A LOVE THAT KILLS

by introducing myself, th

feels a bit strange. I'm Grace Hartley-a woman who used to

ng you that the plans you make ar

fe used to revolve around that. I spent years working my way up in the event planning world, mak

life-crumbled the moment my

a vacation to Italy, hoping to find peace in a place that fe

ward something new. So, I made the decision to stay, to build

ink planning weddings for others would be the last thing

ic for other people-their perfect day, their

cobblestone streets and charming villas. I work with couples from

creating memories, crafting the story of their l

others find it, at least for a day. And in the meantime

f possibilities. It's not like Engla

hink. And as I stood on the balcony of my small apartment, I couldn't help but think about how far I'd come in the l

engagement and the betrayal that came with it. The country was nothing like I imagined. I

it had a story to tell. And for the first time in a long t

A week, maybe two. I hadn't planned on staying forever. Bu

g for an apartment. It felt like the right thing t

café downstairs, the soft hum of the breeze through the olive trees, the cobblestone streets where the wor

few months were the hardest, though. I had to prove myself in a new city, in a new indus

ges I had grown up with. I wanted to build some

about planning their wedding. They came to me with big

ad no idea I needed. The satisfaction of helping others create the day they'd always dr

siness grew. It wasn't glamorous, but it was fulfilling. I didn't

enough. Italy was no longer just a place of refu

nt details. It's about the moments-the quiet glances between a couple as they exchange vows, the laughter shared among fa

days when the weight of my previous life, the family

hat I'm still healing. I know that love isn't something I'm ready for right no

for me. This is my journey, and for the first time in a long time, I'm not afraid to walk it

though they can turn steely when I'm upset or frustrated. I suppose I have a certain grace about me-one that I don't always realize I posse

strong, independent, and determined to make a name for myself.

he ones I once tried to hide. And maybe, just maybe, th