LOGINI had a one-night stand with a colonel? Wow, I really needed to self–reflect on my past.
I never remembered those with whom I had a one-night stand, because we did things when I was drowning in alcohol, and we always had sex in the dark. Also, I made sure to drill into their heads that they must be gone before morning. And right now hearing that I had sex with this man standing in front of me makes me want to melt from embarrassment. “But…” I stammered, my face burning bright red. “But you're a colonel!” Great job, brain. Great job embarrassing us even further. He scoffed. “You think a colonel doesn't have sex? We have lots, actually. To relieve stress and all that.” My face burned hotter. Can the ground just open up and save me from this moment? “I-I see.” “I heard you’re married now,” he said while looking down at my ring finger, thKROSSI wasn’t done searching.That truth sat heavy in my chest the entire drive home, pressing against my ribs like it wanted out. Greece had given me pieces. Names. Handwriting. Half-truths wrapped in dust and regret. But no ending. No clean answer.And then there was my father.Dead.Just like that.I wasn’t even prepared enough for that. No last conversation that fixed what we never said. Just a body that went quiet and a house that felt empty afterward.And Sade’s mother.A ghost that refused to stay buried.It all piled up inside me until I felt like I was carrying too much weight for one man.So I came home.Not because I had answers.But because I was tired of holding everything alone.When I stepped out of the elevator, the house smelled like her.Her soft, familiar scent. Comforting in a way nothing else had been lately.Sade stood in the kitchen, barefoot, wearing one of my shirts. Her hair was pulled back, her face bare. She looked up when she heard me, and the moment our
SADEI met Ms. Harrin on a Thursday evening when my legs were tired, and my head was full.It had been one of those days where nothing went wrong, but nothing felt easy either. Class ended late, and most students rushed out, laughing and talking about dinner plans. I stayed behind, cleaning my station like always. I liked leaving things neat. It made my thoughts quieter.That was when I noticed her.She stood near the doorway, watching me…not in a judging way, not like Madame Valée. Her eyes were curious. Calm and patient.“You don’t rush,” she said.I turned, startled. “I’m sorry?”“You don’t rush,” she repeated, stepping closer. She wore a simple blazer and flat shoes. No strong perfume. Just something light and clean. Intentional. “That tells me a lot.”I nodded, not sure what to say.“I’m Ms. Harrin,” she added, holding out her hand. “I consult for the academy sometimes. Branding. Fragrance identity.”I shook her hand carefully. “I’m Sade.”“I know,” she said, smiling a little. “I
KROSSI didn’t think losing my father would hit me this hard. I didn’t want to feel it, but I did, so I did the next thing my mind could think of: a distraction.That was why I went to Greece.Not to escape his death. I knew better than that. Death follows you. But I needed motion. I needed purpose. If I stopped moving, I’d start thinking too hard, and thinking was dangerous right now.The hospital sat on a hill overlooking the city. Old stone walls. Faded paint. I had been here before, weeks ago, collecting records, snapping photos, asking questions. This time, I came back with the pictures printed, laid flat in a folder.I needed confirmation.At the reception desk, a woman with silver hair and tired eyes looked up at me.“Yes?” she asked.“I’m looking for a nurse who worked here about twenty-five years ago,” I said. “Her name might be Eleni.”The woman studied my face for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “She’s retired. But she still comes by sometimes. For paperwork.”“Is she he
SADEThe day of the funeral came quietly.It was quiet and calm, nothing extraordinary. Just a gray morning that felt heavier than the others.I stood in front of the mirror longer than usual, smoothing the black dress Kross had picked out for me the night before. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t tight. It covered me properly, like he wanted the world to look at me and see respect first and not judge me.My hands trembled as I tied my hair back.Today, I was stepping into his world.And his family, they’d never seen me before.Kross waited for me by the door. He wore a black suit, sharp and clean, but his eyes looked tired. Hollow. Like he’d been carrying something heavy for too long.“You ready?” he asked.I nodded even though my chest felt tight. “As I’ll ever be.”He studied my face for a second, then reached out and fixed a loose strand of hair near my temple. His touch was gentle, grounding.“They don’t bite,” he said quietly. Then he scoffed softly. “Most of the time.”That made me sm
KROSS“Sir Kross,” Gabriel’s voice came through, tight and rushed. “It’s your father.”My chest locked even though I already knew. Gabriel followed orders like his life depended on it. So if he was calling, then it was definitely an emergency. And an emergency meant…“What happened?” I asked, my voice rough. “He collapsed again,” Gabriel said. “The doctors moved him to the emergency ward. They’re asking for you to come now.”Now.Fuck, I didn't like this. I grabbed my jacket.“I’m on my way,” I said, already moving, but then I paused and looked at Sade. She gave a slight nod. “Be safe.” I returned the nod and headed for the door.The drive to the hospital felt longer than it should have. Every red light felt personal. My hands stayed tight on the steering wheel. My jaw ached from clenching it.I hadn’t planned to see him like this.I hadn’t planned anything.The recent events have taken my mind off him, so this came like a blow, even though I should have seen it coming. When I go
SADEI stayed in the hospital for two days.The first day, I slept.The second day, I thought.About the bakery. About the academy. About how I kept pushing like someone was chasing me with a clock, about how I never stopped to breathe.I realized something that hurt to admit.I wasn’t working hard just because I loved perfume.I was working hard because I was afraid. Afraid that if I failed, Kross would regret believing in me.That thought sat heavily in my chest.On the second evening, I told him.“I was trying to prove I deserved you,” I said quietly.He froze.“What?”“The chance. The life. Everything.” My hands twisted together. “I thought if I didn’t become perfect fast enough, it would disappear.”He stepped closer.“Sade,” he said slowly, “you don’t owe me excellence.”I looked up at him, my eyes burning. “You don’t owe me pain,” he continued. “You don’t owe me speed. You don’t owe me anything.”My throat closed up. “I want you alive,” he said. “Not broken and damaged.”Tear







