The Weight of His Words

Vivienne’s POV

The elevator doors slid open, and as I stepped out, I drew a slow breath, trying to calm the tremor in my hands. My phone buzzed in my purse, and when I opened it, it was message from Nadine. My pulse quickened when I saw the attachment; Valentin’s speech for the ceremony.

I tapped it open, half-expecting lengthy paragraphs that I would have to quickly memorize. Instead, what I saw