Sleep didn’t come easily. The muffled sounds outside the window kept dragging me back to reality. I peered out and saw the sky alight with fireworks—someone must have been celebrating something, probably a romantic surprise.
A sharp twist of bitterness tugged at my lips, forming a humorless smile.
Unable to rest, I turned to my tablet and resumed working on a client’s wedding gown sketches. While scrolling through references, my finger brushed against my messaging app, opening it accidentally.
There, right at the top, was Candice’s newest post.
It was an elegant shot of fireworks bursting across the night, with a caption written like a line from a love poem:
“After so many years apart, I’ve finally returned to your side. These fireworks bloom as if the stars themselves are welcoming me back.”
I stared at the screen, mind blank and chest tight. Then, when I attempted to exit the app, I realized that Isaac’s account was still logged in on my device.
I didn’t have the will to dig through any conversations or see more than I should. I quickly logged his account out and turned the device off.
The following morning, I arrived at the office with a clear goal in mind.