#Chapter 40: Dahlia

Ella The restaurant loomed ahead, a tall edifice much like the first place Logan and I first officially ‘met’—after our initial alleyway meeting, back when he thought I was a ‘peasant’. The building’s height mirrored its reputation. It stood out distinctly against the city skyline, with its harsh gray reliefs and facades. It was a cold metal obelisk, much unlike the beautifully ornate buildings I had grown up surrounded by while growing up, but it had its own brutalist charm as well. Behind the glass facade, I could see a sea of figures moving around. The street was lined with expensive sports cars, and men and women dressed in even more expensive dresses, tuxedos, watches, and jewelry were stepping out of them. My heart raced as Logan and I stepped out of the car and joined them. The thumping of my heels against the pavement reminded me of the beats of a war drum, resonating with my rising anxiety. Growing up, I had become used to events like this. The red carpet w