As the rain pitter-pattered against the windowpane, the room was bathed in a soft, diffused glow. The sun, hidden behind the thick layer of rain clouds, streamed in, glistening her waist-length dark curls. Her face was pale, yet her bearing exuded a sense of grace and poise. The severely cut black velvet gown seemed to have been carefully curated to highlight her slender figure.There was an undeniable gravity about her that imparted an aura of maturity beyond her mere twenty-four years. And yet there was something of the coquette too, a subtle playfulness that danced in her eyes.Her delicate hands, adorned with long, graceful fingers, found their place on the windowsill, casually yet purposefully displayed against the backdrop of the drenched cityscape."I know things ain't looking too good. Your old man's hospital bills are piling up sky-high, your house is on the verge of being mortgaged, and your novels aren't bringing in the ‘dough’ like they used to. You have to face the facts

I found myself seated on the floor, overwhelmed by a profound sadness that seemed to permeate the air around me. The room was enveloped in an eerie silence, broken only by the faint scratching of my pen against the blank page before me. It felt as though the pen itself struggled to give voice to the swirling emotions within me.I had desperately wanted to write down exactly what I felt, but somehow the paper stayed empty, and I couldn't have described it any better.The events of the previous day still consumed my thoughts, its memory hauntingly vivid. Despite my efforts to eject the image, his impassive face persistently plagued my consciousness. His eyes, a piercing shade of cyan-blue, delved into the very depths of my soul the moment I had entered the room.The room itself was an absolute marvel to behold, an exquisite display of opulence and grandeur. Time and time again, the room's sheer magnificence continued to captivate me. At the far end, an enormous bed exuded luxury, its

•SIRENA•“What do you mean… poisoned?”Jonathan's voice quivered, barely escaping his lips in a whisper, each word infused with a potent blend of urgency and disbelief.The corridor plunged into an eerie silence as the twin brothers locked eyes, their identical faces reflecting a mixture of unbeknownst emotions.A subtle head tilt was all that emanated from Joshua, his piercing gaze narrowing ever so slightly. As if receiving an unspoken cue, Jonathan’s attention swiftly shifted, his gaze fixating on me.In that bone-chilling moment, my heart seized, and its rhythm shattered into oblivion. Time itself seemed to halt, leaving me suspended in a suffocating void of tension.A tidal wave of panic crashed over me, squeezing my chest with an iron grip. The sheer weight of the accusation bore down on me!Me!The realization struck with a force that sent tremors of fear rushing through my veins.How could they even fathom the notion that I, of all people, bore the responsibility for poisonin

•TRISTIAN•For once, Augustine, my secretary, was true to his words. The sight of her was like a frozen moment in time, capturing a beauty that defied comparison.Clad in a knee-length amber brocade gown that adorned her like a radiant halo, her decanter-shaped waist was accentuated like a perfectly curated Instagra*m filter.Her waist-long black curls cascaded down her back, adding a touch of allure to her overall appearance. The gown, cut square, elegantly showcased her ‘décolletage’ with effortless classiness, while the Grecian-inspired sleeves draped gracefully, leaving her arms bare and showcasing their flawless contours.Her white face, somewhat fragile and intelligent in expression, was endowed with a pixie-like nose and perfectly shaped rosy lips.But it was her hazel eyes that stole attention— a mesmerizing blend of colours that seemed to conceal unknown depths within.In her entirety, she exuded pure perfection like a snapshot out of time.No sculptor could have crafted a li

•TRISTIAN•"You're about to host your first ball as Mrs. Crown. That's gotta be thrilling," I commented, my eyes resting on her face.The expression she shot me was a mix of anticipation and desperate a treaty.I could practically feel her silently pleading for some assistance."Yeah, well, it's hard to feel the excitement when Maria keeps hammering into me that the very grid of my destiny could be plotted in a table setting and that my salvation laid on the detailed selection of its suited colors. Honestly, I'm more petrified than thrilled right now."Her voice soaked over me like a delicate melody, capable of getting lost amidst the noise of a Monday morning rush hour, yet it lured me in, making me yearn to hear her speak all day long."Well, my mother has always been a stickler for perfection, but that doesn't mean you won't do a tremendous job. I have complete faith in your taste and intuitions," I breathed, attempting to lighten the weight of the situation.We were now at the entr