AgnesI stood frozen in the doorway, suddenly feeling like Thea and I were on display.The silence in the room was deafening, and I immediately glanced down at our matching princess outfits. What had seemed cute and fun at home now felt painfully out of place once I saw the other low-key outfits tha
One of the organizers approached us then, signaling that it was almost time to begin. Evelyn and I made our way backstage, where the mothers and daughters were being lined up in their walking order. Thea was practicing waving her wand for the big turn at the end of the runway when I found her.“I’m
AgnesThe following day, I entered the design department bright and early with my presentation prepared. The rest of the department was gathered around the table, holding cups of coffee and blinking away the remnants of sleep.I, however, had hardly slept last night at all, and somehow I hardly even
The podcast host scoffed. “And is it true that she’s not even inviting Olivia to model the outfit with Thea? I heard rumors that she invited other Lunas to model with their daughters, but Olivia is being conveniently left out.”“Typical,” the model sighed into the microphone. “The very least she cou
AgnesElijah whisked us down the street before the mob could follow us. I felt a wave of relief wash over me now that he was here, but I could still feel the angry eyes on me even after we turned the corner.Up ahead, Elijah’s car was parked on the side of the street. “I was just leaving work,” he s
He shrugged. “I think you can do it if you just put your mind to it.”I looked up at him, at the way his eyes held mine, and felt something soften inside of me. “Alright,” I said, my shoulders slumping slightly. “I’ll give it a shot.”Elijah’s mouth tugged upwards. “Good. This’ll all blow over soon,
AgnesOnce I got home, I slammed the front door behind me and leaned against the wood. The tears were still flowing freely down my cheeks, and I couldn’t seem to stop them no matter how hard I tried. Covering my mouth, I slid down until I was sitting on the floor, pulling my knees up to my chest.“A
And for a moment, I almost did. My mind wandered back to the day I’d slapped my stepmother in this very room, when Elijah had kissed me against this very door. I could practically taste his lips even now. I wanted to taste them again, just for a moment.Slowly, I began to lean toward him, as if draw
But what if he’d known Olivia would follow me? What if he’d sent me as a decoy, knowing Olivia would copy whatever I chose?I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel, trying to make sense of it all. I needed to talk to Elijah. He would explain everything, clear up this misunderstanding, and w
AgnesMy stomach dropped as I stared at the photo on my screen.“Can’t wait to wear my new pieces for the big day… With a dress to match!”I read the caption three times, each word digging into my skin like tiny daggers. How did she get the same jewelry? Had she been watching us at the store yesterd
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