Ashes Learned Human Names novel · Chapter 16 of 24
Chapter 16: Pink Tissue, Gold Letters
Gabriel raised his empty glass to Lucia through the terrace door, and she walked past him without a word.
She found Marta by the coat check and Elvira by the piano.
"We're leaving," Lucia said.
"He told you," Elvira said. It was not a question.
"Yes."
"Then I will have words with my grandson in the morning," Elvira said, "and you will not be there for them."
They left through the front doors, past two hundred people who had watched Rafael walk out on his brother's toast.
Rafael did not follow.
He had texted nine times by midnight, and Lucia turned the phone over each time.
She lay in the dark in Elvira's guest room and made herself think about what she had.
She had a recording of Gabriel saying nothing.
She had an attacker who named a girl called P and a lawyer who closed his mouth.
She had pink tissue paper, and Paulina's mother's boutique.
She also thought about Rafael's hand around the emerald, and the way his thumb had shaken.
She turned onto her good side and told herself that was not her business anymore.
On Monday morning she took Marta to Westheimer.
Ibarra and Daughters sat between a shoe store and a bank, with gold script on the window and a mannequin in a prom dress.
Inside, there were six customers, two girls at the dressing rooms and Paulina's mother at the register, with her hair done and her reading glasses on a chain.
She saw Lucia's face and went still.
Lucia crossed the carpet and laid something flat on the glass counter.
It was a sheet of pink tissue paper with gold letters.
The party favor bags at the gala had been wrapped in it, and she had taken one on the way out.
"Ma'am," Lucia said, in a voice that carried. "I'm Lucia Sandoval. I think you know why I'm here."
Keep reading free with an account. Start Ashes Learned Human Names from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 15 · All chapters · Chapter 17 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend