Chapter Thirteen

The evening was quiet as Furina settled onto the couch with a book in hand, trying to unwind after a long day. The townhouse was peaceful, with Tiffany and Lizzy busy in the kitchen, and Tommaso not far off with his usual humor to keep them entertained. For a brief moment, Furina allowed herself to relax, letting the warmth of the cozy room soothe her nerves.

Her phone buzzed, breaking the silence. Glancing at the screen, she saw Diluc’s name flashing. A flutter of nervousness hit her, as it always did when he called. She took a deep breath and answered.

“Hello, Diluc,” she said softly, trying to keep her tone neutral.

“Furina,” Diluc’s voice was calm, yet there was an undercurrent of tension that she had become all too familiar with. “There’s a charity event tomorrow night that we need to attend together. It’s important for appearances.”

Furina’s stomach twisted. Another public event meant more scrutiny, more eyes on her, and more opportunities for things to go wrong. But she knew it