The bitter cold was relentless, seeping through layers of clothing and settling deep into your bones. Another day at work had drained you, and as you walked through the dim, nearly deserted streets, the weight of the curfew pressing closer, you could see the few remaining passersby hurrying to reach the fragile safety of their wartime sanctuaries.

But then, without warning, a sudden jolt sent you sprawling across the icy cobblestones. The day, already so harsh, seemed intent on breaking you. In your haste, you hadn’t just collided with a stranger—you had stumbled right into a German officer.

"Fräulein, you should be more careful," he murmured in a low, measured tone, extending his hand to help you up from the unforgiving ground.