Author's note: this is from Seraphina's point of view
- - -
~ Genoa ~
I was in my bed, holding the phone and enjoying my morning video chat with Duke.
"When will we see each other again?", Duke asked me for the third time in the last ten minutes.
I sighed and looked at his expectant face.
It's more than three weeks from our weekend in Frankfurt and to be honest, it's increasingly painful to stay away from him.
I repeated the well-rehearsed lie, "You know that I'm helping my father with this new formula. We are in the testing phase and making adjustments as necessary. Leaving it now would be detrimental because it's time-sensitive and he is relying on my help. No one else can step in because it will increase the risk that our work leaks and competitors get their hands on it. As soon as I can step away, I will let you know, and we will figure out something."
