The Shadow of the Snow E-Book

Alice Tani

• Herausgeber: Youcanprint
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Candice is a famous Hollywood actress. Her heart is darkened by a shadow, and she cannot trust men. Especially attractive, self-confident ones. Like Trent, the new confidant of her childhood friend Lilian. Trent is also an actor, and he too is forced to live with a shadow that prevents him from falling in love. When Lilian manages to arrange an evening out to bring them together, a strong attraction immediately arises between Candice and Trent. Unfortunately, however, a misunderstanding ruins everything and the two find themselves hating each other. However, attraction is more powerful than hatred, and on a snowy night the irreparable happens. Although they both agree that it cannot work between them, they cannot resist each other, so they decide to make a special arrangement. Basic condition: Lilian must never know. But the shadows of the past are always around the corner. Thus, what started as a game becomes something much more complicated. And afterwards, nothing will ever be the same. "The Shadow of the Snow", Alice Tani's debut novel, in a completely revamped edition. Includes a preview of the second volume "Soul Mates".

Leseprobe

Table of contents

Plot

1. 18 February

2. 19 February

3. 22 February

4. 23 February

5. 23 February

6. 24 February

7. 25 February

8. 25 February

9. 25 February

10. 26 February

11. 27 February

12. 28 February

13. 28 February

14. 6 March

15. 6 March - 21 March

16. 23 March - 16 May

17. 16 May - 30 May

18. 31 May

19. 1 June - 2 June

20. 3 June

21. 3 June - 21 June

22. 22 June - 8 November

23. 22 November

24. 22 November

Acknowledgements

Soul Mates - Preview

1. 8 November – One year and two weeks earlier

Read more...

Alice Tani

The Shadow of the Snow

Volume 1

Youcanprint Self-Publishing

The Shadow of the Snow. Volume 1

Author | Alice Tani

Second Edition

Copyright ©2018 Alice Tani

Cover illustration | Valentina Licari

ISBN | 9791222799988

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, institutions, places, and events, except those in the public domain, are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real facts, places, or persons is purely coincidental.

2025 © All rights reserved by the author

No part of this book may be reproduced without the

prior consent of the Author.

Youcanprint

Via Marco Biagi 6, 73100 Lecce - Italy

www.youcanprint.it

[email protected]

The Shadow of the Snow

Volume 1

Candice is a famous Hollywood actress. Her heart is darkened by a shadow, and she cannot trust men. Especially attractive, self-confident ones. Like Trent, the new confidant of her childhood friend Lilian. Trent is also an actor, and he too is forced to live with a shadow that prevents him from falling in love. When Lilian manages to arrange an evening out to bring them together, a strong attraction immediately arises between Candice and Trent. Unfortunately, however, a misunderstanding ruins everything and the two find themselves hating each other. However, attraction is more powerful than hatred, and on a snowy night the irreparable happens. Although they both agree that it cannot work between them, they cannot resist each other, so they decide to make a special arrangement. Basic condition: Lilian must never know. But the shadows of the past are always around the corner. Thus, what started as a game becomes something much more complicated. And afterwards, nothing will ever be the same.

“The Shadow of the Snow”, Alice Tani’s debut novel, in a completely revamped edition.

Includes a preview of the second volume “Soul Mates”.

1

18 February

"I can't wait to see you too, Vic."

While talking on the phone, Candice took a box of cereal out of the cupboard and poured an abundant amount into a cup of warm milk. "Of course we'll go. You can tell Bettie, too."

She stirred the mixture of milk and flakes with a spoon and brought a generous portion to her mouth. "I'll gladly ask her. I've wanted to introduce her to you for a long time. I don't think there will be any problem; however, I'll confirm after I meet her in person in Vancouver. I'll talk to you soon. Bye, Victoria."

Candice switched off the communication and took another spoonful of cereal as her mind focused on the imminent future. It was now just over a month until filming began on Magical Two - the second film based on the book series of the same name - and she was absolutely thrilled. She loved acting in fantasy films. They were her passion. She couldn't be more grateful for the luck that had given her the chance to become an actress and play such dream roles. Roles like Eryn, the nymph of Secrets Lake, or Gayla, the brave elf maiden of Drake. And finally, Hanna, the girl who discovers to descend from a line of witches and falls in love with a sorcerer from an enemy clan. Candice had thoroughly enjoyed experiencing first-hand Hanna's love for her Lawrence. In fact, she had felt truly fulfilled.

At that thought, she smiled bitterly.

The reason she loved acting so much was precisely this: living someone else's life. A magical and exciting life, where good triumphs over evil and true love exists and lasts forever.

A life painfully different from her own.

With a sigh, she finished her breakfast and placed her cup in the sink. Such gloomy thoughts in the early morning were not at all healthy, so she decided to drown them out with a hot, relaxing shower.

As expected, the vapours from the bath lifted her spirits, and Candice smiled. She would soon see her friends, Victoria and Bettie, again. All the cast members of Magical were really nice, but she had formed a special bond with the two actresses who played her magical sisters in the show. It was Victoria she had just been speaking to on the phone. Her friend had suggested a day of shopping in Vancouver during a break between shoots, and she had accepted eagerly. She was also overjoyed when Victoria asked her to invite Lilian along. The idea of introducing her childhood friend to her favourite colleagues intrigued her greatly.

