Arianne might be his elder sister, but Gio was aware others would not see them that way. She was the legitimate daughter of the Summers and Conway families—quiet, capable, expected. He was the mistake no one corrected.
Gio accompanied Arianne to the Conway estate not as her brother, but as her capable assistant. When the family moved to the dining area, Gio excused himself without a word, stepping out of the corridor's center and positioning himself near the tall window that overlooked the side garden, away from the direct path of their movement.
He did not want to cause any more trouble for Arianne than he already had.
The garden was filled with flowers—white and pale pink blossoms clustered along the stone paths, their petals damp from the afternoon mist. Trees stood scattered throughout, their thick trunks splitting light into uneven patches across the gravel below.
A few servants glanced his way and murmured. Gio pretended not to notice. He was used to it.
