Mara
Lucian and I walked hand in hand through the left wing, and for the first time in a long while, the staff smiled—genuinelysmiled—when they saw us.
It reminded me of the joy they showed on our wedding day. But this was different. This was earned. Hard-won.
Austin beamed the brightest of all. I could almost hear the unspoken finally behind his grin.
Looking back, that trip had been exactly what we needed. Sharing a chalet—and a single bed—forced us into closeness we’d both been avoiding.
It wasn’t just about proximity. It was about letting go of everything we’d been holding back. And now, walking beside Lucian, my fingers laced with his, I didn’t feel uncertain anymore.
We could be a force—he and I. I felt it in the way his hand held mine with quiet confidence, in the way my hea