However, as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a bathrobe, a far less pleasant thought crossed her mind. The meeting between Lilian and the two witches of Magical was not the only one planned. She was also set to meet someone soon: Trent Greenfern, Lilian's new best friend.

Candice wrapped a towel around her head and went to her room to get dressed. She had no intention of going out that day, so she could forego paparazzi-proof clothes in favour of an old black jumpsuit. As she slipped into her sweatshirt, she allowed herself to think about the actor she would meet a few days later.

Lilian had often spoken to her about Trent, always with such enthusiasm that she almost felt jealous. Lilian and Candice had known each other since childhood and were very close. They had shared many experiences and knew they could rely on each other for anything. Nothing could ever break their bond. However, for some time now, Candice had the impression that Lilian no longer confided in her as she once did.

In her mind, she went back to about four years earlier when her friend had shut herself away for a long time. She had even put her career on hold, declaring she was too tired to work. Candice had tried to find out if there was something deeper behind that official excuse, but each time she hit a wall of silence. So she stopped insisting. Whatever her friend was hiding, she had no intention of telling her. Then, after almost two years of confinement, Lilian started acting again. As good as ever. And Trent Greenfern was always mentioned in her speeches. Maybe she had been able to confide in him.

As she returned to the bathroom to dry her long brown curls, Candice let out a deep sigh. Clearly, Trent had secured an important place in Lilian's life. A place far more significant than the one Candice held. But deep down, it was only natural. A partner has a higher priority than a friend. After all, she too had neglected Lilian after she got involved with...

Suddenly she froze, the hairdryer still switched off in one hand. No, she wasn't supposed to think of that name. Not even by accident.

With a quick gesture, she plugged the appliance into the power socket and began to dry her hair. Her mind had wandered too far. It was better to refocus on Lilian and Trent and their peculiar relationship. Lilian insisted they were just friends, yet she spoke of him as one could only speak of a boyfriend. No one was as sweet, kind, and understanding as her Trent. However, if Candice even joked about anything romantic between them, her friend would go ballistic. Trent was simply a very dear friend and an excellent colleague. A few months earlier, they had filmed a movie together—Memories—and Lilian had done nothing but talk about how stimulating it had been to work with him.

At that moment, Candice remembered that she hadn't had the chance to watch that film yet. Officially, it hadn't been released in cinemas, but Lilian had personally arranged for a DVD copy to be delivered to her.

"So you can preview it and tell me what you think!" she had told her, enthusiastically. "Trent is great in this film!"

And she would have definitely seen it, especially if she intended to honour the pact she had made with Lilian after they became actresses. Each promised to watch all of the other's films and then provide an honest opinion on her acting abilities. It was a way of supporting and advising each other.

Candice finished drying her hair and went to the living room, where the DVD was waiting for her on the cabinet that held the television. She inserted the disc into the player and switched on the television.

As she curled up on the sofa with her knees to her chin, she reflected that this was the first time she had ever watched a film with Trent Greenfern. She knew he had starred in a season of Greenstone with Lilian—that was where the two had met—but Candice had only seen the episode in which her friend appeared, and he wasn't in that one. Moreover, the actor's other films or TV series hadn't caught her interest. Not even Nowhere, the series set on a desert island where he was one of the main characters. So the truth was she only knew what he looked like because she had caught a glimpse of him in a trailer or a promotional photo. From what little she remembered, Trent was physically attractive, but nothing exceptional.

While immersed in these considerations, the film began.

The first scene opened with a funeral. The priest was delivering a speech to commemorate the deceased, Natasha, and a group of people dressed in black occupied the wooden pews. Lilian, the protagonist, was seated in the back row.

“Not a bad start,” Candice thought, wryly.

At the end of his speech, the pastor asked if anyone wished to say a few words in memory of Natasha.

For a few seconds, no one moved. Then, a young man stood up from the front row and walked briskly towards the pulpit.

At that moment, Candice's heart leapt. It was him—Trent. And he was simply beautiful. He was wearing an elegant black suit, a white shirt and a black tie. His dark hair was very short, and his magnetic grey eyes stood out against his perfectly smooth face.

Unconsciously, Candice moistened her lips. Without a doubt, this was the boy she had glimpsed in those photos from Nowhere. Only now he was different. More mature. More interesting. Attractive.

As if hypnotised, Candice stared at him as he ascended the pulpit.

The camera lingered on his icy eyes as they scanned the crowd for a moment. Then, Trent began to speak. His voice was low and warm, slightly hoarse at the end of words. Natasha was his fiancée and he remembered her in a sincere and touching manner. Lilian burst into tears, moved. And Candice realised something terrible: she liked Trent Greenfern. Quite a lot.

Throughout the film, the actress desperately tried to focus solely on Lilian and her acting, but found it impossible. An unknown force kept drawing her attention back to Trent and every detail that defined him: the athletic physique, the slightly pronounced jawline, the seductive smile. But above all, his irresistibly icy eyes. Everything about him attracted her like a magnet, and that was not good at all. In fact, it was downright bad.

