Damian’s POVThe day had been long before it even began. I could feel it the moment I walked into my office—too many meetings, too many expectations, too many eyes watching to see what the next Augustus heir would do.By the time my father, Barrett, and Carlos walked in, I already had a headache. Th
Dozens of food stalls lined the open space, each with its own little universe. One offered Vietnamese banh mi with crisp herbs and pickled vegetables, another served handmade pasta tossed in copper pans. There were Moroccan tagines bubbling in clay pots, sushi rolls lined up like art, and fresh oyst
Emily’s POVWhen I stepped out of the mansion, the air hit me like a blessing—clean, crisp, and alive in a way the rooms behind me weren’t. The Augustuses’ home was magnificent, yes, but it was a mausoleum of unspoken things. Guilt and secrets seemed to cling to the walls like expensive wallpaper.I
The air that rushed in through the open window was crisp, scented faintly of pine from the gardens below. I pulled in a deep breath, trying to shake the fog from my mind.When I caught my reflection in the mirror, I winced. My eyes were swollen and red-rimmed. My hair hung loose and tangled around m
Madelin’s POVThe light in my room was gray and dull, the kind that leaks through curtains without ever meaning to. I hadn’t opened them since yesterday. The world outside felt too sharp, too real, and I couldn’t bear the thought of it pressing in on me. I stayed wrapped in my blankets like armor, t
When I pulled up to the Augustus estate, the house loomed like it always did — grand, immaculate, timeless. Yet it felt heavier somehow. The kind of quiet that settles after too many goodbyes. Maya and Louis were gone, off to Paris with baby Oscar. The house should have felt lighter without their co