Abby The morning sun warms my tired body as I step out of my apartment. Chloe and Leah are waiting outside so we can all walk to work together, leaning against the wrought iron fence outside my apartment. “There’s the star chef,” Chloe says, pushing away from the fence as I approach. She’s weari
Abby I’m still clutching my phone so tightly that my knuckles are probably turning white. I’m standing in the middle of the cold storeroom, my hands shaking slightly as I wait for Mr. Thompson’s verdict. “I’ve called to inform you of the results from last night,” he says. “First of all, I hope y
After all, our paths have diverged, and it’s time for both of us to move on. Mr. Thompson’s voice brings me back to the present. “Well then,” he continues, “I’ll be looking forward to your interview tomorrow. I’ll email you the details as soon as we’re done here.” I can’t help but smile. “Thank
Karl “You’ve been staring at those profiles I gave you for hours, Karl,” Marcus says, his eyes flickering over to me from where he sits across my desk. “What’s on your mind?” I run a hand through my hair, feeling deflated after the hectic morning. “It’s just... None of them feel right, Marcus. T
But people are staring, and I feel like I’m making a fool of myself. So after a few pictures, I hand the phone back and step away. “There you go.” Meg takes a look at the photos I’ve taken and frowns. “Karl, these are terrible! I can’t post any of these. They make me look fat. Try again.” I’m
Abby I walk into the TV studio, my heart pounding with excitement and nervous energy. This is it, the day of my interview, and I’m determined to make the most of it. As I step inside, I’m greeted by a flurry of activity. People are rushing around, setting up cameras, adjusting lights, and making
Abby The interview comes to an end, and I let out a sigh of relief, feeling a mix of emotions. It went well, and I managed to stay true to myself. Mr. Thompson approaches me with a warm smile. “Abby, you did great out there,” he says. “Your kind words and forgiveness towards Daniel were truly co
Karl Shana and I are strolling through the paths of the local botanical garden. It’s a nice, sunny day, the perfect day for a second date. Figuring that it was best if we got to know each other a little more before the Alpha gathering, I decided to invite Shana out for a couple of hours. But as
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