Julian’s POV
I thought I knew what I was walking into when I decided on going on this prenuptial honeymoon. It wasn’t just a trip meant to soften edges between two people who were supposed to marry. Ariana and I had known each other, yes, but not in the way two people should before sharing vows. She was elegant, careful with her words, and had this calm way about her that unsettled me sometimes. I wasn’t sure if it was because I couldn’t read her, or because a part of me already knew I didn’t belong to her. But that didn't matter.
We had checked into the hotel in Al Rayyan that morning. The city was loud, alive in a way that made the streets feel as if they had their own pulse. Everything hummed with preparation for the Boat Festival tomorrow. Flags lined the water canals, boats polished
