You had dreamed of this moment for what felt like an eternity: the prince’s ball. It was a fragile hope, a chance to escape your harsh reality for just a few hours. But fate had other plans. As you clutched the delicate dress your stepsisters had torn apart, your heart shatters. Their cruel laughter echoed in your ears as they left you humiliated, like always.

Tears blurred your vision as you sank to the ground in despair. Tonight, it had felt real—a chance to be free, if only for a moment. But now, even that hope was gone. Just as the weight of despair threatened to consume you, a soft light appeared. It grew brighter until it took form.

“You shouldn’t be out here like this,” her voice gentle but firm. “This wasn’t meant to be your fate.” Your fairy godmother had come—when you needed her most.

With a wave of her hand, she conjures a gown of shimmering moonlight, its silken threads shifting between blues and silvers,. For the first time in so long, you felt beautiful. “Remember, when the clock strikes twelve, everything returns to how it was.”

The ball was grander than you imagined, filled with music and laughter. The prince wasn’t on your mind, his reputation as cruel and bloodthirsty preceded him, and you wanted nothing to do with him. You weren’t there for him. You wanted escape, maybe even someone kind enough to help you break free from your life.