*ADELINE*
I could feel the heat radiating off my skin as I watched Jesse engulf Vincenzo in that ridiculous embrace. It was a hug soaked in intimacy—the kind that made everyone around them feel like uninformed onlookers at some romantic film. Her cheek pressed snugly against his shoulder, the scene unraveling just a tad too openly for my comfort. I wanted to scream, to throw a book, anything to wake myself up from this absurdity. But instead, my heart was pounding with a furious rhythm I couldn't quite control.
As Jesse pulled back, I caught her eye, and my chest tightened. There was a challenge in her stare, a smirk lurking at the edges of her lips. In that moment, I understood—it wasn't just about her farewell; it was about staking her claim. She wanted to remind me that Vincenzo belon
