Running into Cecily didn't surprise me.

But I hadn't expected Lucius and Helena to be standing next to her.

I remembered that Lucius hated shopping, so seeing him now, carrying shopping bags with two women in tow, looked almost out of place, yet somehow made sense.

But since we had crossed paths, there was no way around it—out of politeness and obligation, I had to greet the three of them.

Even though I really didn’t want to.

Helena took a ...