The chandelier above the grand lounge shimmered like a frozen constellation, each crystal trembling softly as the last note left Kagura's lips.
Silence followed.
Not the awkward kind—but the reverent kind. The kind that made people forget to breathe.
Then the room erupted in applause.
Kagura smiled, lifting her head slightly as if she had only just noticed the crowd. Her long blonde hair fell over one shoulder, catching the warm amber lights of the bar behind her. She gave a graceful bow, elegant and unhurried, like someone who knew exactly how long admiration could last before it turned into expectation.
Most people in the room believed the same thing.
Kagura is the hotel's star singer.
A beautiful woman with an enchanting voice.
A performer hired to keep guests coming back.
They were wrong.
Very wrong.