Page 27 of Sweet Poison

Playing with my mother’s necklace around my neck, my thoughts keep drifting back to this morning. To him.

Madden.

Seeing him again felt like stepping into a dream—or maybe a bittersweet memory. When I saw him enter the conference room with his huge bodyguard in tow my heart skipped a thousand beats. There he was, my once friend and foster brother, now my favorite Formula 1 racer, standing just a few feet away from me in the same hotel I was staying at for the holidays. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I really thought my mind had conjured him up while I waited for the elevator doors to close.

He looked so incredibly handsome it almost hurt to look at him. Staring at Madden once felt like gazing directly at the sun. I still remember the first time we first met— how a warmth spread through me, igniting something deep inside. I was just a child who knew nothing of love except the love she felt for her family, but I sensed that Madden meant something— something beautiful. But we aren’t kids anymore and he’s different. He looked bored, distant, almost dead inside as he listened to what my colleagues had to say about our research.

He was quiet and angry when we first met, but little by little, he let me into his beautiful heart, and I got to know the sweet boy he truly was. So, seeing the dead look in his eyes now felt jarring and so painfully heartbreaking.

It’s surreal to think that for so many years I’ve only ever seen him through screens and glossy magazine covers, and there he was, right in front of me, as the owner of this magical resort. He’s not the boy I knew, and it hits me that to Madden, I’m nothing more than a faded memory in a sea of faces he’s seen since then.

But then the brief flicker of recognition in his eyes makes me believe that, maybe just maybe, he did remember me.

And as I watched him interact with everyone around him, I felt a pang of sadness. It’s clear he’s moved on from thepast, made something of himself, and proven all those doubters wrong. It makes me happy seeing him succeed, even if it’s from a distance.

I sigh as I glance at my reflection again, trying to shake off the melancholy the sudden thoughts brought. I’m eager to see what this evening holds, but a part of me is still stuck in that moment when I got lost in his dark gaze. It made me feel like no time had passed and it was just the two of us reading about mushrooms inside our little green world.

“Get over it, Willow…” I whisper to the empty room then add, “You’re no one to him.”

As I’m putting the finishing touches on my outfit, my phone buzzes with a video call. I tap the screen, and my cousins Ella and Raiza appear, their faces lighting up the small window in the corner of my screen.

Happiness blooms inside my chest chasing out the bittersweet feelings as I look at my cousins’ lovely faces.

“Oh hey, gorgeous!” Ella teases while signing with a wide smile. Raiza waves from behind her, a wide grin on her face. “Sunshine, you look hot. Where are you off too?” From the looks of it Raiza is in Montana visiting Ella and her family. I’m shocked since she swore she would never step foot in and I quote, “Horseshitville.”

I blush at Raiza’s compliment. “Thank you. I’m just getting ready for the welcome dinner with the team,” I reply, turning slightly so they can get a better view of my outfit. “What do you think? Is it too much? Should I change? I feel a bit silly.”

Raiza’s eyes widen with approval. “Don’t you dare! You look hot as hell. Green has always been your color.”

Ella nods in agreement. “I think you might steal a few hearts tonight.”

I wave her off then play with my mother’s necklace, a nervous habit of mine. “Oh, please. I’m just here for work.”

Ella rolls her eyes and leans in closer to the camera, her pink sundress flowing softly around her. She looks absolutely gorgeous, while Raiza, standing behind her dressed entirely in black, exudes a dark, captivating allure—like a sexy, female version of the Grim Reaper. “Try to enjoy yourself, yeah, Low?” she says with a teasing smile. “And remember you’re always the most interesting person in the room and don’t you ever think otherwise.”

“That’s not true,” I sign while laughing. I’m a nerd and people only seem to notice me when they realize I use sign language to communicate or the cochlear implant in my ear.

It’s okay.

I like who I am.

How could I not?

The most magical humans created me.

“Ella is right. You’re a babe and your brain is so hot,” Raiza adds. “Have fun tonight and don’t fall in love, please. Everyone seems to be falling victim to the damn thing. Even my brother. It’s got Aza, too!” She looks horrified and genuinely worried. “I’m beginning to think it’s contagious.”

I chuckle at that. I can’t take her seriously at times.

“Hush, Rai,” Ella says, rolling her eyes. “Love is an incredible feeling, and you both deserve one that’s as amazing and magical as it gets.”

“You shut your damn mouth.” Raiza leans closer to the camera. “Love is useless.”

“Love is everything,” Ella snaps back.

I laugh at both of them and their banter then I see a notification pop. It’s from Cleo telling me they’re at the table and asking where I am. I glance at the clock and realize it’s almost time to head down to the lobby. “I’ve got to go,” I say, “but I’ll call you guys later. Thanks for calling and making me laugh!”

“You’re not a victim, Low. Remember that. Don’t fall!” Raiza signs at the same time Ella signs the words “Have fun!” As I end the call and pocket the phone inside a small clutch with a mushroom design.

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