It had been a week since the beach house.
Since the fire, the tension, the stolen moments pressed into midnight sand.
And now, the house was quiet again—too quiet.
Ale and Enzo had flown out two days after they returned, their destination vague as always.
Italy. Business.
That’s all they said.
No FaceTimes. No calls. Only the occasional unread message marked “Delivered.”
And while Amelia knew what Enzo did—or at least suspected more than she dared say aloud—Valenie remained blissfully unaware, wrapped up in the bubble of her fairytale with Ale.
They lounged together that Friday evening, wine glasses half-full, a movie they weren’t watching playing in the background.
Valenie lay upside down on the couch, her feet in the air, hair cascading toward the floor.
“I’m so bored,” she gro
