Chapter 1 – The Balcony
Chapter 1 – The Balcony
The music from the ballroom drifted through the walls in soft waves of laughter and applause.
Eight-year-old Sophie hugged herself tighter.
The thin pink flower-girl dress she'd worn so proudly an hour earlier offered almost no protection from the icy wind sweeping across the glass balcony.
"Daddy..." she whispered, her teeth chattering.
She tried the handle again.
Locked.
Inside, warm light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She could see guests smiling, servers carrying champagne, and the bride admiring herself in a nearby mirror.
No one looked outside.
No one noticed.
Except one person.
An elderly housekeeper walking down the hallway caught sight of Sophie's small hand pressed against the glass.
Her heart dropped.
She hurried toward the ballroom.
"Mr. Carter!"
Her voice cut through the orchestra.
The groom turned instantly.
"What is it?"
May you like
"It's Sophie."
Without waiting for another word, he ran.
