Page 29 of Vows of Deceit
And the countdown began.
Chapter Twenty One
Stirring the Ashes
The ballroom was empty, cast in soft shadows as Cassie entered, her heels echoing across the marble floor. Gold-and-cream drapery swept from the ceiling in elegant arcs, and the crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting delicate patterns on the glossy floors. It was supposed to be a rehearsal but everyone else had gone home. She had stayed behind.
And so had Damien.
He stood at the far end of the room, glass in hand, staring up at the floral arch that would serve as the backdrop for their vow renewal. Cassie hesitated before walking toward him. She could feel the weight of their history in every step.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” she said.
He glanced at her, surprised, then nodded. “You always did have a flawless eye.”
Cassie stepped beside him, arms crossed. “Hard to believe we got here.”
“Harder to believe we stayed,” he murmured.
A silence fell between them, heavy but not hostile.
“You remember our first anniversary?” she asked suddenly. “You booked that vineyard outside Florence.”
He smiled faintly. “You wore that ridiculous sunhat. I told you it made you look like a tourist.”
“You said I looked like a goddess.”
“I meant it both ways.”
Cassie looked away, heart twisting.
“What happened to us, Damien?”
He turned to her slowly. “I ask myself that every day.”
They stood close now, the air between them laced with memory.
Cassie’s voice was soft. “Do you still see me?”
Damien’s breath caught. “I see you, Cassie. Always.”
Her hand brushed his and for a moment, it felt like before. Like maybe, if they closed their eyes and stopped time, they could find that version of themselves again, the ones untouched by lies.
But time didn’t stop. Cassie stepped back, the spell broken.
“I should go,” she said.
He nodded but didn’t move.
As she turned, he called out, “Cassie.”
She paused.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For everything.”
She didn’t respond. Didn’t need to because the fire had already been lit and soon, it would burn them all.
Chapter Twenty Two
