ALICE POV
After a long, hot shower, I swiftly slipped into the midi black dress Val brought me, towel-dried and braided my wet hair, and applied a bit of eye makeup—just a touch of mascara. I also applied a ton of foundation on the hickey, successfully covering it up. All in all, I looked decent, not too formal but not like I just rolled out of bed either—a normal middle ground to blend in.
I joined the others in the kitchen, Val and Max greeted me with encouraging smiles, while Alex eyed me questioningly. What could be the problem now? I held his gaze, not lowering it or yielding, and with confident steps, I headed towards the door. "So? Shouldn’t we go?" I asked. "Did you change your mind, and I can stay here with Val?"
"Why did you use so much makeup?" His annoyance and bitterness fi
