Mathilda’s POV

“Mathilda? Where are you? Come out.”

I wiped away the tears that had been streaming down my face for the past twenty minutes. Fredric’s voice reminded me that I had to pull myself together. No matter what drama had unfolded tonight, I needed to play my part. I couldn’t let Mrs. Rosa see me weak.

“Ah, there you are! I was so worried looking for you. What took you so long, Mathilda?”

I looked up at Fredric — it was the first time I’d ever seen him worried about me. And honestly, seeing him like that sparked a small, fragile warmth inside me.

“I’m sorry… I’m just not used to facing everyone, Mr. Fredric.”

“I can’t believe I have to say this, but you don’t need to be afraid of their words. You’ve been great today — you look incredible. Just ignore their negativity; there’s nothing worth listening to. Alright? Are you ready to go? We still have to greet my grandmother and the rest of my family. Just hold on for another hour or two, okay?”

I took a deep breath and nodded. Tim