The footsteps came closer, heavy in the air in the dining room. Ariel felt the tension bear down on her chest and instinctively the fingers wrapped around Jayden's tightened. His parents faces remained impassive, but even the tiniest flicker of satisfaction in his mother's eyes and Ariel's stomach was doing somersaults.

Then, she walked into the room.

She was a vision of perfection in elegance, too faultless. The dress clung to her at all the right places as she walked into the room with a bearing that screamed poise. Ariel did not have to be told her name to know who it was.

"Anna" Jayden said. His voice was low,...