Chapter 86

AUBREY I feel the crunch of gravel beneath my feet as Knox and I make our way down the winding garden path toward Caroline's gazebo. The evening air carries the sweet scent of blooming jasmine, mixed with the earthy aroma of fresh herbs from the garden beds. My cream sweater provides little protection against the cooling air, and I find myself leaning closer to Knox's warmth. The gazebo comes into view, its white-painted iron framework wrapped in climbing roses. Caroline sits at her usual spot, her silver hair caught in the golden light of sunset. She's surrounded by stacks of papers and several leather-bound planning books, her reading glasses perched on the edge of her nose. What catches my attention, though, is the familiar stack of cream-colored envelopes on the table beside her. My stomach drops. I know those envelopes – they're our wedding invitations, the ones I spent hours selecting with the perfect weight of paper and elegant gold foil lettering. "Caroline?" I call out, trying