BENTLEY'S POVI opened my mouth to retort, but before I could come up with a witty comeback, Luca spoke up, his voice dry as ever. "Perhaps we should focus on the task at hand," he suggested, his tone serious despite the playful banter. "We have a dinner to attend, after all."Enzo grinned, clearly amused by Luca's stoic demeanor. "Right you are, Luca," he replied, clapping him on the back. "But you two better watch out—you're starting to look like a couple that's madly in love."I felt my cheeks grow even hotter at Enzo's teasing, but I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Oh, please," I scoffed, shaking my head. "The only thing we're madly in love with is sarcasm."Luca nodded in agreement, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "And caffeine," he added, his eyes twinkling with amusement.As we finished our coffee, I turned to Luca with a determined look. "Alright, Luca, first stop: the boutique," I announced, already mentally planning our outfits for
BENTLEY'S POVI couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, the tension from earlier melting away in the face of the city's relentless energy. "Well, this is certainly one way to beat the pre-dinner jitters," I remarked, shooting Luca a wry grin.Luca nodded in agreement, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Who needs caffeine when you have rush hour traffic?" he quipped, his tone dry.As we continued our journey to the boutique, we couldn't resist the urge to engage in some friendly banter, much to the amusement of our cabbie."Luca, do you think we should get matching outfits for the dinner tonight?" I teased, unable to resist the opportunity to poke fun at our unconventional situation.Luca arched an eyebrow, his expression deadpan. "I think I'll pass on the matching outfits, thanks," he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.I laughed, shaking my head at his response. "Suit yourself," I quipped, shooting him a playful grin.As we pulled up to the boutique, our cabbi
BENTLEY'S POVThe manager nodded eagerly, practically tripping over himself in his haste to assist us. "Of course, of course, right this way," he gushed, leading us towards the racks of clothing with an almost reverent air.As we perused the racks, I couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction at the way the staff catered to our every whim, fetching dresses and suits with lightning speed and offering helpful suggestions at every turn."Perhaps this would be to your liking, Miss Bentley," one of the saleswomen chirped, holding up a stunning gown that shimmered in the light.I couldn't help but gasp in delight at the sight of the dress, already envisioning myself wearing it to the dinner. "Oh, it's perfect!" I exclaimed, unable to contain my excitement.Beside me, Luca nodded in agreement, his expression impassive as ever. "It suits you," he remarked, his voice tinged with approval."We have the perfect selections for you both."As Luca and I perused the racks of designer outfits, th
BENTLEY'S POVThe store manager approached us, with eyes shining with approval. "Mr. Luca, you look absolutely dashing," she exclaimed, her tone reverent. "That suit was made for you."Luca nodded graciously, his expression betraying a hint of satisfaction. "Thank you," he replied, his voice tinged with modesty. "Excuse me," I said, turning to the store manager with a smile. "Do you happen to have a leather jacket and trousers? I think it would really complete my look for the dinner."The store manager's face fell, disappointment evident in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ms. Bentley, but we don't carry leather jackets and trousers," she replied apologetically. "We specialize in formal attire for upscale events."I couldn't help but pout at the news, feeling a twinge of disappointment. "Oh, that's a shame," I muttered, mentally rifling through my wardrobe for an alternative.But before I could dwell on it further, Luca stepped in with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Bentley, if you don't buy
ACCALIA'S POV"Hey," I said softly and I sat beside him on the bench. "You look miles away. What's going on?"He shook his head, "I can't get any reception. I was trying to call Luca, to... I don't know, hear a familiar voice, maybe get some advice. And then it hit me, Accalia. Who would want us dead? This wasn't an accident. Someone planted that bomb. But why?"I took his hand and I ensured that my grip was firm and reassuring. "We'll figure this out. Together, okay? We're alive, and that's what matters right now. We've been through a lot, but we're not going to let this break us. Whoever did this, they wanted to scare us, isolate us, make us feel powerless. But look at us," I gestured around, "we're here, we're safe, and we're not alone. We have each other."I hoped that my words would stand as a strength he desperately needed, and I hoped that it would wash over him, grounding him back to the moment, to the reality that despite the trouble, we would figure everything out eventually
BENTLEY'S POVI made my way to the front door cautiously, not trusting anyone anymore. "Hello?", I called out. As my heart began to pound in my chest in anticipation, I opened the door slowly. I prepared myself for possible violence. No one was there. No bandits either. But I was still worried, I had to admit that.my eyes flitting across the empty street before finally settling on Kito, whose face lit up at the sight of me. "Hey!" I smiled at his enthusiasm, but I still looked around warily to make sure that we weren't in danger."Are you both ready to meet the village chief?"Kito asked as he used his eyes to search for Don inside the house.I glanced over at Don and he returned my gaze. My stomach dropped when I caught the look in his eyes. Fear. It was all too much and for once I realized that I was afraid. Afraid of what? Of meeting another villager? Of becoming a stranger in this strange place? Of getting attacked while on meeting the village chief?Don walked to the door where
ACCALIA'S POVAfter about 15 minutes of riding, the scenery began to change and the surroundings became even greener as if nature itself welcomed us home. The roads were wide and winding, and the buildings were old looking, with white wooden shutters hanging crookedly from windows.They resembled pictures I'd read about in books, like the stories my mother told me when I was little about fairy tales and magical places. The streets weren't nearly as crowded as in cities, but they were lovely nonetheless as families were walking around chatting.The road became bumpy and the trees that lined the road grew taller and longer, creating a canopy over the road. Birds chirped happily in the bushes lining the roadside and a gentle breeze passed us by sending goosebumps along my arms. It was like we had entered another world entirely.The sky became cloudier as well , and the sun sank low in the horizon, casting an orange tint across the sky. It felt like a part of me was missing, like the sun
ACCALIA'S POV"I guess I'll have to learn to appreciate all of this when I am older," the chief chuckled and looked at Don with understanding. "Do you want me to teach you a bit about the things you've missed out on, dear? I can make sure you're ready for whatever comes your way in the future.""That would be great." Don responded kindly."Alrighty then, let's begin." chief Orel exclaimed, his eyes shining brightly as he clapped his hands in excitement. "First of all, we need to talk about your marriage and children. What do you plan on doing about that?""I haven't really thought about it..yet."The chief nodded his head and glanced over at me with an encouraging smile before turning his attention back to Don, who was looking rather excited. He leaned forward so that his elbows rested on his knees and his chin was resting against his interlocked fingers. "No plans for the little ones?""I...don't understand."The chief raised his eyebrows at Don and laughed again. "Of course. I don