Charlotte’s POVI could feel the tension rising in my shoulders the second Emily mentioned his name. Nathan. I hadn’t heard it aloud in weeks, maybe months. His name still landed like a coin dropped into a well—echoing, unsettling, impossible to ignore.We had been working at her restaurant office a
Charlotte’s POVJonathan had been quiet all evening. It was subtle at first, the way he looked at his phone too often, the way he smiled just a second too late, how his fingers tapped against the edge of his glass like he was waiting for a verdict. And yet, I let it go. At least through appetizers.
Emily’s POVMy mother opened the door before I had even knocked, her eyes bright and apron dusted with flour, arms wide like I was a soldier coming back from war. “There she is,” she exclaimed, wrapping me in one of those hugs that made me feel five years old again. “Our famous little chef, back fro
Charlotte’s POVThe light in Emily’s office was different than mine—warmer, softer, glowing in a way that made everything feel like it had just come out of the oven. Her walls were covered with photos of food, family, and laughter, and the small vase of fresh mint near her desk filled the air with a
Damian’s POVThe Imperial was so polished it nearly offended me. The kind of restaurant where the lighting was low enough to blur judgment and high enough to show every diamond, watch, and wrinkle on the faces of the elite. Charles, naturally, had a table reserved in the private alcove facing the fo
Damian’s POVI should have left hours ago. My phone buzzed for the third time since I last looked at it, and I didn’t even have to check to know it was Emily. My chest ached with guilt. I had promised her we would spend our first real night back together. A quiet dinner, maybe wine, just the two of