Therefore, when the credits appeared on the screen, Candice let out a sigh of relief. The torture was over.

Exhausted, she turned off the TV and leaned back against the sofa. It had been a long time since she had felt attracted to someone like that.

"Oh, please!" she exclaimed, in an indignant tone. "I can't be attracted to Trent!"

Involuntarily, her honey-coloured eyes landed on the laptop resting on the coffee table in front of her, and an unsettling thought entered her mind.

"No, Candice. Don't even think about it."

But her back had already curved forward, and her hands had moved to grasp the small white computer.

"This is really a crazy idea," she said to herself, as her fingers slid over the mousepad and clicked on the browser icon.

The Google homepage appeared on the screen, and she quickly typed the keywords "Trent Greenfern" into the image search engine. After a few seconds, the page was filled with photographs. Most were from the TV series Nowhere, but that wasn’t all. Many depicted the actor in sophisticated model poses. Others seemed to be taken from TV series like Greenstone, or films such as Memories. Then, shots of him in the company of women appeared. Colleagues, partners, or both. But what particularly caught Candice's eye were some promotional shots for a new TV series: Dark Lights. Almost all of them showed a young and beautiful actress flanked by Trent and another actor looking longingly at her: Diana, a human girl torn between the evil black demon Dorian and the sweet white angel Gabriel.

Candice frowned. A few weeks earlier, the production team of Dark Lights had contacted her to offer an audition for the role of Diana, but she had to decline because she was already busy filming the Magical saga.

Intrigued, she returned to looking at the photographs, focusing on Trent. With his sombre appearance, the actor could only play Dorian, and Candice had to admit that he was not bad at all in that role. Her eyes involuntarily fell on the actress who would play Diana, and she immediately felt a pang of jealousy. It could have been her, Diana. Instead, due to a trivial clash between the shooting of Magical Two and the pilot of Dark Lights, the role had gone to someone else.

Resigned, Candice sighed before proceeding with her crazy plan. She closed the image page and typed the actor's name into the Twitter search bar. Within seconds, Trent's account appeared on the screen. His profile picture captured him sitting on a wooden bench surrounded by greenery. He was wearing dark jeans, a leather jacket and a black cap.

Blushing, Candice forced herself to look away from his captivating smile, and it was then that her attention was caught by a small phrase next to the actor's name: “Follows you.”.

The girl ignored her racing heart as her mind processed what she had just discovered. Many people followed her on Twitter, but most of them were simply her admirers.

"Could it be that Trent is a fan of mine?" she wondered, with a feeling that ranged from disbelief to amusement.

But she immediately discarded that possibility. If Trent had been an admirer of her, Lilian would have known and told her.

She pondered for a few moments, uncertain about what to do, and finally decided to go ahead with it. She moved the cursor to the “Follow” button next to Trent's photo and clicked. Now she was following him too, she just had to contact him.

She opened the private message page and took a deep breath. It was simple. After all, he was Lilian's friend, so there was no harm in sending a greeting. She exhaled completely and began to type.

"Hi, Trent! Lilian told me we'll both be at her place in a few days! We can finally get to know each other! Nervous?"

She had just sent the private tweet when she realised her throat was dry. Damn, she didn't think she could be that nervous.

She re-read the tweet, wondering if it had been too confidential, and decided to send a second message just in case.

"P.S. Thanks for the following. I'll follow you too, if you don't mind."

There, now maybe she wouldn't look so crazy.

She closed Twitter, shut the browser and lowered the lid of her laptop, reflecting on the foolishness she had just committed. She had promised herself that she would be done with handsome, magnetic-eyed men for good, yet here she was, having just contacted Trent Greenfern—who undoubtedly fell into that category—and eagerly awaiting Lilian to introduce him to her.

"You are a real fool, Candice," she mentally scolded herself. "You just can't learn from bad experiences."

***

Nervous? Trent was not nervous. He was simply thrilled. In a few days, he would meet Candice Freelight, Lilian's childhood friend and the most beautiful actress he had ever seen.

Ecstatic, he could not hold back a sigh.

Candice had many admirers, but he proudly considered himself her number one fan. He still remembered the first time he saw her on the silver screen. With her honey-coloured eyes and snow-white complexion, complemented by long dark curls, Candice was simply perfect—the most attractive girl he had ever seen.

And of course, she was very good. Trent had watched all her films, even those that weren't in his favourite genre, and had never been disappointed. Candice's presence was enough to make the viewing more than enjoyable. And, in a few days, Lilian would introduce him to that extraordinary woman.

Unconsciously, he frowned. He could not understand why Candice had contacted him. In her first message, she claimed to have spoken to Lilian. Perhaps their mutual friend had let slip something about his admiration for her, and she had seen fit to send a greeting to her number one fan. At that possibility, he blushed with embarrassment. "What a fool I must look!"

In any case, he had not yet replied to her because he really did not know what to say.

