Nadia POV

The airport was buzzing with the usual chaos—families reuniting, travelers hurrying to their gates, and the constant hum of announcements echoing through the terminal. I stood with Mason, Mike, and Cody by the departure gate, our mood unusually somber. We were there to say goodbye to Ember, a close friend whose presence had always been a kind of anchor amidst the turbulence of our lives.

Ember had already disappeared into the crowd, her ...