AgnesI tucked Thea into bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. She clutched her favorite stuffed rabbit to her chest as I settled on the bed beside her.“Mommy, can you read me a story?” she asked.“Of course, sweetheart,” I replied, reaching for the well-worn book of fairy tales that was sitting on the nightstand. Flipping through the pages, I found one of her favorites—a story of a brave princess and a kind prince who overcome all odds to be together.As I began to read, Thea listened intently, her little fingers tracing the illustrations. When I reached the part where the prince rescued the princess from the tower, she sighed dreamily.“Do you think they’ll get married and live happily ever after?” she asked, tilting her head back to look up at me.I smiled softly. “Well, that’s how the story goes, isn’t it?”She nodded, then thought for a moment, tapping her chin. “Will you and Daddy get married like them?” she suddenly asked.My heart skipped a beat at the sudden reminder. She
Once I was certain she was fast asleep, I got up and set the book aside. Pressing a soft kiss to her temple, I whispered, “Sweet dreams, my little one.”Leaving her room, I headed back to my own, where the daunting binder Elijah had given me lay open on the desk. Fifty more pages of names, faces, and alliances stared back at me. We had made great progress today, but there was still so much left to learn, and I had to make sure that my memory was perfect by the time the gala came up.I wouldn’t be sleeping much anyway tonight, I figured. So, with a sigh, I settled into the chair and resumed my work.Hours passed as I tried to commit the details to memory. My eyes grew bleary, the names, faces, and information on the page starting to swim before me. Hours passed, and still I didn’t make much progress.Rubbing my temples, I realized I needed a break. My throat was dry, and the clock read half past midnight. Grabbing my empty glass, I decided to get some more water.The house was blissful
He studied me for a moment. “You have nothing to apologize for.”“I feel like I overstepped,” I insisted. “Especially knowing that you have a mate.”He sighed softly. “Agnes, the situation with Olivia is... complicated. But that doesn’t excuse my actions, either.”I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. “I just don’t want to cause any trouble.”He took a step closer. “You’re not causing trouble. If anything, I’ve been the one making things difficult for you.”I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were steady, fixed on me like I was the only thing in the world. Unbidden, memories of last night’s kiss flitted back through my mind. But I quickly looked away, not wanting to make the same mistake twice.Because that mark was still on prominent display on his neck, and there was no ignoring it.“Well, um…” I swallowed hard, feeling awkward beneath his gaze. “Thank you for the apology. But maybe we should keep things professional from now on. For Thea’s sake.”He nodded slowly. “Perhap
AgnesI was jolted awake by the sound of my bedroom door swinging open. Squinting against the early morning light, I saw a group of maids bustling into the room, their arms filled with piles of fabric, brushes, and all sorts of random beauty tools.“Good morning, Luna Agnes,” one of them chirped, se
“Hmm,” Rosa mused. “Not terrible, but not acceptable either. Back straight, eyes forward. Again.”I repeated the motion, focusing on her instructions.“Better. Now, let’s practice addressing a gentleman.”Elijah stepped forward. “Good morning, Agnes.”“Good morning, Elijah,” I said, trying to mainta
AgnesI wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting golden rays across the ballroom floor. We had been at this for hours, and still, the feather kept fluttering to the ground like a mocking little bird.“Again,” Rosa commanded sharply, tapping her foot impatien
“Impressive,” he commented as I executed a particularly tricky turn.“Don’t sound so surprised,” I replied lightly.“Not surprised, just... delighted.”My heart fluttered at his words, but I focused on the rhythm, allowing myself to be fully present in the moment. The fabric of his shirt brushed aga
AgnesThe next morning dawned bright and clear, and I found myself once again heading toward the parlor for another etiquette lesson with Rosa. Elijah was busy today, so he wouldn’t be attending. I was a bit relieved not to have to interact with him, but I did wonder what Rosa had in store for me.A
AgnesThe scent of garlic and tomatoes greeted us as we stepped inside the house later that evening. Elijah was already at the stove, stirring a pot of what smelled like spaghetti sauce with the white sleeves of his button-down rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms. He looked up as
“Thea, sweetheart… We’ve talked about this before. I would love nothing more than to be your biological mother. But…” I swallowed hard. “I’ve already had you tested. You’re not my biological daughter, no matter how much I want you to be.”Her face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “But wh
AgnesThe following morning, I stood in the design department’s fabric storeroom, surrounded by endless bolts of luxurious materials. How long had I been in here? Minutes? Hours?The sketches for my new dress were complete, and the patterns were cut, but I still couldn’t decide on a color. After the
When we came together, it was like a dam breaking—intense, overwhelming, leaving me trembling in his arms. My chest heaved as I caught my breath, and Elijah held me close, his lips pressing soft kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, my lips.His touch was gentle now, a stark contrast to the ferocity of
AgnesI followed Elijah up the stairs, our fingers intertwined and our footsteps soft and quiet. The house was silent around us, save for the faint creak of the steps and the distant hum of crickets beyond the windows.But then there was my heart, pounding so hard against my ribs I thought for sure
“I’m glad,” he said softly. “You both needed something good after yesterday.”I leaned against the island, thinking about the sweet evening with Thea. “She called me her hero, you know. For coming to save her.”Elijah smiled. “Well, you were.”I shook my head. “I don’t feel like one after that incid
AgnesI rushed toward Elijah, my heart hammering in my chest. Even in the dim light of the entryway, his black eye was startlingly obvious—a dark, angry bruise circling the socket. He was slumped against the door, looking exhausted, but he straightened when he saw me, grimacing slightly from the eff
“Just like yours,” she said happily.“Just like mine.”Next came hair braiding. Thea sat on the floor between my knees as I gently worked through the tangles of her dark hair, separating strands for a French braid. My fingers moved automatically, muscle memory from years of doing my own hair. I humm
AgnesI pulled into the driveway around seven, exhausted after a long day of sewing, designing, and avoiding Maria’s knowing glances.The bathroom incident with Elijah had been the talk of the design department by lunchtime—whispers and stifled giggles following me throughout the afternoon. I’d buri