Abby I bolt away from the party and up the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest. Tears stream down my cheeks as I fumble to find my room key. I need to get away from that party, away from the chaos, away from Karl’s shocking announcement. Finally, I find the key and jam it into the lock, twisti
Abby I take a few moments to collect myself, wiping away the last of my tears with the back of my hand. I need to understand what’s going on, even if Karl’s sudden announcement still stings like a fresh wound, and even if all of this makes me angrier than I’ve ever been. Finally, I manage to cal
Abby As I watch Karl leave, the door clicking softly shut behind him, I’m left reeling from his proposition. It’s insane; the very thought of the two of us entering into this ridiculous deal should never even cross my mind. And yet, why is it… tempting? With a huff, I turn around and throw m
Abby “May I have this dance?” Karl’s hand is extended to me, his tall form looking down at me. Others around us are staring, even though I know they’re trying not to make it obvious. For a moment, I almost consider turning on my heel and running again, but I know I can’t. “I’m still furious wi
Abby It was a warm spring day, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, casting a soft, pink hue over the entire park. Karl and I had been dating for three months now, and our wedding was fast approaching. Our marriage was arranged, and we were fated mates, but neither of us had uttered thos
Abby The masquerade continues around me as I slip away from Karl to catch my breath. Normally, I would enjoy the music, the food, the laughter, and the drinks. But right now, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. Everything is reminding me of the arrangement I’ve gotten myself involved in, and it doesn
Abby I’m still standing in the hallway, breathless and reeling from what I just heard. I feel as though I somehow managed to be in just the wrong place at the wrong time, and I nearly paid the price for it. Or perhaps it was the right place at the right time, because now I’m standing here with p
Abby Surprisingly, despite the turmoil of the evening, I find myself falling asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow. However, it’s short-lived. Or at least, that’s how it feels; it hardly feels as though I’ve been asleep for more than five minutes when I’m suddenly awoken by the sound
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