an's

expected to find when I

m tomorrow's

t. Another message from my mother rem

ng in my bed. Even now, standing in the middle of my

my phone as if she'd seen a ghost. The

know

ly. Carefully. As though she

omach. "How do you kno

lowed. "She's

Absolut

me how to control my reactions. But for a moment, I forgot how. Of a

's best friend. The universe clearly had a twis

ps gettin

er. "Trust me, that's exa

almost immediately. Because suddenly, the situation wasn'

ected to my

The words fel

tailored for

hoto displayed on my phone. Chloe

ily certainly wanted me to marry. Yet standing here, looking at h

osity. I turned away from

s your

ian

e. Unfortunately, because forgetting her wou

ian

e mug. Holding it like a shield. As though she wasn't sure whether I

her to leave the mom

versation with her. That al

hroat. "I should go.

moved. The silence stretched. A strange tension settled between us. Not awkward

way first. "I r

id that th

broke into

did

ractically escorted me here." "Then t

sound hit me harder than it shoul

in days. My chest tightened unexpectedly. Dangerous. Very dangerou

ion interrupte

he screen. Mother. Of co

gain immediately

orta

N

want to discuss tonight, it was my family. Or my engagement. Or the

ater. Tomorrow. Noon. Don't

text. Then loc

ion softened. "E

ay. I had spent years building an empire. Year

't things I discussed with strangers. Especially beautiful strangers. Es

m f

d convincing.

ooked un

thing, a loud knock echo

. Then another. Im

it was. My jaw ti

ticed. "W

er. The knock

liar female voice shouted fro

Open th

igid. Because that voice belon

ely wasn't supp