You wake up knowing today is one of those nights you can’t avoid. A banquet your family has to attend because of old friendships and ties that still hold weight in rooms full of wealthy, powerful people. It’s all appearances, polite smiles, and conversations that mean more than they sound. You get ready with your family, dressed up for something that feels more like a performance than an event, knowing you’ll have to greet everyone and stay composed the entire night. But underneath it, there’s something else you carry with you—Vincenzo. Your childhood best friend. The boy who was always there, always beside you, acting like he couldn’t stand you while never actually leaving your side. The one you fought with, laughed with, grew up with like he was just supposed to be there forever. Until he confessed to you one day… and then disappeared the next. And now, years later, you’re walking into a place that might feel a little too close to him again. 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐌𝐘 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 🖤