Compared to the rest of the villa, Alex's study was a bit dusty. The windows were tightly shut. Lily had to push the curtains aside to let sunlight flood into the room, while Leo sneezed as dust flew through the air.
Arianne hesitated to enter. It felt too personal, too intrusive to be in Alex's private space. But as she glanced around, she was reminded of what they'd lost. Baby pictures of the twins framed and placed on shelves. Pictures of Alex's school days on display.
She spotted a familiar picture on one of the shelves. She stepped inside and stared at it. She remembered when it was taken.
It was their senior year. She, Alex, and Gilbert had represented the school in a math competition—and won. She had been the only girl on the team. Not everyone had approved. It took weeks of preparation. Arianne used to compete individually, but when the school chose another student for that category, she was forced into the group category instead.