Involuntarily, his eyes drifted to the clock on the wall and he saw that it was almost ten o'clock at night. Perhaps it was too late to call Lilian. The filming of Destiny had started that very day, so his friend was probably tired and already asleep.

With a sigh, he closed the laptop lid and went to lie down on the bed. From the bathroom adjacent to the room, the sound of splashing water informed him that Miriam had returned from work.

"She might as well have come to say hello to me before showering."

Lately, his girlfriend had been acting really weird. In general, she had never hidden her annoyance when his job required him to spend time with young, attractive actresses, but since he was cast as Dorian in Dark Lights alongside the beautiful Olivia Cooper, she had become even more jealous and possessive. Not to mention how much she detested Lilian.

In a bad mood, he closed his eyes. He knew he couldn't force Miriam to be friends with Lilian, but he still couldn't help feeling sorry at the thought that the two most important women in his life couldn't bond.

For a few minutes, he lay motionless on his back, his hands clasped behind his neck and his eyes closed. Then his mobile phone rang, and Trent instinctively jumped to his feet when he recognised the personalised ringtone. It was her.

"Hello, Lily?" he replied, with a smile.

"Trent!"

His friend's voice sounded upset, and, in an instant, Trent's good mood was replaced by a sense of alertness. However, he remained composed. One of the rules he had set for himself was that if Lilian was agitated, he should not let her see that he was concerned. It would only make the situation worse.

"Has something happened, Lilian?" he asked, cautiously.

"Here, I... He..."

"He?" Trent interjected abruptly, breaking all the rules. If there was a “he”, nothing good could have happened. Not with Lilian. "Who is he? What did he do to you?"

"No, Trent, don't worry. It's nothing like that."

The friend's voice was now almost amused. "It's just that I shot a scene with Malcolm MacCloud today."

Immediately afterwards, she began to tell him what had happened that morning during the filming of Destiny, when her character had to interact with MacCloud's. And, as she spoke, Trent relaxed. Thank goodness, nothing serious had occurred. Lilian was just excited to be working with an actor she held in high esteem.

"So that's what this is all about, Lily?" he remarked, allowing himself a liberating laugh. "You worked with the actor you've admired since childhood, and now you can't sleep?"

"No, it's not that!" she defended herself, deeply hurt. "It's just that..." She hesitated. "Trent, he is... charming," she concluded, feeling embarrassed.

Involuntarily, Trent smiled. So that was the point. Lilian admired MacCloud not only as an actor, but also as a man.

As he pondered the possible implications of this, Lilian began to speak haltingly. She told him how Malcolm had done a great job of putting her at ease during the filming, but above all, she confessed that at one point he had touched her and strangely she had not felt annoyed. On the contrary, she had enjoyed that contact. From that moment on, she had perceived a kind of complicity between them. Without understanding why, she had felt full of confidence in this unknown man, so much older than her, and this had shocked her.

As she spoke, delving into more and more detail, a new feeling began to well up in Trent's chest — something perilously akin to jealousy — and he shook his head, troubled. It was impossible for him to be jealous of Lilian. She was his confidante, his little sister. She was not his girlfriend. Yet, the thought that the actress might be attracted to another man irritated him immensely.

"Calm down, Trent. Now is not the time to think about this."

For the first time in a long while, Lilian had interacted with a man other than him without having a panic attack. It was almost a miracle. Therefore, jealousy was truly inappropriate.

"Lilian, calm down!" he called her, as she began to delirious.

Immediately, the actress interrupted her outburst and Trent sighed. "Now calm down, baby. Breathe."

Drawing on what he had learned from the many yoga classes they had taken together, he spoke to her in a low, patient voice, helping her to regain calm through breath control. Once Lilian was calm again, he decided to analyse the situation from an objective point of view.

"Did you say Malcolm touched you?" he asked her, doubtful.

"No! Not at all, Trent!" she squealed, embarrassed. "He wasn't hitting on me! He just put his hand on my shoulder when he complimented me on how I had played the part."

"And you didn't get nervous."

"No."

Trent closed his eyes, as his mind assimilated the facts.

"Lilian, I think this is a wonderful thing," he declared sincerely. "I understand that your attraction to MacCloud has troubled you, but I would now focus on a much more important fact. You were able to let him place his hand on your shoulder and this didn't cause you any problems. In fact, you even found it pleasant! That's fantastic, love!"

Now he was the one speaking in bursts, fuelled by the genuine enthusiasm he felt for his friend's recovery, combined with a desperate need to ignore the pangs of jealousy that pricked his chest.

"Put the rest aside for now! You’ll have plenty of time to think about how you feel about MacCloud in the coming days. Maybe you’ll become good friends, or you’ll find out he’s dreadfully boring. Or... who knows?"

"Thank you, Trent."

A sincere note of affection and gratitude resonated in Lilian's voice, and Trent felt his heart warm. He knew that one day—perhaps not too far away—she would find love, but he would keep watching over her. Like an older brother.

"Think no more about it, Lily," he murmured. "Life is yours now."

"I know," she replied, slowly. "However... I have remembered. And I don't want to remember anymore."

Dejected, the boy sighed. Shadows. They were always lurking, ready to jump out and obscure any smallest glimmer of light.

