Page 4 of Twisted Promise

“It was…” She trailed off, unsure where to begin.

Even now, Anya couldn’t encapsulate her relationship with Alessio into words. Everything was perfect, but there was an incongruity in the air of seasons that Alessio held her hand through.

Whether the fault lay with Alessio or herself, she didn’t want to untangle it, knowing it would force her to relive every moment with him.

“He made me the happiest.”

And that was the truth she could say with her whole heart.

“Do you still love him?” the interviewer queried, the hasty curiosity in her voice sounding more personal than professional.

“I don’t know,” Anya muttered, discomfort twisting in her fingers as she leaned back against the unyielding chair.

“Would you have married him if you stayed together?”

She shook her head firmly.

Marriage was not part of her ambiguous future plans, even before Alessio. She hadn’t told him this, despite the implicit ways his actions alluded at marriage during their four years together. Traces of guilt clawed at her temporarily, but they dissipated as quickly as they came.

“I have split ends, so I can’t get married.”

The interviewer sputtered, “Pardon?”

She panicked, wondering if she could round up her lie before nodding. “My parents are divorced.”

Not true, but it didn’t matter. People weren’t here for her, so there was no need to dig up her family tree with blood-related relatives she had never heard of.

Her eyes flew to the left of the camera, where comments streamed in. She forgot this was being live-broadcasted, not pre-recorded and edited like the other interviews.

Anya wasn’t sure whether to feel annoyed or amused by the director’s stunt, but the comments made her laugh softly.

25

Although she has a point though, she seems scared of marriage to me. Like, you start as one, a team, but in the end, you split up.

26

I didn’t even catch the joke. Thanks for explaining!

27

Can’t tell if you rolled your eyes or not, but you’re welcome.

28

Did anyone clock her and Alessio earlier?

29

I’m going to hold off on assuming anything cause what if it’s a skit?

30

I can lip-read, so it’s close enough. He looked at her like coffee—hot and steamy but bitter like cold grudges.

31

They looked at each other for four seconds, and now everyone is speculating she’s the one who took that fiend off the market.

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