The invitation arrived on a Friday morning, sealed with a velvet ribbon, its elegance and grandeur unmistakable. Malia's eyes narrowed as she picked up the heavy envelope, her fingers brushing over the smooth parchment. She could already feel the tension building between her and Nixus. Evelyn was a woman who didn't do things by accident. Every move she made, every word she spoke, was calculated. The very fact that this invitation had arrived at all made Malia's stomach turn. She hadn't even opened it yet, and she already knew it was trouble.
The card inside was simple in design, with the flowing script of Evelyn's signature—the kind of handwritten invitation that made even the most casual of events feel like a royal affair.
"You're invited to the Gala of the Year—An Evening of Elegance," the invitation read, followed by the date, time, and location of the event.
