Edward's Point Of View
"Can this day get any worse?"
The words felt heavy, like lead sinkers pulling my jaw down. Each syllable seemed to cost me something. Cynthia didn't answer right away. Instead, she squared her shoulders, and I watched that steely look… the one belonging to a woman who had survived decades of high-society warfare settle over her features like armor.
"I'm coming with you." It wasn't a suggestion; it was a declaration of war. She leaned in, pressing a quick, dry kiss to my lips. It tasted like expensive lipstick and desperation, a flavor I was becoming all too familiar with. Then she marched toward the walk-in closet with the purposeful stride of a general heading into battle.
I stayed on the edge of the bed, staring at my feet. My toes looked strange and distant, as if they belonged to someone else entirely. The carpet beneath them blurred.
