~Ava
I stood by the balcony rail, the wind brushing gently across my skin. Edward
turned to face me, his eyes less stern than they were at the dining table. “So…” he began, his tone lighter, “you never really told me about your family.”
My stomach clenched.
“Your aunt and uncle,” he added. “Were they the ones who raised you? Where were your parents?”
The shift in my mood was instant—like a blade had been twisted inside me. I could still see my brother Adrian's smile in my memory. That annoying half-smile that meant he was about to tease me about something. My throat tightened.
I looked away, eyes stinging. “I don't want to talk about it,” I said, sharper than I meant to.
Edward’s brows rose. “What?”
“I said I don’t want to talk about it,” I repeated, my voice hard. “I’d appreciate
