ESSENCE I know it doesn’t make sense. I just met the man yesterday—technically. And yet, watching Lucian walk away felt like something inside of me was being peeled away with a blunt knife. I stood at the window like some woman in an old movie, staring after his car as it pulled out of the drive
LUCIAN The moment I left George, I slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door behind me. I didn’t even have time to start the engine before my phone rang. I didn’t need to look twice. It was the second fixer. I answered with a simple, “Yes?” His voice came through, calm as ever. “Though
Joe. Polished suit. Clean shave. Smile sharp enough to cut glass. Standing behind a podium like he’d earned the right to be there. Flashbulbs went off. Reporters buzzed. Microphones reached out like hungry mouths, waiting to feed on whatever filth he was about to serve. And then… It began. H
LUCIAN I kept my hand on the gear as I pulled the car into the driveway, stealing a glance at Essence every few seconds. She looked calm and soft. Like the woman I remembered—the woman I had lost and found again. When the engine went silent, I stepped out and circled to her side, opening the doo
She looked at me, her expression soft, hopeful. “Yes. Please. More than anything, I want to remember… especially if it was beautiful, like you say.” “It was,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “It was everything.” She smiled and said she was going to get ready, and that we’d have breakfas
LUCIAN The knock came softly...barely a tap. I wasn’t expecting anyone, especially not this early. Still, I walked to the door, hoping it wasn’t anything urgent. The moment I opened it, my heart softened. There they were. Asher and Danny. Bathed, dressed, beaming like sunrise in boy form. Thei