Trent was the only one who knew the shadow that dwelled in Lilian's heart, just as she was the only one who knew his. Their shared secret was the foundation of their bond, and nothing could ever break or taint it—least of all unfounded jealousy.

They remained silent for a long time, listening to each other's breathing, distant yet very close. Finally, she spoke again.

"Trent, when are you coming to see me? I know you have some filming here."

At that question, he became agitated.

"Just give me time to catch the plane and I'll be there to hug you!"

He would have loved to answer her that way, but he could not.

"I'm sorry, Lilian, but the shooting is further away than expected," he informed her. "We will start on 30th March, and frankly, I don't think I can reach you before then."

"Too bad," muttered Lilian, disappointed.

"Yeah."

Trent knew he had upset her, but he couldn't reveal that Miriam had specifically requested him not see her. "I want you to be with me when you don't have to shoot. Not with that one!"

And he assured her that he would spend every free moment with her. After all, it was normal for his partner to want to be with him when he didn't have to work. What wasn't normal was that he didn't want the same thing. The truth was that his love life was a disaster. He and Miriam were always fighting because she had no faith in him. However, Lilian had absolutely no need to know that.

Trent's mind began working frantically, searching for a topic to lift his friend's spirits. Eventually, he remembered the main reason he wanted to hear from her.

"Hey, I got a tweet this morning! Guess who from?"

Immediately, Lilian laughed.

"And how do I do that? You are followed by a lot of people!"

"It is someone you know," he replied, mischievously. "An extremely easy one to guess."

On the other side, his friend remained silent, evidently busy thinking. Finally, her voice resounded sharply in the device.

"No way! Candice wrote to you!"

"Yeah, I opened my account and found that she started following me."

"And what did she write to you?" she wanted to know, curious. "She hadn't told me anything! Although, in fact, I still haven't heard from her today."

Trent inhaled deeply. He had read those two messages so many times that he now knew them by heart. So it was not difficult for him to recite them like a film script.

"However, I still have to answer her." He hesitated for a moment before asking the question that was close to his heart. "Lilian, may I ask what you told her about me?"

"No, Trent, I didn't tell her that you're an admirer of hers," she said softly. "I told her that you're a special friend and that I very much hope to bring you two together soon. And since all three of us will be here in a few days..."

"Will she be there?" interrupted Trent, incredulous.

"Yes, she has to shoot Magical Two here in Vancouver. So I told her that maybe we can finally meet."

Excited, Trent took a deep breath. So Candice had not fooled him. They would soon be able to meet for real.

"Yes, it wouldn't hurt for us all to go out together," he admitted, hiding his excitement. "I'll let you know if I can manage a weekend, but don't count on it. I'll have to consult Miriam."

"Of course, don't worry!" the other intervened, understanding. "In fact, excuse me for disturbing you at this hour."

"No problem," he declared, shrugging. "I'll let you know as soon as possible when I can come."

"I'm counting on it. Thanks again for everything, Trent."

"Thank you. Good night, Lily."

"Good night."

His friend interrupted the conversation, and Trent couldn't suppress an emotional smile. That day, a glimmer of light had pierced the shadow darkening his little Lilian's heart. He had feared it would never happen, but perhaps there was still hope. At least for her.

With a somewhat lighter heart, he placed his mobile phone on the desk and stretched his arms above his head. Soon he would be able to hug his best friend again and meet his favourite actress. His excitement was through the roof.

However, as soon as he turned to go back to bed, he couldn't help but wince. Miriam was staring at him from the doorway, her arms crossed. A loose pink T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants concealed her shapely figure. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back behind her head, her lips tight in a grimace, and her hazel eyes seemed to radiate lightning. She was furious.

2

19 February

"Nervous? Absolutely! I can't wait to meet you, Candice!"

Candice blinked a couple of times before re-reading those words. When she opened her Twitter account that morning, she never thought she would actually find a message from Trent Greenfern. Yet, the actor had even replied to her twice.

"Of course if you follow me here on Twitter you just make me happy! See you soon!"

Unconsciously, Candice gave a bitter smile. Trent was breathtakingly handsome, so he couldn't also be sincere. That was what her experience had taught her. So it mattered little what mythical opinion Lilian might have of him. Those two messages the actor had sent her could only be a pathetic tease at her expense.

She closed Twitter in irritation and sighed. She had no intention whatsoever of letting Trent mock her. She was done with guys like him. She picked up the phone and dialled Lilian's number.

Her friend replied almost immediately.

"Good morning, consummate actress!"

"Good morning, Hollywood starlet!" replied Candice, affectionately. "I'm calling to tell you that I saw Memories yesterday."

"I'm ready for the criticism," her friend retorted, anxious. "You will be honest as always, won't you?"

“Of course,” promised Candice, with a smile.

Immediately afterwards, she shared her impressions on the film, discussing the plot, individual scenes and various actors. Finally, she praised her flawless performance.

"I'm grateful to you, Candy," Lilian said, relieved. "I admit I was really nervous at first. Fortunately, Trent helped me relax. What do you think of him, by the way? Do you like his acting?"

