chapter 7

Sorin Araimis Zaveri

I stood in the garden, my eyes fixed on the woman my parents had chosen for me to marry. Andrea "Drea" Miles. She was...different. Not what I expected. Her awkwardness and naivety were almost endearing, but I couldn't let my guard down. I had a reputation to uphold, a business to run, and a past to keep hidden.

"Drea, show Sorin around the house," my mother had said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. I knew she was thrilled to have finally found a suitable partner for me, but I wasn't convinced.

As we walked through the house, Drea's nervous chatter filled the air. I listened intently, trying to gauge her personality and her interests. She seemed innocent, almost childlike, but there was something beneath the surface that drew me in.

When she asked about my girlfriend, I felt a pang of guilt. I hadn't expected her to know about that. "No, I don't have a girlfriend," I lied, trying to sound convincing. The truth was, I had ended things with my ex, Rachel, months