Chapter 30
Daphne
There was something in the air that night, something I couldn’t quite explain, but it made my chest feel lighter. After weeks of tension and emotional confinement, Jake had suggested something that, to my surprise, made me smile genuinely: hosting a dinner at home. The idea of gathering our friends excited me. For a moment, I could forget about the restrictions, the weight of our secret relationship, and enjoy the company of people who mattered to both of us.
“Invite Sofía,” Jake had said as we prepared the evening’s list. “I’ll invite Ian. Just the four of us. Nothing big, something simple.”
I nodded, feeling a little more cheerful. Sofía always knew how to make me laugh, and although I didn’t know Ian, Jake talked about him so much that I was sure he’d be great comp