At that direct question, Candice held back a sigh. She would have taken sadistic pleasure in venting her frustrations about Trent and his mediocre acting, but unfortunately she could not.

"I think he's absolutely fantastic," she admitted, sincere.

"Yes, I know, he is very good." Lilian sounded proud as a wife who has been congratulated on her husband getting a promotion.

"Yeah, sure, he's really good, and..." Candice froze, feeling her cheeks turn strawberry red.

"And?" invited Lilian.

Embarrassed, Candice held her breath. She could still have decided to stop, instead she lost control completely.

"Lilian, Trent is the most handsome man I have ever seen!"

A roaring laugh greeted that revelation, and Candice felt even more furious with herself.

"Don't laugh, Lily!" she blurted

"Alright, I'm not laughing!" apologised Lilian, amused. "I must admit, though, that hearing you talk about him like that pleases me! Is that why you wrote to him?"

Involuntarily, Candice frowned. She had written to Trent only twenty-four hours earlier, yet Lilian was already aware of it.

"Did he tell you that?"

“Obviously.”

Candice sighed, resigned.

“I understand. Anyway, no, it's not that. I found out by chance that he follows me on Twitter, so I sent him a greeting. I suspect he's an admirer of mine.”

"Why do you think that?" inquired her friend, in a neutral tone.

"What reason would he have to follow me otherwise?"

"Maybe because he knows you are my childhood friend?"

"Maybe," Candice conceded, deciding not to push it. "However, the tone of his reply leaves me with this doubt."

"Did he answer you?" the other asked immediately, surprised.

Incredulous, Candice opened her eyes wide.

"Didn't he tell you?"

"No.”

At that revelation, Candice felt slightly relieved. Evidently, it was still possible to communicate with one of them without the other knowing. She had almost feared that some sort of telepathic link existed between them.

"And what did he tell you?" wanted to know Lilian, curious.

Candice giggled.

"He is very nervous about meeting me. Lovely, isn't he?"

"Yes, Trent is a very sweet guy," agreed her friend, not catching the sarcasm hidden in her words.

Her tone was so full of affection that Candice suddenly felt exhausted. It was impossible for only friendship to exist between Lilian and Trent. She had never spoken of anyone like that.

"Lilian, tell me the truth," she said, unable to contain herself. "Has there really never been anything between you?"

Lilian's voice sounded forcibly calm.

"No, I have already told you many times."

"Have you never slept together?" Candice pointed out, holding her breath.

The friend's exasperated reaction was not long in coming.

"I told you no! Why won't you believe me?"

Feeling guilty, Candice bit her lower lip.

"I apologise, Lily. Of course I believe you. I'm just surprised, because you never told me how handsome he is."

"To me it is an irrelevant detail, Candy."

"Alright, I don't want to upset you," Candice apologised again. "Can I just ask if he's dating anyone?"

"Yes, he is engaged. His girlfriend's name is Miriam.”

Upon hearing that information, Candice felt an inexplicable disappointment rise in her chest, which irritated her. It was none of her business if Trent had a girlfriend, was it? Annoyed with herself, she spoke without thinking.

"Too bad. I would have liked to give him a couple of small bites."

"What?" exclaimed Lilian, scandalised. "Are you serious, Candice?"

In an instant, the irritation in Candice's chest turned to indignation. Lilian knew her better than anyone, so she should have known she would never speak of a man in those terms. Yet, from her tone, it seemed she believed her. Had they really drifted so far apart? Disappointed, she provoked her.

"You don't mean to tell me you're jealous? You told me Trent is just a friend."

"In fact, I'm not jealous," declared the other resolutely. "But I can't stand you talking about him like that! Besides, it's not really like you to speak that way!"

"Maybe I have changed," Candice defended herself, wounded in her pride.

It was a relief that Lilian questioned her stupid words, yet she was too stubborn to take them back. "I desperately need a distraction these days."

"And do you look for it in sex?" retorted Lilian, disgusted. "Have it your way, Candice, but know that the idea of using sex to escape problems really horrifies me! Using another person's body is wrong, whatever the reason!"

Candice was puzzled for a moment. In general, she agreed with what Lilian was saying, however her tone was overly heated.

"Don't you think you're going too far now?" she tried to calm her down.

"No, I'm not exaggerating at all!" squealed the other. "And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't have such talk with me!"

"Alright, Lilian, alright. I was only joking."

“Well, this joke didn't make me laugh! Besides, this conversation is pointless. Trent's engaged, and he's a loyal guy, so you'll need to find someone else for your distractions.”

Displeased, Candice decided to put her pride aside.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. It's just that..."

She paused and took a breath, eager to justify her reactions. "You know what I went through, don't you?"

"Of course," replied her friend, again polite.

"There. After him, I... I no longer felt attraction for anyone. And I know it's weird, but... When I saw Trent..."

Candice bit her lip, feeling annoyingly exposed. She hated Trent Greenfern, for the mere fact that he made her feel that way.

"It will be really embarrassing to meet him," she concluded.

"And for what reason?" replied Lilian, amused. "I don't think you need to let him know that as soon as you saw him you were dazzled by his beauty."

