The Inevitable

Kaitlyn's nerves were still on edge from the dinner with Estefan's parents the night before. The tension in the Salvatore household had been palpable, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being tested, scrutinized with every word she spoke and every move she made.

As she sat at the vanity in her apartment, brushing her hair, her mind wandered back to the previous evening. Isabella's probing questions, Robert's intense gaze, and the subtle yet unmistakable tension between father and son; it was all flowing in her mind like a storm she couldn’t escape.

Today, however, was different. Estefan had mentioned something about introducing her to a few more family traditions, things she needed to understand before the marriage could proceed. But the details had been vague, and that made her uneasy. What more could she need to know?

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Kaitlyn turned to see Sarah entering the room with a smile, a welcome distraction from her flow of thoughts.