*Silas*“Actually, I don’t think she’s even seen the photo,” Cassandra says, her voice barely cutting through the cacophony of laughter and flashing lights sureounding her. “But if it bothered her, she’s past it now.”“It obviously bothered her. Him and Bianca.” I respond, my irritation simmering. “I told her to watch her facial expressions.”There’s a hint of annoyance in her tone. “We were blindsided, sweetheart. All of our jaws dropped when Bianca showed up.”“Yeah, but Nina needs to be able to keep it together for the camera,” I say, frustration bubbling. She should have known better than to let this happen.“It’s called bad luck, Silas,” she sighs. “And remember, we could be getting worse publicity.”I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see it. “I don’t give a damn about publicity, Cassandra. I care about having someone in Elijah’s life who doesn’t know how to follow instructions.”“It was just a moment, Silas. You’re overreacting,” my wife insists, her clearly patience wearing
*Nina*I find myself perched in a makeup chair next to Cassandra, the air buzzing with excitement as we prepare for the big dinner. She glances over at me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “You’re awfully quiet… everything okay?”I offer her a small, reassuring smile, though inside, I’m teetering on the edge of a full-blown freak-out. “I think I’m just a bit nervous about meeting Bianca,” I confess, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.Cassandra quirks an eyebrow, her expression teasing. “You don’t strike me as someone easily intimidated by others.”I shake my head, a hint of defiance in my tone. “I didn’t say I was intimidated.”“But you’re worried about how Elijah will react when he sees her?” Her gaze sharpens, as if she’s trying to decipher whether I’m about to cause a scene.“It’s just… complicated. I don’t really get what went down between them,” I admit, biting my lip. “I mean, I’ve read the tabloids like everyone else, but still…”Cassandra’s smile softens. “I’m su
*Cassandra*“No, I get it, Silas,” I mumble to myself as I stride down the dimly lit hotel corridor towards the suite. “No, gotta go... Kathy, you’re such an idiot.” I know it’s a bad habit to vocalize my thoughts as I text, but sometimes it helps to hear the words out loud. “I said no... okay.”I push open the door to the suite and am met with the sight of two lovebirds cozying up over breakfast in matching bathrobes. “Morning, you two,” I say, trying to inject some cheer into the room.“Good morning,” Nina replies with a dozy smile that tells me Elijah has clearly kept her up half the night.“Morning! So, how was drinks with the film commission?” Elijah asks, his grin too smug for my liking.I roll my eyes. “I realized Italian men are kinda grabby.” Glancing at the calendar on my phone, I pivot the conversation. “So let’s talk about today...” My gaze lands on Elijah. “You, my dear, have press obligations to attend to.” I shift my attention to Nina. “And what do you want to do?”She
*Nina*I step out of the elevator, a big hat perched atop my head and oversized sunglasses shielding my eyes. As I walk through the lobby alone, it feels as though no one notices me. It helps that the press and the paparazzi are all fixated on the glitzy events happening nearby; they expect us to be at some premiere or lavish party, not here.A man with a cap and a bushy beard rises from a chair and follows me out of the hotel. Outside, I veer down a narrow alley, my heart racing as I quickly navigate some worn steps leading to the tranquil canals.The man catches up with me, and I loop my arm through his. Had I not known better, I would hardly have recognized Elijah in his clever disguise.We turn down another alley, and Elijah stops, leaning against the wall as he pulls me closer. My hands instinctively reach up to touch his enormous beard. “Wow, this is actually real hair!”“I wore it for ‘The Soldier.’ They let me keep it, and it’s saved my ass a bunch of times,” he chuckles, peel
*Nina*“You will be registered as Michael and Elizabeth Connors,” the very serious security officer explains as we walk toward the sleek private jet that will whisk us away to Italy. “The staff you meet upon arrival will be the same individuals who care for you every day. Any changes, and we will inform you promptly.”“How are we set up for the dummy room?” Silas asks, his voice steady. I can’t help but wonder if he’s more than just Elijah’s friend and life coach; he seems intricately involved in every aspect of this operation.The security officer turns his head to look at Silas. “Grant Elijahson.”“What exactly is a dummy room?” I glance at Elijah, who walks beside me with an air of calmness, as if this entire situation is completely normal… though I suppose for him, it is.“It’s an empty room registered under a fictitious name. Someone checks the guest register and sees the name Grant Elijahson…” He offers me a small, reassuring smile.I smile back, piecing it together. “And they’l
*Cassandra*I step into the Institute, the familiar hum of computers filling the air, and spot my husband hunched over one of the keyboards, his brow furrowed in concentration. I give the doorframe a subtle nod. “Sorry to interrupt your flow.”He glances up, a hint of frustration flickering in his eyes. “I feel like I’ve never written a book before… which is probably exactly where I need to be… but…” His voice trails off, the weight of uncertainty hanging in the air.Wrapping my arms around him from behind, I lean into him the way a lovesick wife would, resting my cheek against his shoulder. “Probably… I see you’ve made plans to join us in Venice.”He lets out a sigh, turning in my embrace to meet my gaze. “That’s because I couldn’t bear the thought of being here without you.”“Hmm… I imagine it must be very hard for you,” I reply, looking up at his face, searching for reassurance.A grin spreads across his lips, but there’s a teasing glint in his eyes. “Hmm, it’s getting hard for you