"Of course not!" agreed Candice, horrified.

Lilian gave a little laugh and she huffed, changing the subject.

"In any case, in two or three days I will be in Vancouver."

"Three days?" repeated the friend, surprised. "I thought you started filming at the end of March!"

"Yes, 23th March. However, I would like to take advantage of the fact that you are there to go and fix up my new house."

"Perfect, then we can be together for a few days!" Lilian replied enthusiastically. "I have to leave you now, though. Let me know when you arrive, OK? Talk to you soon, Candy!"

"No, Lilian, wait!" interrupted Candice, impulsively. "Do you know when he will arrive?"

Her friend did not answer immediately, and the actress felt her heart race as she waited. However, when Lilian finally got in touch, her response was not what she had hoped for.

“Maybe yes, maybe no.”

Later, in the shower, Candice reflected on her own idea of a relationship. Since childhood, she had always dreamed of a great love: meeting a man, getting to know him and falling in love. Of course, she had often fantasised about someone in purely physical terms, but those fantasies had always remained just that. She could never have gone with a man just for fun. That wasn't her style. That was why the words she had directed at Lilian were meaningless—a delirious monologue driven by the anger she felt towards herself for falling for it again.

She sighed bitterly. In the end, her impeccable conduct and her cheesy romanticism had achieved only one thing: she was twenty-eight years old and had never physically been with a man.

Lilian did not know. She was certainly convinced that she and her ex had done it, but in reality they had never gone through with it because she had not wanted to. She had never felt ready.

Frustrated, she let out another sigh. Maybe letting go could be good for her. Trent was certainly not the only attractive man she would meet. She just needed to look.

With that thought in her mind, she wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out of the shower to approach the mirror. But the moment she saw her own reflection in the tarnished glass, painful tears of despair welled up in her eyes. The truth was that she was only fooling herself. She would never go with a man just for the fun of it. At the cost of being alone forever.

***

An empty bedroom. An empty living room. An empty house.

Trent sighed, wandering around the silent rooms. Miriam was gone for good, and the small flat he had shared with her seemed as huge as a palace.

He sat on the marital bed and thought back to the previous evening, to the umpteenth quarrel that had led to their final break-up. He had just ended his conversation with Lilian when his ex-girlfriend had attacked him with unprecedented force, hurling harsh and biting words at him. Insults. Insinuations. Accusations.

Trent lay on his back and closed his eyes as those words echoed once again in his head.

"It was that one again, wasn't it? Will it ever be possible to go a whole day without you having to hear her on the phone?"

He was petrified at that open display of animosity, but Miriam was not intimidated. She had accused him of being an unfaithful man and a liar.

"You love her, Trent," she had sobbed. "Not me."

Thus Trent had grabbed her by the shoulders and sworn that he did not love Lilian, not in that way. He had repeated to her, as he had done many times throughout their story, that the actress was like a little sister to him. Nothing more. Nevertheless, Miriam shook her head.

“You don't even realise it.”

Trent had tried to respond, but she placed a finger on his lips and smiled. It was a sad, resigned smile. She told him, in a broken voice, that it was over between them.

"I'm sorry, Trent, but I'm tired of always coming in second place."

He would have liked to say something, but by then he had run out of arguments in his own defence. During the long time they had been together—almost a year and a half—he had done everything he could to show Miriam that he cared about her, but it had clearly not been enough. Thus, the night before he had stood helplessly watching her as she packed and got dressed to leave.

"I'm sorry it ended this way, Trent," she had greeted him, hugging him tightly.

He had simply nodded mechanically, like an automaton. Just before walking out the door, the girl had informed him that she had discovered that morning she was not pregnant, after three long months of trying.

"You can see it was not meant to be," she had told him, bitterly.

Lost in thought, he remained silent, and after she left, he stood still, staring at the closed door for what felt like an eternity.

Even now, his heart was gripped by mixed feelings. Wounded pride, due to another failed affair. Sadness, because he loved Miriam and would miss her. Relief, for not being able to give her the child she desired. At least no innocent creature would suffer from their inevitable separation. He doubted very much that a child would have kept them together. The truth was that Miriam was right. He had a strong affection for her, but he was not in love with her. Therefore, his heart was more relieved than saddened.

At that realisation, he had to struggle not to cry. Clearly, there was something wrong with him. Despite his desire to love and be loved in return, he could never make a relationship last.

With a snap, he jumped out of bed and sat down in front of the computer.

The night before, just after Miriam had left him, the actor had written a short message to Lilian.

"Hi, baby. I'll be there in Vancouver in a week. I can't wait to hug you again. A kiss from your Trent."

He knew his friend would be puzzled. After all, less than an hour had passed since he had told her that he didn't know when he could reach her. But he didn't care. He needed to see her as soon as possible.

Immediately afterwards, he replied to Candice's two messages. Perhaps he had gone a little too far in expressing to her how nervous he was at the thought of meeting her, but at that moment he wasn't entirely clear-headed.

Now, as he opened Twitter, he wondered if the actress had written to him again and was very disappointed to find she had not. Perhaps he should stop setting such high expectations for women. Each time, he ended up getting hurt.

