The early spring sun should have been the warmest of the year. Instead, I felt like I was standing in a blizzard.
An hour later, Noel walked out of the bedroom with his arm around a striking woman.
The moment Florence saw me sitting in the living room, she flinched as if the sky had fallen. Her eyes turned red in an instant.
"Oh, Brooklyn, this is all my fault. This is your and Noel's bridal suite. I never should have come here. But I just love this villa so much, and I thought you'd be away on your trip and would never find out. I didn't expect..."
Florence's lips trembled, and she burst into loud, heaving sobs.
"Please don't blame Noel, and please don't send me away. I really do love him. I'm not here to tear you apart. I'm here to be part of your lives."
She dropped to her knees in front of me again, slamming her forehead against the floor over and over.
Noel's expression shifted instantly. He rushed forward, pulling her into his arms, cradling her, his voice turning impossibly soft.
"Didn't I tell you never to hurt yourself, no matter what? Why don't you ever listen? It kills me to see this."