Sara felt the knot in her chest unravel. Despite the simple meal, she was lighter than she'd been in months. Only with Simon could she shed the suffocating rules of "high society" and just *be*. He wouldn't judge her. He demanded nothing.
Before leaving, she insisted he hire the caretaker back. Since the restaurant explosion, the mere mention of fire drained the blood from his face. Leaving him alone wasn't an option.
She hurried home.
The apartment greeted her with hollow silence.
Adrian didn't return. A single message arrived before bed—perfunctory, brief, offering no explanation.
She had waited, hungry and hopeful, only to be stood up. She'd even messaged him in advance.
Ever since Eva James returned, the ground beneath Sara's feet had been shifting.
What surprised her even more was Eva reaching out to arrange a meal. Sara wanted to refuse, but Adrian's erratic behavior left her grasping at air. If he planned to reconcile with his ex, she needed to prepare her exit strategy.
She went.
The location was the very restaurant Adrian had taken her to countless times.