Elena's POV

I wasn't supposed to be there.

If I'd listened to myself, I would've stayed home, curled under a blanket with Netflix and the kind of snacks that fill the silence.

But Leah had begged.

"It's just a small get-together," she'd said. "No drama, no tension, just food and music. You need to breathe again."

So, I went.

Big mistake.

The restaurant was cozy, tucked in a corner of the city I'd almost forgotten existed - fairy lights strung across the ceiling, soft laughter blending ...