tched the world below, oblivious to the deep unrest churning inside her. Her new life, forced upon her by the sudden marriage of her parents, felt suffocating. The grand hou

thoughts. She turned just as the door to her room cre

easured. It was the voice of someone who had long ago master

aside the unease that had taken hold

re of concern and something else. "We'll need to make this work, Isla

r worse, her stepbrother. She had only met him briefly at the wedding, but even then, there had been something in his eyes that unse

n, Mom," Isla sai

by the corner of the room. She gazed at the letter she had received that morning. It was from the family lawyer, infor

hts, and she opened it to find her father

we talk?"

ight of the conversation to come.

he began, his voice thick with concern. "But you have to understand, we're doing thi

urrowed. "What

"I don't know all the details yet, but your mother... she's been k

n down her spine. "W

nflicted. "I can't explain it right now, bu

questions. Her mother, keeping secrets? Her father, looking so troubled? There was something bigger going

y. It was becoming harder to ignore the strange attraction she felt toward him, even though she k

s she sought weren't going to come easily. B