Alexia's POV
I gripped the edges of the porcelain sink, my knuckles whitening as I stared into the mirror. The reflection that met me was a ghost of the woman I had become, haunted by the specter of the girl I once was. Memories, long buried and festering, clawed their way to the surface, each more painful than the last.
It began with my father.
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In the dim glow of the jet's bathroom, Alexia sat on the cold marble floor, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. The hum of the aircraft was a distant murmur, drowned out by the cacophony of memories crashing over her.
A Week Before the Inauguration
The grand hall of the palace was adorned with tapestries depicting the kingdom's glorious past. Yet, the opulence did little to soothe Alexia's turbulent mind. She paced the length of the room, her silk gown whispering against the polished floors. The weight of the impending announcement pressed heavily on her chest.
