drawn by th

oice perfectly level, "you

hair, and smoothed the front of her wedding dress. When s

s place was a new, raw, and