For a few seconds, it’s as if we're the only two people in the room. Words fail me. My mind is a thicket of emotions, feelings too intricate and tangled to put into coherent thought. When Karl finally sits back down, a part of me wants to run away, to escape this newfound reality where the lines
Karl As I pull Gianna into the dimly lit study, the atmosphere is filled with a tension that’s been brewing for weeks now, maybe even longer. The door clicks shut behind us, sealing us off from the guests, the judgment, and the murmurs. For a moment, we are suspended in a bubble of silence, and
Her words throw me off. How long has this been going on? How long had Gianna secretly been wishing that Abby wasn’t in the picture? And how many lengths has she attempted to go to in order to ensure that Abby can’t be in the picture? I lean in, my voice tinged with both annoyance and incredulity.
Abby I stand by the long table, the air thick with the scent of gourmet hors d'oeuvres and sparkling wine. Idly, I pick up a tiny pastry, turning it this way and that before setting it back on the plate. As if to steel my nerves and try not to think about what Karl is saying to Gianna in the oth
That’s when I spot it—the door to Karl’s private office, slightly ajar, a sliver of light spilling out into the dim corridor. I push it open, and the sight that greets me is comfortably familiar. Bookshelves lining the walls, a leather armchair, and Karl’s sleek, darkwood desk hosting his laptop.
Abby “Gerald, Abby, would one of you care to explain what's going on?” Karl’s voice is somehow exceedingly calm, juxtaposed against the chaotic energy filling the room. I feel like I’ve just stepped into a scene that I never should have witnessed with my own eyes, like a complete stranger in
The butler loosens his grip, a look of disbelief contorting his face. But before he can leave, Gianna, who's been watching the whole scene unfold like some sort of soap opera, steps in. “Wow, Karl,” she sneers, her lips curling into a contemptuous smile. “So now we’re letting not just cheaters b
Abby At the mention of the email and the rare ingredients, Karl’s face turns pale. Seeing him like this instantly fills me with an odd sense of dread as my mind begins to whirl with unending questions: why did Adam send him that email? Why did Karl give him rare ingredients? When did Karl give h
Abby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby “Abby, why don’t you sit down?” Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that
Abby As I chop, stir, melt, and saute, the others stand around me, watching intently. The pasta simmers on the stove, the air smelling like warm butter and spices. It’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. But my focus isn’t on the rumbling in my belly, nor is it even on the lingering pain in my
As we continue searching, I keep thinking back on our last harrowing hunt for black truffles; those poachers nearly shot us. Even now, I can still remember the sound of the bullets whizzing past my head, and the thuds they made when they careened into trees. “We got really lucky,” I say. “If we ha