Trey's POV
The mansion greeted me with silence. There was only silence. No footsteps, no laughter from Tessa echoing down the halls, not even the faint hum of the staff at work. Just the kind of quiet that gnawed at me the longer I stood there, staring at the front door I had just closed behind me.
I loosened my tie and walked deeper inside, my gaze sliding automatically toward the corridor that led to her office. The room I had given her, just until the wedding was over. Just temporary. That was what I kept telling myself.
But when I pushed the door open, the chair was empty. Papers neatly stacked. No trace of her. The sight hit harder than it should have.
"Tessa," I called, sharper than I intended.
Her head popped around the corner, eyes glinting with mischief. "What's with the stormy tone, brother?"
"Where is she?" The words came out before I could stop them.
Her smile turned sly. "She? Oh, you mean Amara. Your wedding planner?" She tilted her head, deliberately twisting the knife. "Or should I say your distraction?"
I ground my jaw. "Tessa."
She folded her arms, completely unfazed. "You canceled all your meetings, came home early, and the first thing out of your mouth is not Pauline. It is her. Do not think I have not noticed."
Heat flared in my chest, but I could not find a denial. Not one that did not sound like a lie.
"You are restless," she went on, softening, but only to make it worse. "And admit it, the moment you did not see her in here, your pulse jumped. You looked like a man who just lost something he cannot admit he needs."
I turned away, hand tightening around the doorframe, the ache spreading through me like a slow bruise. She was not wrong. Damn her, she was not wrong.
I had told myself Amara was temporary. A convenience. A stand in until I walked down the aisle with Pauline. But standing in that empty office, staring at the absence she left behind, I felt it, the hollow echo of wanting her there.
And I hated how much I wanted it.
"She was out. She drove to the flower farm and met the florist," Tessa finally said, her tone maddeningly casual, like she was not just twisting a blade into my ribs.
I stopped in my tracks, my hand tightening on the doorframe. The air seemed to thin around me. Out. She had left. Just like that.
"She will be back by tomorrow," Tessa added, and I felt my brow furrow hard, the tension breaking through the mask I usually wore so easily.
"Tomorrow?" The word scraped out rougher than I intended, my voice rising before I could temper it. "Why tomorrow?"
Tessa arched a brow, savoring every second of my unraveling. "Oh, the drive alone takes three hours there, three back. She said she would be staying for the night at her house."
My mouth opened, but no sound followed. Nothing coherent, at least. Just a tide of emotions crashing in my chest, frustration, disbelief, and something sharp I did not want to name.
I pressed my tongue to my teeth, trying to gather words that refused to come. All I managed was silence, heavy and raw.
Tessa tilted her head, studying me like she had just uncovered a secret I had been desperate to bury. "Funny, is it not? How one day feels like an eternity when she is not here?"
I clenched my fists, staring at the empty desk, the neatly stacked papers, the chair that should have been filled by her presence. She was gone. Out there, miles away, unreachable. And the mansion, this vast, echoing place, had never felt emptier.
I hated the way my chest ached at the thought of her not being under the same roof tonight. I hated it, but even more than that, I craved the moment she would walk back through those doors again.
I waited for Amara to join us at breakfast, eyes flicking to the doorway every time I lifted my cup. But she never appeared. The chair I had quietly started expecting her to fill remained empty, glaring at me like an accusation.
I told myself not to care. I told myself she was not my responsibility outside the work I had already given her. I had laid out every necessary instruction, every schedule, every detail of the wedding plans. There was no reason left for me to expect her presence. No excuse to demand it.
And yet, I hated it.
The realization crept in slowly but mercilessly. She had been avoiding me. She used to appear at meals, cautious but present. Now, her absence was deliberate. Calculated. And it burned.
"Are you happy now?" my sister asked suddenly.
I looked up at her sharply, giving her a hard stare.
"Happy about what?" I asked, my brows pulling together in confusion.
Tessa crossed her arms and looked at me with disappointment written all over her face.
"Don't pretend you don't know what I mean," she said. "I've always noticed how much you seemed to enjoy making Amara feel small. Even now, when she has built a successful career for herself, you still find ways to remind her where she came from."
Her words made my hands curl into fists on the table.
"And yesterday, during the press conference," she continued, her voice tightening, "you finally told the whole world that she was just a maid's daughter."
I clenched my jaw but said nothing.
"I really don't understand you, Trey," Tessa went on, shaking her head slowly. "I don't understand why you hated her so much when all she ever did was admire you. She was just a young girl who happened to fall in love with you. That wasn't a crime."
Her words struck harder than I expected.