"I should just enjoy myself," he thought, indignant.

He knew a lot of men who enjoyed life without thinking about the consequences. Doing the same thing should not have been difficult for him.

Even more depressed, Trent sighed. But who was he kidding? Lilian liked him as a man precisely because she knew he wasn't the type for adventures. Since he was a handsome and charming actor, everyone expected him to indulge in a different woman every night, but that wasn't the case. Every affair he had was important to him. Yet, his romantic nature had been of no use. He was in his thirties and alone again.

At that moment, he involuntarily wondered if Candice had a boyfriend. Having an affair with her would not have displeased him.

Determined to unravel the mystery, he opened Google Images and searched for Candice's name along with the keyword “boyfriend”. What appeared was a series of photographs of the actress with various boys.

A feeling of irritation overcame him before he realised that the people in question were practically all actors—Candice's co-stars in various films and TV series she had done. The relief was immense, though short-lived. Whether they were colleagues or not, it didn't rule out the possibility that they had had an intimate relationship with her. One young actor, in particular, frequently appeared in her company.

Curious, he decided to investigate and discovered that the boy had made two films with her. Moreover, the paparazzi had caught them several times shopping or dining out at a club. Their most recent photos together were about six months old.

Lost in thought, Trent interlaced his fingers behind his neck. Perhaps they were together, or perhaps they were just friends, like he and Lilian. In any case, Candice didn't seem like a woman who enjoyed attracting attention, as he couldn't find any confirmed information about her love life. Only gossip.

In a peculiar frenzy, he smiled. He could investigate and find out through Lilian if she was free. If so, he could invite her to spend a few pleasant hours in his company. He just had to ensure she agreed to keep it a secret. If Lilian knew that a woman was merely a pastime for him, she would simply have detested him.

He had just finished formulating this series of thoughts and immediately felt like a complete idiot. Not only had he considered trying to sleep with a woman without emotional involvement, but he had also chosen to do so with his best friend's childhood friend.

Depressed again, he ran his hands through his black hair and sighed. That delirious monologue was just a consequence of yet another sentimental disappointment. The truth was that he would never be with a woman just for fun, least of all with Candice, who was an unattainable dream for him. He knew he would continue to search for the woman of his life. At the cost of being alone forever.

3

22 February

The brisk late morning air greeted her outside the airport, and Candice shivered pleasantly.

Vancouver. She was back at last. It was still four weeks before filming began, so the girl had plenty of time. To relax. To enjoy herself. To forget.

She wrapped her scarf around her neck and pulled her woollen cap down over her ears before heading to the taxi rank, the large blue cabin bag rolling steadily behind her.

Vancouver was now to become her home for all intents and purposes. Or rather, one of her homes. One of the benefits of being a world-famous actress was that she had no shortage of money, so she could afford to own a home in any place that took her fancy. Therefore, she had a cosy one-bedroom flat in New York—her official home, close to her mother's—a small flat in Tuscany, and now she owned a nice house in Vancouver too.

Candice had always loved Canada, and when she discovered that the former owner of the cottage she had rented during the filming of Magical was planning to sell, she seized the opportunity.

When she reached the station, she noticed a couple of young men casting curious glances at her. Perhaps they recognised her, perhaps not. To be safe, she took her sunglasses out of her jacket pocket and put them on. Then, she retrieved her mobile phone from her handbag and called Lilian.

The friend answered after several rings.

"Hello, Lily," Candice greeted her, affectionately. "Are you on set?"

"Yes, I am on a break.”

Candice raised her hand to stop the approaching taxi.

"I won't take up much of your time," she said, smiling at the driver who had come down to help her with her suitcase. "I just wanted to let you know that I've just arrived in Vancouver."

The friend did not hide her enthusiasm.

"Finally, Candy! I can't wait to see you! I would ask you to join me today, but unfortunately I won't be able to free myself until tomorrow."

Settling into the back seat of the taxi, Candice told the driver her address before answering.

"Don't worry, Lily. Tomorrow is fine. After eight hours of travelling, I just feel like getting a good night's sleep."

“I guess,” commented Lilian, understanding. "So, I'll invite you for dinner tomorrow night! Are you in?"

"That would be great. How long has it been since we had a little chat, you and I alone?"

"Too long. How about a pub? I saw one that looks nice in front of the tea room where I go every day."

"Agreed," Candice yawned. “I'll get back to you tomorrow to agree on where to meet, alright?"

"Great! See you tomorrow then!"

"No, wait a minute!" blocked her, impulsively. "Has he arrived yet?" she asked, in a barely audible voice.

"No, Trent hasn't arrived yet!" replied Lilian immediately, in an amused voice. "You'll have to wait a few more days!"

At that news, two opposite feelings stirred in Candice's chest: relief and disappointment.

"Ah, OK," she said, simply. "See you tomorrow, then."

She closed the communication and abandoned herself against the seat.

She had no reason to feel relieved at the thought of having to wait longer to meet Trent Greenfern, nor should she be disappointed. After all, he meant nothing to her. With that conviction, she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

About half an hour later, she arrived at her destination.