Agnes I stared at the screen, watching the final cut of the video Katy and I had worked so hard on. Thirty seconds. Just thirty seconds to sum up everything we were trying to achieve—balancing fashion and comfort, reaching a broader audience, and making Silvermoon relevant to everyday people again
Katy’s eyes widened. “That’s a big deal.” “I know,” I replied, my voice steady but my insides churning with nerves. “I have to convince them that this isn’t just a social media trend—it’s a shift in how people think about fashion. If I can get them to see that, maybe we can start moving Silvermoon
Agnes “Don’t let it get to you,” Elijah said calmly, handing back my phone. “Time will reveal the truth, Agnes. Just remember—victory belongs to the prepared.” The calmness in his voice loosened some of the tension in my shoulders. The online backlash, the disapproving looks, the whisper
Elijah I didn’t have to look to know who it was—Olivia, her tone lined with that unique mix of malice and sweetness she’d perfected over the years. As I turned, I saw her standing there, arm linked with a tall, broad figure beside her. It was Noah, Alpha of the Blackridge pack. Seeing him in o
Agnes The casino lights pulsed around me, an endless blur of color and sound, but all I could focus on was the knot of tension coiled in my chest. My encounter with Olivia and Noah left me feeling trapped, an unwilling player caught in the crossfire of their games. I glanced at Elijah, leaning c
Agnes Even by the time we returned to the hotel room later, I could still feel the buzz of adrenaline coursing through me. I had won. Somehow, I had won against Olivia in front of a crowd of onlookers. The thought left a strangely bittersweet taste in my mouth. Although it was mostly sweet, if I w
I opened my mouth to argue, but Thea had already flopped onto the sofa, giggling. “This is comfy! I wanna sleep here!” Elijah smirked, clearly amused. “Looks like the decision’s been made.” I shot him a look, but his gaze was as steady and unbothered as ever. “Fine,” I muttered, grabbing my paja
Agnes The morning light streamed through the curtains, casting golden stripes across the hotel room floor. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the haze of sleep, but a faint noise drew my attention. Snoring. I turned my head toward the source of the noise, which was near the couch, and there h
Elijah, noticing the tension leaving my shoulders, offered me a soft smile. “And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t sexy as hell when you get like that.”I blushed and looked away. “Stop it…”“But I mean it,” he murmured, his voice growing husky as he leaned closer to me. His lips brushed mine ever so
AgnesElijah gently pulled me out of the banquet hall before I could say another word.We reached the nearest bathroom—a small powder room off the main hallway—and Elijah ushered me inside, locking the door behind us. Without a word, he turned on the faucet and soaked a washcloth in cold water.“Her
My hand tightened around my wine glass, and I felt a flicker of heat race through my veins, which I quickly pushed down with a big gulp of wine. It wasn’t enough, though. “Water, please,” I said abruptly to the bartender. “Extra ice.”The bartender nodded and handed me my glass. I chugged half of it
Agnes“Hold still,” I muttered around the pins that were pinched between my lips. “I’m almost done.”“But it tickles,” Thea whined.I sighed, sitting back on my heels to survey my work. The pink dress had turned out even better than I’d imagined—the fabric caught the light just so, and the purple em
Thea was already back from day camp when I arrived, sprawled on the living room floor with a coloring book and a horde of new crayons—which we’d certainly be finding under the couch for years to come. She looked up as I entered.“Mommy!” She jumped up and ran to hug me. “How was work?”“It was good,
AgnesI straightened my blouse one last time before pushing open the glass door to the design department. It had been almost a month since I’d last set foot in the office—first because of the fire, then because of everything with Thea and the house rebuild.I wasn’t nervous, exactly, but there was a
“Thank you.” I took a sip, letting the rich flavor roll over my tongue. “For everything. Not just the wine.”He smiled. “You don’t need to thank me, Agnes. None of this would have happened without you.”“That’s not true. You’re the one who went to see Olivia. You’re the one who believed her crazy st
Agnes“Your eyes are drooping, kiddo.”“Are not!” Thea insisted, even as her eyelids fluttered shut for a moment as she said that. “I’m just… blinking.”I snorted and shut the picture book I was reading. “Those are some awfully long blinks, Thea. Your new room will still be here when you wake up in
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the house together. Thea insisted on opening every drawer, looking into every closet, and testing every light switch. Elijah and I couldn’t help but join her in this endeavour.The builders really had outdone themselves, and my mind was already racing wit