in a barely contained squeal, squeezing

ly glanced a

going to s

to say?" Her voice wa

nd I'm nervous!" A shiver ran through her as if to pr

"You're not going to war, Anna. Yo

enough to understand that just because she se

iddy. "There's this weird feeling

seen him lately? He's taller

er, holding for five second

again, refocusing

ould! I bet he'll stir something wit

t her a dea

nned. "Yes, h

ed the urge to

ad se

thing

single

t sure wh

rip tighten when the two families came into view, their

Giselle muttered under her b

here!" Kather

, and suddenly, al

ders s

reeted first. "Good evening, Mr. and Mr

ed the long table, se

sn't

t in a blink, she mas

o see you too," Mrs. M

ast saw you. You were what, ten?" He turned towa

. Morgan." Giselle's voice

sity sparking in her elegant feature

le Win

ice to meet y

pa

ifted. "She's your adopte

smoothly. "She's the daughte

Mrs. Morgan's face.

ad ones

m Gizelle's lips w

settled ov

silent reassurance-even though they both

n 4 years,

early unsettled by Gise

ence st

e through it. "Come,

ed swiftly, pul

e atmosphere, hurried to sit

own pace, only then noti

-something unreadable, we

w what

mo

r earlier

gnore

nna, she let her posture

tion!" Mr. Morgan suddenly

Giselle caught Anna whispe

tickled at

knew her

nion of our families," M

eer

the hall, laughter sp

her glass with

aned in, her breath war

iling a

n clearly rea

et her ga

"You know how t

the memory. Holding back her laughter, s

covered her mouth,

te of their exchange, a smile curling

red before Giselle cou

ends before Fathe

urned sisters." Mrs. Morgan laugh

nt they could talk," Katherine said fondly, casti

out your partnership with the Winters, but we never re

an

cut through th

eads

r fork resting on the tabl

swept over the table, th

voice as sm

ry. It s

be

her napkin asi

m d

was quiet

smooth and unhurried. Her departure carved a strange silence through t

between following he

ntly, though the wrinkle between

shut softly behind her. The noise of clinking gla

atter of the fork still echoed in her mind-not because she cared, but becaus

cast a long, unpredictable glance at

she was unaware of t

nmoving. Her forehead collided against what felt like stone. She hissed under her breath, stumbling slightly, and ba

diately-warm, woodsy, laced with somet

't just

as a

miliar face, expression unreadable but those eyes...

ce Mo

cou