BENTLEY'S POVEnzo couldn't contain his amusement as he watched me squirm in my seat, a teasing grin plastered on his face. "Well, well, well," he chuckled, his voice tinged with mirth. "Looks like I've stumbled upon a real-life soap opera."I shot him a glare, my cheeks still burning with embarrassment from the unexpected kiss. "Don't even start," I muttered, my voice laced with irritation.But before Enzo could reply, my phone rang, cutting through the tension like a knife. I glanced down at the caller ID and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach—it was my parents.Taking a deep breath, I answered the call, steeling myself for the inevitable barrage of criticism and disapproval that was sure to follow. "Hello?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside me."Bentley," my mother's voice crackled through the line, her tone icy and disapproving. "Your father and I expect you to be at the family dinner this evening. And bring that... bodyguard of
BENTLEY'S POVLuca arched an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "I don't think that's such a good idea," he replied, his tone cautious.But I wasn't about to take no for an answer. Leaning in close, I whispered in his ear, my voice barely above a whisper. "Remember our deal? You promised to act the part of the perfect boyfriend, remember?"A flicker of amusement danced in Luca's eyes as he regarded me, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "How could I forget?" he murmured, his tone teasing.I shot him a pleading look, silently urging him to comply with my request. "Please, Luca," I implored, my voice tinged with desperation. "I can't face my parents alone."For a moment, Luca seemed to consider my words, his expression unreadable. But then, with a resigned sigh, he nodded in acquiescence. "Fine," he relented, his tone resigned. "But don't blame me if things go south."I grinned, relief flooding through me at Luca's agreement. "Trust me, Luca," I replied, a mischievous
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