登入Elara's phone rang from the night stand making her groan. 'Allistar must have plugged it,' she said cleaning her eyes as the bright morning light stung her vision.She reached out with a shaky hand and grabbed the device from the nightstand. When she saw the name Ethan flashing on the caller ID, a genuine smile appeared on her face.She slid the bar to answer, but she didn't speak right away. She just held the phone to her ear, letting the quiet hum of the connection settle her nerves."Hello, Elara?" Ethan’s voice was always so warm and gentle.She let out a soft, intentional breath into the receiver so he would know she was on the line."Good morning, Lara," he said, and she could almost hear the smile in his voice. "I just wanted to inform you that I've landed in Vanguard City and I’m properly settled in. I actually called you several times last night, but you weren't reachable. I was getting a bit worried about you.""But wait—" Elara started to say, wanting to explain her absence
Elara pulled up to her estate gate, already exhausted from the emotional whiplash of the day. But the security guard stepped out of the booth, looking overwhelmed. "Ma'am, we have a... situation. These were delivered for you an hour ago." Behind the gate sat ten massive bouquets, each packed so tightly with tulips that they looked like solid walls of color. Ten bouquets, a thousand tulips each. Ten thousand flowers sat there, glowing under the streetlights. Elara reached out and pulled the small, cream-colored card from the nearest one. "I'll love you a thousand times over. ~Love, Alex." Elara started coughing uncontrollably, the sheer audacity of the gesture hitting her like a physical blow. She clutched the card, her eyes watering. 'Ten thousand tulips? So now remembers?' "Ma'am? Where do you want them?" the guard asked, scratching his head. Elara tucked the card back into the petals and straightened her back, her face hardening into a mask of indifference. "Toss them," she sa
Elara pulled up to her estate gate, already exhausted from the emotional whiplash of the day. But the security guard stepped out of the booth, looking overwhelmed. "Ma'am, we have a... situation. These were delivered for you an hour ago." Behind the gate sat ten massive bouquets, each packed so tightly with tulips that they looked like solid walls of color. Ten bouquets, a thousand tulips each. Ten thousand flowers sat there, glowing under the streetlights. Elara reached out and pulled the small, cream-colored card from the nearest one. "I'll love you a thousand times over. ~Love, Alex." Elara started coughing uncontrollably, the sheer audacity of the gesture hitting her like a physical blow. She clutched the card, her eyes watering. 'Ten thousand tulips? So now remembers?' "Ma'am? Where do you want them?" the guard asked, scratching his head. Elara tucked the card back into the petals and straightened her back, her face hardening into a mask of indifference. "Toss them," she sa
Elara's phone rang from the night stand making her groan. 'Allistar must have plugged it,' she said cleaning her eyes as the bright morning light stung her vision.She reached out with a shaky hand and grabbed the device from the nightstand. When she saw the name Ethan flashing on the caller ID, a genuine smile appeared on her face.She slid the bar to answer, but she didn't speak right away. She just held the phone to her ear, letting the quiet hum of the connection settle her nerves."Hello, Elara?" Ethan’s voice was always so warm and gentle.She let out a soft, intentional breath into the receiver so he would know she was on the line."Good morning, Lara," he said, and she could almost hear the smile in his voice. "I just wanted to inform you that I've landed in Vanguard City and I’m properly settled in. I actually called you several times last night, but you weren't reachable. I was getting a bit worried about you.""But wait—" Elara started to say, wanting to explain her absence
Alexander picked Lyra up and held her. He felt a strange, warm feeling in his chest. "Your mummy is my friend," he said softly. "But she is very busy with work right now. How did you get here?" Lyra sighed and looked at him. "I snuck into mummy’s car. I was waiting for the best time to speak up, but then I fell asleep." Alexander gasped. He felt a wave of fear. "How did you get out of the car? That is very dangerous!" Lyra looked bored, like it wasn't a big deal. "Mum always forgets to lock her car," she said. Alex looked at the car and then back at the little girl. He couldn't believe it. She had been in the car the whole time he was arguing with Elara! She had been there when he kissed her mother. He looked at Lyra’s face again. The more he looked, the more he saw himself in her. The way she tilted her head and the shape of her eyes—it was like looking in a mirror from his own childhood. "Does your daddy forget to lock the car too?" Alex asked, his heart beating fast. He want
Elara's phone rang from the night stand making her groan. 'Allistar must have plugged it,' she said cleaning her eyes as the bright morning light stung her vision.She reached out with a shaky hand and grabbed the device from the nightstand. When she saw the name Ethan flashing on the caller ID, a genuine smile appeared on her face.She slid the bar to answer, but she didn't speak right away. She just held the phone to her ear, letting the quiet hum of the connection settle her nerves."Hello, Elara?" Ethan’s voice was always so warm and gentle.She let out a soft, intentional breath into the receiver so he would know she was on the line."Good morning, Lara," he said, and she could almost hear the smile in his voice. "I just wanted to inform you that I've landed in Vanguard City and I’m properly settled in. I actually called you several times last night, but you weren't reachable. I was getting a bit worried about you.""But wait—" Elara started to say, wanting to explain her absence







