I had prepared for bed and was almost asleep when my phone rang. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound. “Hello?” I answered groggily. “Hello, Crystal? It’s Noah. Did I wake you?” “Only a little.” “I’m so sorry. I can call back later—” I chuckled. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Just tell me
“I don’t know how you can help,” I said as I looked back at my dead car. “There’s no repair shop in town. I’m not sure if there’s even a tow truck.” “Well, lucky for you, I happen to know a thing or two about cars.” Andrew climbed out of his Aston Martin and popped the trunk. “I also take a full t
I shivered as darkness closed in around us. Snow fell down softly, making me wish I had worn a heavier coat. I silently cursed my Honda Civic for still not starting. I watched check the coolant levels by the combined light of his flashlight and the headlights of his Aston Martin. With him bending
“It all looks divine,” Andrew said as he picked up his glass of red wine. “I assume you cooked it all yourself, Eliza?” “Oh, I had a little help from Nikolas. He loves to mash the yams.” She took Nikolas’s hand and kissed the knuckles. The gesture, though small, warmed my heart. “Thank the god
I avoided Eliza and Nikolas when I returned to Eliza’s house, alone, and rushed up to the bedroom that Eliza had given me. I stayed there the rest of the night, except when I needed to use the restroom, and pretended to be too tired to come back out. I didn’t want to take the risk of running into An
I was silent for the rest of breakfast. If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything. I thought that I saw Andrew glancing over at me a few times, but I couldn’t be sure. After breakfast, Eliza asked Andrew and me to take Donner on a walk. Andrew said “yes” immediately, but I hesitated. With Donner
We picked up Donner and left him at the house with Eliza before taking Nikolas to the hospital. The hospital was in the next town over, so it was quicker than waiting for an ambulance and cheaper, too. When we got to the hospital, the doctors rushed Nikolas off to the ICU, and we were left to fill
“What are you two doing here?” Pete demanded of Eliza and me. “We’re your father’s guests,” I said, tilting my chin up at him. “What are you doing here?” He sneered at me. “He’s my father. I came to check in on the old fart.” I looked over him quickly, trying to assess the state he was in. H
That night, long after the last of the guests had left for their rooms, Andrew and I returned to the presidential suite to find that the staff had decorated it in preparation for our stay. All the décor, right down to the bed sheets, had been switched out for matching red and gold pieces. The light
Andrew’s eyes met mine as I approached the altar. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. He looked so handsome in his classic black tuxedo that I could hardly wait for after the reception to be with him. As I took my place across from Andrew, I handed my bouquet to Lily. The priestess bega
One month later, I stood in a suite at a private beachside resort, admiring my wedding dress. It hugged my curves in all the right places while still gently brushing against the ground like a low-hanging cloud. Crystals glistened in the room’s fluorescent lights, and the train flowed behind me effor
“Let’s continue this in the bedroom,” I said, breathless. Andrew nodded his agreement. I pulled Andrew to his feet as he stuck the ring box back in his pocket. Then I dragged him back to the bedroom, leading him by the tie. Not that he needed to be dragged; he would have followed me anywhere by th
Andrew texted me and said his flight was delayed by a few errands he had to run, so I waited. And waited. I waited for an entire day, and even began to worry that Andrew had changed his mind. Then I heard a knock at my door. I leapt off the couch and rushed to answer it. Stopping just short of the
Noah left the next day. I took him to the airport, we exchanged a hug and a brief farewell, and then I watched him walk through the gate. That was the last time I ever saw him. With a heavy heart, I returned to an empty apartment. All our furniture and my belongings—what little I still had—were the
Sensing the urgency in Noah’s voice, I leaned in closer. “What is it?” I asked, trying to suppress the anticipation in my voice. Noah’s grip on my hands tightened. “I’m going to study financial law in the human world.” I froze. My heart thumped hard against my ribs, so hard that I thought th
The nightmares did not stop. In fact, they got worse. By the end of that week, I was having at least one every night, and it was showing in behavior during the day. I could scarcely stay awake. At my new branch of Ever After Weddings, I had to sneak off into the breakroom whenever there were no cu
I dreamt of the Lunar Festival. Noah and I walked hand-in-hand through the stalls, enjoying the sparkling lights and the company of our new pack mates. Yet something was off. I could feel a chill in the air, a foreboding that I could not quite shake off. “We should get out of here,” I said, tryi