Fern's Perspective
The day's work was finally over. Night had fallen, and the city's lights began to twinkle to life. I stood by the window of my office, watching the hurried figures below, but a heaviness settled in my heart. Though everything had seemed calm during the day, I knew this calm was nothing more than the quiet before the storm. Giovanni's growing interest in me, that nagging sense of familiarity, had become more pronounced. It unsettled me, amplifying the dilemma I couldn't escape.
I couldn't let him get close so easily, not when I had buried the past so deep in my heart. That painful memory had cost me far more than I ever expected. I had thought I'd be free of him, that I'd never again be haunted by what we once were. But now, standing before him once again, it felt like everything had come full circle. That indescribable pull, always tethering me to the past, was still there, and I couldn't escape it.
"Diana, what's wrong?" Marianne's voice snapped me back to reality. I turned to find her standing by my desk, concern written across her face.
"It's nothing, Marianne. I'm just a little tired," I replied, forcing a smile to mask my inner turmoil.
Marianne gave me a skeptical look, but said nothing more. She nodded and left with a faint smile. Though warm, it only made me feel more isolated. Everything here was foreign, and no matter how much I tried to integrate myself, I couldn't shake the sense of loss that lingered deep inside.
Giovanni's image flickered back into my mind. His presence seemed inescapable, lingering even when I tried to avoid him. No matter how much I told myself I needed distance, his every movement still affected me. Tonight, that familiar pull drew me in once more, and before I could stop myself, I found my phone in my hand, scrolling through news about his company.
"Giovanni announces he will begin choosing his Luna – is he ready to find a true mate for the werewolf pack?"
The headline sent a chill down my spine. As the werewolf alpha, every decision Giovanni made impacted the future of the entire pack. Now that he was actively seeking a Luna, it meant he was no longer alone—he was beginning the process of finding a new mate.
A weight settled in my chest. Six years ago, I had disappeared from his side, raising our children in seclusion, away from everything. And now, Giovanni was going to choose a new Luna. What did that mean for me? Suddenly, I realized that the distance between us wasn't just physical—it was a vast, unbridgeable divide that spanned both time and spirit.
"Diana?" Giovanni's voice cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.
I looked up, startled, to see him standing in the doorway of my office, his gaze penetrating, as though he could see through all my carefully guarded secrets. My heart skipped a beat. Even though I had prepared myself to distance from him, his presence still stirred something deep within me.
"Mr. Giovanni, is there something you need?" I forced myself to stand and regain my composure, trying my best to appear natural despite the sudden rush of unease beneath his intense stare.
He walked into the office, his eyes scanning my desktop before finally resting on my face. In that moment, I felt as if he saw something, though I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
"Diana, I need to talk to you." His voice was calm, yet firm, as if he had already made some important decision.
"Of course, Mr. Giovanni. What is it?" I frowned slightly, trying to maintain an air of calm rationality.
"I've decided it's time to start choosing a Luna for the pack." His eyes flickered for a moment as he said this, as though he were waiting for my reaction.
"I understand, Mr. Giovanni." I lowered my gaze, unable to meet his eyes. I knew all too well what this decision meant. Giovanni wasn't just making a choice for the future of the pack; he was also making a choice for his own future. And, I realized, I no longer had any place in that future.
"But…" He paused suddenly, his expression becoming more complex. "What I don't understand is why you remind me so much of her. Fern…"
My heart skipped a beat. I could barely breathe. Fern. The name slipped from Giovanni's lips once again, and I could almost hear the confusion and disbelief in his words.
"Mr. Giovanni, I am not Fern." I hastily interrupted, striving to keep my voice steady.
He stared at me, his confusion evident, but he didn't press the matter further. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again, his tone thoughtful.
"Diana, I'm glad you're here, but there's something I have to tell you. No matter how hard you try to hide it, some things can't stay hidden forever."
I knew exactly what he was referring to—our past, the one I had worked so hard to bury. The events of six years ago, the love from six years ago, the determination I had back then. All of it had been locked deep within my memory, but now it was rising, silently closing in on me like ghosts in the dark.
"Giovanni…" I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay composed. "I'm not her."
He looked at me, as though expecting some kind of explanation, but I knew better than to offer one. No words could change anything. No matter how much I tried to bury the past, how much I tried to erase it, our relationship had been irrevocably altered because of my decisions.
"I understand," he said finally, his voice low and calm, but I could see the disappointment in his eyes.
I knew that this moment had only added more distance between us.
"Diana," he said, changing the subject abruptly, "I've decided to host a party tonight and invite the members of my pack. You'll be invited as well, and as my assistant, I expect you to play a role in the event."
A party. Another one of Giovanni's grand displays of power and authority. And I, still the woman standing quietly by his side, in the shadows.
I nodded, agreeing to his request. In any case, I had to remain calm and maintain my cover. Tonight, I would continue playing my hidden role in Giovanni's world—until the day my true identity was revealed.