All the guests at the engagement party left right after Slater's song.
They could've just walked out earlier, but somehow, his performance drew them all in. Once he finished and took a bow, however, they didn't even wait for the lights to dim. They simply left.
The only ones remaining, aside from the staff, were Melissa, Lawrence, and Jasmine. The three sat together at a single table, none of them speaking. Their faces were blank, as if everything that had just happened hadn't quite sunk in.
"..." Melissa opened her mouth but shut it again as her gaze drifted across the venue.
The staff were already cleaning up—quietly, carefully—avoiding even the slightest eye contact with the Young family for fear of being dragged into their wrath.
For the longest time, Melissa had worked hard to make this night perfect. And yet, all that remained of her "perfect" engagement party was her and her parents, surrounded by silence.
