Chapter 4 — Whispers of Betrayal

Ella

The Velvet Ember is an assault on the senses. Red velvet curtains cling to the walls, their folds deep and suffocating, while crystal chandeliers scatter light that shimmers like broken glass across the room. Jazz music weaves through the air, blending with bursts of laughter and the clinking of glasses, but beneath the glamour hums a darker melody. The scent of expensive perfume and smoke mingles with something sour, something desperate, like rot hiding beneath gilded surfaces.