The moment our eyes met, I felt that familiar twist in my chest, the one I thought I had buried years ago. Ezekiel stood outside the café, his posture relaxed yet unreadable, like the calm before a storm. He was dressed in a crisp black suit that fit too perfectly for it to be a coincidence. He wasn’t just passing by. No, he was here for a reason.

I inhaled slowly, forcing my expression into neutrality. My heartbeat thudded against my ribs, but outwardly, I remained composed, just Isabella, ...