My Beloved Has Risen from Death’s Embrace

Chapter 29

Samuel frowned as he looked at Xanthea, swaddled in layers despite the scorching summer heat. “Xan, why on earth are you wrapped up like it’s winter? And that scarf, really?”

Bombarded with questions, Xanthea felt her head spin.

I

“Well, can I just go upstairs and drop off my stuff first?”

Without waiting for an answer, she dashed upstairs, yanked off her scarf, and grimaced at the twin ‘love bites’ Orion had left on her neck. Were they from a dog? What would parents think if they saw?

a her

She grabbed her concealer and worked diligently until the marks were barely visible, then slipped on a turtleneck just to be sure. Satisfied that no one could see the marks, she opened her door.

Matthew, who had been waiting right outside, nearly stumbled in.

“Matt?”

Xan,” he stammered. “I was just about to knock. Where were you tonight? I’ve been

awards, I wanted to tell you first, Matt. But I saw you leaving with Miranda, and when I tried to catch up, I got mobbed by fans. My dress almost got ripped, and it was only when my uncle showed up

She was upset, and I thought it might affect

why she hadn’t seen

Matt. It’s just sad I

from the wait, deepened. He cursed himself

previous

“I’m

really wanted to celebrate with you today. I even bought flowers. And you, you were so stunning on stage tonight, so charming, totally different

and admiration, didn’t escape Xanthea’s notice. She chuckled inwardly; he really could

sing

“Please do!”

1/2

hand, Xanthea, light as a bird, flitted downstairs. “Mom, did you make all this

hand fall, resigning himself to wait a little longer. Soon, he thought, they would be engaged, and she would

he considered engagements merely a formality, now he couldn’t

hearing Xanthea’s voice echo through the mansion, scolded gently,