"She was just a kid back then, Trey," Tessa added quietly. "And she got over it a long time ago. I'm sure she has moved on with her life. Honestly, I think she and Adrian would make a lovely couple."
I forced myself to lean back in my chair, even though every muscle in my body had gone rigid. My jaw remained clenched, the tension in my chest growing heavier with every word she said.
She was never mine. Not then and not now. By every promise I had made and every line I refused to cross, I had no right to feel anything about it. Still, that truth did nothing to quiet the chaos inside me. It only made it harder to bear.
While the world believed I had everything a man could ever want, a perfect fiancée, a flawless future, and a life carefully arranged for success, all I could think about was Amara slowly slipping further away from me.
And the worst part was knowing there was someone else standing close to her now. A man who was not afraid to look at her the way I never allowed myself to.
Adrian.
And God help me, the thought of him having that chance made something dark and possessive twist inside my chest.
No matter how much I tried to deny it, part of me wanted to take that chance away from him.
"Tess, I know you want Amara to be happy," I said, trying to keep my voice calm even though irritation was slowly building inside me. "But please don't encourage her to get involved with Adrian. He may be my best friend, but we both know the kind of reputation he has. Adrian has always been a playboy."
I leaned forward slightly, my hands tightening together.
"If you really care about Amara, you shouldn't push her toward someone like him," I continued. "She deserves someone better than that. Adrian is not the type of man who settles down. You know that as well as I do."
Tessa looked at me for a moment, and then she laughed softly as if she found my concern ridiculous.
"You don't need to worry about Amara, Trey," she said. "If Adrian used to be a playboy, that doesn't mean Amara can't handle herself. She's not the same girl who used to follow you around years ago. She's strong now. She knows exactly what she's doing."
Her words only made the tight feeling in my chest grow worse.
"And honestly," she continued, tilting her head as she studied me, "it's not really your concern anymore, is it?"
I stiffened.
"You were the one who made it clear you didn't want her," Tessa added calmly. "You spent years making sure she understood that. So why are you suddenly worried about her getting hurt?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.
"Besides," she said with a small smile, "who knows? Maybe Amara is exactly the kind of woman Adrian needs. Maybe she's the one who can actually change him."
She paused, her smile widening slightly.
"And if you ask me, your best friend already has it bad for her."
The way she said it made something sharp twist in my chest. And for some reason, that only made me even more angry.
"Where is Amara?" I asked the following morning while my sister and I sat across from each other at the breakfast table.
The sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the dining room, but instead of enjoying the quiet morning, I found myself irritated. I was relieved Adrian had already left earlier to visit some of our friends. At least he was not here to witness this conversation.
Tessa calmly took a sip of her coffee before answering.
"She has not come back yet," she said casually. "Besides, it is still early in the morning, Trey."
I frowned.
"You told me yesterday that Adrian was with Amara," I said, my voice tightening with irritation. "But Adrian told me he had no idea where she was. In fact, he was asking me about her."
I leaned back slightly in my chair, my gaze sharpening on my sister.
"So why are you lying to me just to cover up your best friend's alibi?" I continued. "She should already be here. If she is out somewhere trying to relax, you had better tell her to come to my office before lunch. We need to talk."
My tone left no room for argument.
"She agreed to stay here in your house," I added firmly. "Which means she should be available whenever I need to see her."
Tessa slowly set her cup down on the table and looked at me with a knowing expression that instantly made me uneasy.
"I was not covering up for Amara," she said calmly. "Actually, I only mentioned Adrian's name because I wanted to see your reaction."
She tilted her head slightly as she studied my face.
"And I was right," she continued with a small smile. "You have feelings for Amara. You are just too stubborn to admit it."
I let out a sharp breath and pushed my plate slightly away.
"I do not have time for your nonsense, Tessa," I said flatly. "Call your friend and tell her to report to my office immediately."
Tessa simply raised an eyebrow.
"Just admit that you miss her, Trey," she said lightly.
"Stop it, Tessa," I snapped.
I ran a hand through my hair, already annoyed that this conversation was even happening.
"That is your problem," I continued. "You think I did not notice what you were doing. Out of all the wedding planners in the city, you just happened to choose Amara."
I looked directly at her.
"You were trying to play cupid."
Tessa said nothing, but the small smile on her lips confirmed my suspicion.
"Well, let me make one thing very clear, my dear sister," I said firmly. "You are wrong. I do not have feelings for your friend. You completely misread me."
Inside, however, I hated the fact that a part of me knew she was right.
But there was no way I would allow my emotions to control my judgment. I was Trey Alvarez. And I had always been in full control of my life.