Chapter 1
She sat on the tiled floor by the pool, her damp blonde hair sticking to her face. The silver necklace at her throat caught the glow of the city lights, sparkling faintly. She didn’t move, only stared out at the skyline, the noise of the water soft behind her.
The tiles shifted as someone sat down beside her. Their hand slid into hers, warm against her cold skin.
" It's not your fault ” they said quietly.
She breathed out, slow and shaky, her eyes never leaving the lights. “I know,” she whispered.
~
A few months ago
Evelyn sat under the bright studio lights, her every angle caught in rapid flashes of the camera. She hardly needed effort to look striking her shiny blonde hair cascaded in soft waves around her shoulders, catching the light like strands of gold. Her blue eyes, sharp and crystalline, followed the photographer’s cues, shifting from sultry to soft with practiced ease.
“Perfect, Evelyn. Hold that—yes, right there. Beautiful,” the photographer urged, the shutter clicking relentlessly.
After several minutes, the tension in her jaw softened when the call came: “Alright, let’s take five.”
She exhaled slowly, lowering her shoulders. Almost instantly, her makeup artist swooped in with brushes and powders, tending to her face with careful precision. Evelyn kept still, her expression calm, while across from her, her assistant Clara stood with a tablet pressed to her chest, her eyes flicking between schedules and notifications.
“You’ve got a product meeting after this, then a magazine interview lined up,” Clara said, her tone brisk but light. Evelyn nodded along, listening without much thought. It was routine by now, one appointment blending into the next.
Clara hesitated, then let out a small grin. “Oh—and your fiancé messaged.”
That drew Evelyn’s attention. She held out her hand, and Clara placed her phone in her palm. The screen lit up with his words: Can’t wait for dinner tonight.
The corner of her lips curved into a small smile. She typed back, Yeah, me too, before setting the phone aside.
Clara arched a brow at her, playful. “That smile says everything. Should I clear your evening so you won’t be late?”
Evelyn laughed softly, shaking her head. “No, Clara. Keep it as it is. He’ll have to wait for me.”
The crew bustled around, adjusting the set for the next round of photos, but for a fleeting moment, Evelyn allowed herself to drift into the thought of him—dinner, warmth and comfort she believed was hers.
The restaurant glowed with golden light, casting a soft light over polished silverware and glasses of deep red wine. Evelyn sat across from Adrian , her navy blue dress falling in graceful lines, the color deepening the blue of her eyes. She looked at him quietly for a moment, their hands already interlocked on the table between them, fingers laced as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“You should go,” she said softly, her tone steady. “The business trip to Greece—I don’t want you to hesitate because of me. I trust you.”
Adrian tilted his head, studying her expression with a half-smile. “You always make it sound so easy. But what if I miss you too much while I’m gone?”
She laughed under her breath, shaking her head. “Then you’ll just have to suffer through it. It’s only a week, Adrian. You’ll survive.”
He leaned forward slightly, his thumb brushing against her hand. “I don’t know. A week without you feels like forever.”
“Forever is a little dramatic, don’t you think?” she teased, her lips curving.
“Maybe,” he admitted with a grin, “but I’m in love, I get to be dramatic.”
Adrian swirled the wine in his glass, eyes glinting as if he’d just remembered something. “By the way, my sister was asking about you again.”
Evelyn groaned, leaning back in her chair dramatically. “Of course she was. She probably wants to interrogate me about when we’re setting a date, or remind me—again—that I don’t call her enough.”
Adrian chuckled, clearly amused by her reaction. “You know she adores you. She just worries I don’t deserve you.”
“She’s not wrong,” Evelyn teased, though her smile gave her away. “Still, your sister is exhausting, Adrian. She should be classified as an extreme sport.”
“Then you should visit her,” he countered smoothly.
She arched a brow at him. “That’s your idea of persuasion? Telling me she’s exhausting?”
He squeezed her hand gently, his grin widening. “I think you secretly enjoy it. Admit it, Evelyn—somewhere deep down, you love the way she fawns over you.”
Evelyn rolled her eyes, though the corner of her lips betrayed her. “You’re insufferable.”
“Only because you’re stubborn,” he shot back, leaning closer across the table.
“Fine,” she sighed, feigning defeat. “I’ll visit her. But only because I don’t want to hear you complain about it later.”
Adrian’s smile softened, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Good. I’ll even reward you with a trip to your favorite place afterward.”
She tilted her head, playful now. “Paris?”
His grin turned boyish, almost cocky. “Somewhere better. Dinner in bed with me.”
She laughed, shaking her head, the tension dissolving between them into something lighter
-
The sheets were cool against Evelyn’s skin as she lay beside Adrian, Their legs tangled under the sheets the city lights spilling through the curtains. She brushed a strand of his brown hair from his forehead, her touch lingering.
Adrian’s eyes softened, his gaze trailing over her face as though memorizing every detail. His hand slid around her waist, warm and steady, his thumb drawing lazy circles against her hip.
“ I love you"he said quietly, his voice carrying vulnerability.
Evelyn’s lips curved into a small smile, the kind that reached her bright blue eyes. “I know,” she whispered back, her hand resting over his.
He leaned in, kissing her slowly, tenderly, she melted into it her heart content.
