Nina “I can’t lie to you any longer. I’ll tell you everything, Nina.” As Enzo spoke, I felt a combination of dread and relief take over me. I didn’t want to believe that my husband might have cheated on me, but the signs all pointed to it. And yet, something told me to hear him out, because
Enzo The night air was slightly chilly as I stepped outside, a welcome reprieve after the stuffiness of the bedroom. As I made my way toward the sprawling gardens that lined the surrounding area, Nina’s words echoed in my mind. “This is not your burden to bear,” she had said. “You don’t h
Nina My eyes fluttered open in the dimly lit room as I heard the soft creaking of the bedroom door. A sliver of moonlight spilled in, revealing Enzo’s silhouette as he quietly made his way back into bed. He moved slowly and cautiously, clearly not wanting to wake me up, but I was already awake.
Nina The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the bedroom. I blinked my eyes open, feeling the familiar weight of Enzo’s arms wrapped around me. His breath was slow and steady against the back of my neck, a comforting presence that never failed to soothe me.
Nina After I had some tea and toast for breakfast, Enzo was busy with preparing for his upcoming phone calls and my mother was nowhere to be found, so I decided to take a walk around the mansion grounds in search of the perfect stone or flower for the upcoming Moon Goddess Festival. As I headed
Nina As Tyler and I sat in the kitchen indulging in some ice cream and swapping horrible ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend stories, I finally caught sight of my mother for the first time all day. Her hair was a bit frazzled as she carried a box in her arms, and I could tell just from looking at her t
As I started helping, my mother introduced me to some of the servants, who were diligently working to make everything perfect for the festival. One of them, in particular, caught my attention. “Nina, this is Polly,” my mother said, gesturing to a young woman with a friendly smile. “She started wor
Enzo I paced back and forth in our bedroom, my thoughts a jumbled mess. The weight of the phone in my hand felt heavier with each passing moment. I had rehearsed the conversation with Tim a dozen times in my head, but every version seemed inadequate. “What do you want, Enzo?” I muttered to mysel
Nina The warm summer breeze brushed across my skin as I stood on the patio, clutching my robe tightly around my body. Laughter and splashes echoed up from the pool below, where our friends were already gathered for our big end-of-summer party. I should have been down there too, soaking up the ve
“What... what do you mean?” He braced his hands on the doorframe, leaning in closer with a heavy sigh. “I mean, by the time I caught up to them this morning, I only saw them long enough to get that photo before they were boarding a speedboat and taking off. Hell, I’m still not even totally sure wh
Nina My breath caught in my throat as I pulled open the front door expecting to see excited party guests, only to be immediately met with the sight of Luke’s grim expression. His brow was furrowed in a deep frown, his lips pressed into a tight line—clear signs that something was very wrong. “Luk
Nina I huffed out a breath as I hoisted the oversized cardboard box higher in my arms, carefully navigating my way through the living room. Strings of fairy lights poked out haphazardly from the top, and I could feel the weight of glass jars and other assorted decor inside shifting precariously wi
Then, at the last possible second, the scout seemed to find an extra burst of speed. He surged forward, hurtling between two towering oak trees and vanishing into the cover of the forest beyond. “Dammit!” I slammed my palms against the rough bark of the nearest trunk, powerless to do anything but
Enzo The crunch of leaves and snap of twigs echoed through the trees as Matt and I tore after the Schreiber scout. Our breaths came in ragged gasps, the hot summer air burning our lungs. Overhead, a little red bird chirped and flitted through the green canopy of trees; Daphne. But even she wasn’
Shaking my head, I turned without another word and stormed out of the fitting room. I took the two strides across the hall to Jessica’s fitting room and knocked on the door, folding my arms across my chest. “Jess? You in there?” There was a muffled thump in the fitting room, followed by the soun
Nina “How’s it looking in there?” I called out, rapping lightly on the wooden door of Jessica’s fitting room. “Um… decent, I guess?” her muffled voice floated back a moment later, although I could sense the uncertainty in her tone. “Decent? That’s it? Come on, Jess, this is your wedding gown w
Had I really known him at all, I wondered? Or had I merely been too self-absorbed and naive to see past the facade of unshakable command he projected? After a long silence, I found my voice. “Why didn’t he ever tell me that?” “He didn’t want you to see his weakness, I suppose,” Angelica replied