Astera woke to the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through her curtains, casting a warm hue across the room. It was the kind of peaceful morning that felt almost too still, a contrast to the busy days ahead. After stretching and rolling out of bed, she moved through her routine with ease—making coffee, checking emails, and scanning through the latest design drafts. Yet, as she sipped her coffee and flipped through her phone, a quiet unease lingered at the edges of her thoughts. It didn't help that her best friend, Lila, was always on her case about relationships. Astera had met Lila a few years ago through work, and they'd hit it off instantly. Lila had a bright, infectious energy, and they balanced each other well. Lila was constantly encouraging her to "put herself out there," as she put it, and find someone who could make her happy.

Astera sighed as she texted Lila back about their plans for dinner that evening. In truth, she'd had her share of relationships over the years, but nothing that had ever felt... right. Every now and then, she'd find herself comparing them to memories of a certain boy from her past—an orphan who had promised to always be there, then vanished without a trace.

She glanced at her phone, noticing an old, faded picture she'd taken of the orphanage a few years ago. Xerxes' face surfaced in her mind, unbidden. "Stop it, Astera," she muttered to herself, flipping her phone over. It was silly to linger on something so far in the past. He'd left, she'd moved on—or tried to.

As she walked out the door and into the brisk morning air, her phone buzzed with a work message. Sam, her assistant, had sent a cheerful reminder about the presentation later in the day. Astera took a deep breath, grateful for the distraction. Work was her anchor, the thing that grounded her and kept her moving forward.

Astera arrived at her studio, greeted by the usual hum of activity. She immersed herself in sketches and design plans, meetings, and updates from her team. The hours flew by as she juggled various projects, each detail pulling her further away from the restless memories.

Later that afternoon, after a particularly intense design review, she took a break to grab coffee from the small café across the street. As she waited in line, she saw a couple nearby, laughing and holding hands. The sight was simple, a common occurrence, yet it tugged at something inside her. Part of her wished she could experience that kind of unguarded happiness again, without the weight of old promises or the ache of unanswered questions.

Just as she was about to dismiss the thought, her phone buzzed with a new text from Lila.

Lila: "Can't wait for dinner tonight! Let's find you a date ;)"

Astera rolled her eyes, typing back a quick, "We'll see," before slipping her phone into her pocket. As much as she teased Lila about her relentless matchmaking, there was something comforting in the idea. The past was behind her, and maybe it was finally time to embrace the present fully.

Back at her studio, the evening crept in quietly as she wrapped up her work and organized her desk for the next day. She lingered a bit longer than usual, feeling an odd reluctance to leave. As she locked up and headed out into the night, she felt a small twinge of anticipation she couldn't quite explain.

Maybe it was just Lila's excitement rubbing off on her, or maybe it was the lingering memories from her visit to the orphanage. But something told her that things were about to change in a way she hadn't anticipated. 

The following week brought a strange mix of emotions. Astera had continued her usual routine, burying herself in her work to keep her mind distracted. But something was different this time. The memories of Xerxes, his sudden disappearance, and the pact they made as children seemed to weigh more heavily on her. She found herself wondering about the life he'd led, what had happened to him, and why he hadn't kept in touch. But she did her best to push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on her present life.

As if fate had decided to intervene, Lila—who seemed to have an unyielding belief in Astera's need for companionship—had managed to set her up on a date. Lila had found someone she thought might be a good match for Astera: a handsome, charming man named Gabriel, an entrepreneur who ran a local boutique consulting firm. He was kind, easy to talk to, and had an air of sophistication that Astera found refreshing. Lila had insisted it would be good for her to step out of her comfort zone, and, begrudgingly, Astera had agreed.

The date was at a cozy little Italian restaurant on the corner of the street, the warm glow of the lights outside making it look like something out of a movie. Gabriel had arrived on time, a bouquet of flowers in hand, and Astera had immediately felt a slight shift in her, as if this could be a fresh start, a chance to put the past behind her. For the first time in a while, she let herself relax and enjoy the evening.

They had started off by talking about light topics—work, their favorite places to travel, their mutual love for food—but the conversation eventually turned to more personal matters. Gabriel shared stories of his childhood, his family, and even his career ambitions. Astera, too, opened up, speaking about her design projects, her upbringing in the orphanage, and the plans she had for the future. There was a pleasant warmth in the conversation, an ease that had been missing in her life for so long.

But just as Astera was beginning to think that maybe Lila had been right about taking a chance, things took an unexpected turn.

They had just finished their main courses when Gabriel's phone buzzed. He glanced down at the screen, his expression immediately shifting from relaxed to tense. Astera watched, intrigued, as he picked up the phone, stepped away from the table, and answered in a low, hurried tone. He sounded agitated, his voice shaky, though she couldn't make out the words.

"Listen, I'll be there in ten minutes, okay? Just—just don't do anything stupid," Gabriel said, his voice tight with urgency. He looked up at Astera, offering a strained smile, before quickly excusing himself from the table. "Sorry, I—something's come up. I'll be right back," he said, clearly not wanting to explain further.

Astera watched him disappear into the restaurant's entryway, frowning slightly. The entire situation felt... off. She hadn't heard anything unusual in his tone, but there was an undeniable tension in the way he'd hurriedly excused himself. Her curiosity prickled, but she shrugged it off, figuring it was just some business emergency or personal issue he had to deal with. People had their moments, after all.

But then, after a few minutes of waiting, she began to feel the oddness of the situation settle in her chest. The longer Gabriel was gone, the more she felt something wasn't quite right. She sipped her wine absentmindedly, her gaze flicking toward the restaurant door, hoping he would return. But when the minutes ticked by and he still hadn't shown up, something inside her nudged her to stand up and look for him.

She walked toward the entrance of the restaurant, scanning the room for any sign of Gabriel. The place was busy, the chatter of other diners filling the air, but he was nowhere to be found. Astera stepped outside, her heart suddenly uneasy, but there was still no sign of him. A sense of disquiet began to settle in the pit of her stomach.

It was then that she noticed something strange.

A black car was parked just across the street, its engine running. A figure stood near the vehicle, watching her with an intent, almost unsettling focus. It was Gabriel. But as soon as he saw her looking in his direction, he quickly turned away, entering the car with a hurried motion. The car drove off, disappearing into the night.

Astera stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. What had just happened? Why had Gabriel left like that? And why did it feel like she'd just witnessed something she wasn't supposed to see?

Shaking her head, she tried to dismiss the strange encounter. Maybe it was something urgent—maybe he had to deal with an emergency. She had no reason to assume the worst. But the lingering feeling in her gut told her that something wasn't quite adding up.

She returned to her table, her appetite suddenly gone. She glanced at her phone, hoping to distract herself, but all she could think about was how odd everything had been. She decided to finish the evening and go home, choosing to brush off the strange incident as nothing more than an odd, unfortunate circumstance.

But deep down, a small voice whispered that something far more complicated was at play.