Unwanted and cast aside by her adoptive family, Sofia Rosso stood at the edge of the glittering hall, her single arm clutching the invitation like a lifeline. Laughter, jazz, and the clinking of champagne glasses filled the air, but only one waiter quietly motioned her toward an isolated table tucked beneath a drooping palm — a lonely corner reserved just for her.
Adopted into the wealthy Rosso family after losing her real parents, Sofia had long known that what they called love was nothing more than charity dressed up for appearances. At her sister Gabriella’s extravagant wedding, she wasn’t a guest — she was decoration, proof of the family’s supposed kindness.
As she crossed the marble floor, the murmurs sharpened.
“What nerve… how dare she come here?”
Sofia lifted her chin, her gaze fixed on the glittering ice sculpture in the center of the hall. Not a single tear. Not here. Not for them.
