looked nothing

vast estate stretched endlessly, a postcard-perfect vision of manicured gardens, stone pathways, and fountains that glistened

just stood there

s her l

ned away from the window a

jacket. Her hair, long and pin-straight, fell past her shoulders-a deliberate choice. She wan

t downstairs, the hous

ted her with a polite smile

en

arly for work. Enjoy your first

ess

aside, pretending she didn't fe

is, hadn't she? The

reshly baked cornetti, fruit preserves, prosciutto, and a steaming cup of espre

irst bite when footsteps

omach

a stride into the room, dressed in

"I thought yo

past her to the coffee machine, poured himself an

taking you to scho

rowned.

m going in the same dire

pa

an actual response, he took a slow sip

fork halfway to her mo

r a peacef

took h

n't in

e mood to sit in

tapped lazily at the rim of the cup, and even scrolled through her phone a litt

ay outside, she wasn't surprised to find Luca already i

ng when she slid int

look

nowledge h

's how he wan

't know you were so excited to drive m

le

ression remained impassive, his gaze

how you always are in th

e volume knob and t

hut her

essage

music. The tension in the car was heavy, stretching betwe

was already reaching for the door handle-when s

and f

ly against the back of her seat. He wasn't touching he

, her breath hi

o her ear. His voice was quiet, low, and s

he murmured. "A minute late, and you'll be atte

eyes w

range mix of anger and-something else-thrumming under her s

," he sa

swal

grabbed her bag and stepped out,

she could even turn around, the car

haled, b

a peaceful

ahead-grand, pristine, and foreign in every way. The sound of fast-paced Italian conversation

ever, st

she carried herself, the way her presence seemed t

forward, scanning the hallway si

n she bumped

ggered back slightly

said quickly, s

, confident look-studied her for a moment be

h, just moved here

u belong on a Vogue cover,

a compliment or just an obse

introduced herself, flippin

a Bra

n," Aria smirked. "Need h

ious?" El

nful

s Aria led her d

--

ockers were right

be besties," Aria joked

s she placed h

expected, so they walked to their firs

na already felt a

ria glanced over her shoulder. "Hey,

tated. "Ar

rop-dead gorgeous, and you're n

ed. "Okay, i

where three guys and one

grabbing a seat. "Meet Ele

her, their expressions shifting from

"And don't s

him-grinned and draped an arm over Aria's shoulder. "So

d an eyebro

her eyes. "Tomasa exaggerates. But

rward with interest. "Trevor," he intr

ly," Elen

d dramatical

remained quiet, sim

gaze linger a s

ging him. "He doesn't talk muc

d yet, you're stil

lled he

on back to Elena. "Welco

mething in his tone made her feel

odded.

lessly-banter, teasing, a bit

u staying?" Trevo

er husband's famil

's your

andro

le

ly choked o

o react. "Wait-Buste

ed slowly.

histling. "Damn. Did

nely shocked. "So y

yeah," Elena s

g under the same roof as the guy

. If only they knew the ice-cold

est, is he as untouchabl

hesi

l them Luca barely ackn

gged. "He's not as int

oaned in dis

fun," Tomas

miled. If on

bject, "we heard your family

dro thought it would be a go

ked. "So...

ed. "I don't

uster mansion, it's automatically

or most of the conversation

be seeing mor

something unreadab

Gues

er life had just taken

ena's laughter faded. She had been chatting with Aria and Emilia, feeli

ze flicked to t

:

omach

er bag and rushed toward the exit,

lack Bugatti parked like a shadow at the far end of the lot. He was already w

rap of her bag, she caught his gaze through the rearview mirror.

zed the door handle be

st like that

rp gust of wind lifted Elena's hair. She stood frozen, wa

vibrated i

:

aw cl

st, hot and furious, as Aria

Aria asked, glancing between El

That-" she gestured vaguely at the road "-

rritation onto them when the unmistakabl

t of her. The driver's window lowered, and Luca leaned slightly toward her,

Com'è stata la tua prima giornata di

day of school, my b

off his tongue, sent an unwan

ing to be a

ping mall wasn't as b

stant, brooding self. In

f I had made any friends, and even threw in a dry remark about how I sho

my answers were short, clipped,

oo

ea

ay

my irritation entertaining. After a while, I stopped resisting and gave in. I told him about Aria and E

iste

ot impatiently.

lt st

n, replaced by a reluctant curiosity about whatev

the mall, all thoughts of Luca'

't a regu

ind designed for the ri

ores lined the hallways like shrines to luxury. Every item in t

uddenly feelin

e before leading the way insi

or him

back in California had been filled with comfortable

y hands. Luca, to my surprise, was... helpful. Not in a forced, begrudging way

ther

the sting

too revealing, others too extrav

red under my breath, staring

d at the doorway of the fitting ro

y t

, eyes w

completely open, and the front shimmered with delicate embellishments, the

Where did you

me a look. "J

but took

the silky material settle agai

d, the air betw

a split second-just a second-I could

ing un

ppeared, it was gone. His face sm

and for the first time

... brea

ipping the side

asked, voice quiet

mine in the mi

uits

s all h

ow, it felt li

---

e back home was surprisingly quiet. Unlike earlier, Luca didn't say a word, and E

, his grip on the wheel firm. The tension from earli

dr

joke? Or did he w

, staring at the city lights blurring

Luca. As she stepped inside, she was greeted by Bolivia, w

rf

up the stairs, her dress bag

---

a's

ppeared inside. He draped an arm over the stee

oment she stepped out, bu

en

nd hearts stumble. Her beauty was effortless-soft yet strik

ves that fell past her shoulders, catch

nlight, framed by long, dark lashes that curled naturally. They held a quiet warmth, soft and soulful,

if kissed by the Californian sun she left behind. A faint dusting of freckles dotted her n

that could light up a room or a smirk that hinted at something

s that drew the eye without trying. Her waist dipped delicately before flaring into soft, rounde

sed to take her in, captivated by the contradiction of inno

him. The dress was nothing overtly provocative, but she wore it with a confidenc

lly see on women he had no business remembering after one night. And yet, when she s

e wasn't re

and through his hair before finally

as a b

s already