***
Dinner carried on more smoothly than I had anticipated, easing some of my anxiety as I watched my parents laugh at something Ares Aleksandros said, a broad handsome grin on his lips. Damien’s father, although seemingly cold and calculative on the outside with his piercing blue gaze and incredible business affinity, was a warm character with even funnier jokes.
His long-standing friendship with my father was a testament to their close relationship as they blended seamlessly with each other even after all these years. Daphne Aleksandros and my mother were, on the other hand, just as close, with the two excitedly discussing our wedding and the incredible steps they had taken to ensure it was a true success.
I breathed easily as I lifted my wine glass to my lips, granting Damien a small
