“Good,” my father said, draping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me closer as we began to walk to the hors d'oeuvres table. “He’s a good man, Nina. I’m proud to call him my son-in-law.” Just as I was about to respond, I caught a snippet of Enzo’s conversation drifting across the room: “Yes,
Nina The mansion was alive with laughter, clinking glasses, and lively chatter. I was immersed in it all by Enzo’s side, but my focus sharpened when Tyler walked in, a radiant smile on his face and a girl on his arm. She was tall, slender, and had a vibe that screamed ‘effortlessly cool’. “Hey
I leaned into him, absorbing his familiar, comforting scent. “Yeah. Just got a little introspective, is all.” Enzo chuckled. “Nina, being introspective? That’s a new one. Kidding.” The scent of roses filled the air, mingling with the earthy smell of damp soil. The sound of the music playing insi
Nina “Nina! Enzo!” My brother’s voice carried across the garden, breaking Enzo and I out of our reverie. We both lifted our heads and turned around to see Tyler standing in the doorway, waving excitedly with a grin on his face. “What is it, Ty?” I called out, charmed by his enthusiasm. “They
Nina My hands trembled as I slammed the door behind me, locking it in a desperate attempt to keep the world—and the enigmatic shadow entity—at bay. Leaning against the cool, wooden surface of the door, I struggled to catch my breath, my heart pounding like a drum inside my chest. I closed my eye
We sat in silence, letting the weight of my confession fill the room. Tyler’s grip on my hand tightened, as if he could somehow squeeze the fear out of me, and replace it with the courage I so desperately needed. “I don’t know what this entity is, Tyler, but it terrifies me,” I finally admitted, m
Nina The door creaked open, and I tensed, expecting to see the stern faces of my parents, armed with a lecture or two. Instead, it was Enzo. His eyes met mine, and he looked softer than I’d ever seen him. Tyler gave me a knowing smile, touched my hand briefly, and left, closing the door behind h
Maybe it was the flicker of something inexplicable I had felt in my belly or the softness in Enzo’s eyes; maybe it was just the weight of all the secrets I had been carrying. Whatever it was, I needed to talk. “Enzo, I think it’s time I tell you everything,” I said, my voice shaky but determined.