AUBREY'S POV
Each morning started the same way: fresh flowers at my door, carefully chosen and artfully arranged. Each morning, I practiced my smile in the mirror before accepting them, making sure it reached my eyes and looked real.
"You're getting better at this," Aria observed coldly as I arranged today's bouquet—pink roses and lilies—in a crystal vase. "Better at pretending."
I ignored her, focusing instead on my mental checklist. Accept the flowers with a soft smile. Let my fingers brush Knox's when he handed me things. Hold his gaze a moment longer than necessary during training. Every gesture calculated, every moment choreographed.
The days fell into a pattern. Breakfast together in the morning, where I let him see me slowly relax in his presence. Combat training, where I no lon
