Mara's POV

It had been days since Elias has been away from home, and the house felt like it was filled with cold smoke. I stayed in my room or buried myself in work, trying to pretend he didn’t exist. He hadn't called. He hadn't checked on me. The man who had once looked at me with such intensity now acted like I was just a ghost haunting the hallways of his family home.

I told myself I didn’t care. I told myself I was done. But today was the engagement party, and the lie finally crumbled.

I told Camille I was sick, staying behind while the rest of them...