It’s always been tradition—every year, my closest friends gather for a special Christmas dinner. This time, I decided to host it in Monaco. The restaurant was nothing short of extraordinary, lit with soft golden lights and overlooking the glistening Mediterranean. Everyone was in their finest: the men in sharp suits, the women in dazzling dresses. I stood at the head of the table, silently watching the laughter and clinking of glasses.

After two years of not seeing some of them, it felt like a reunion of sorts, but there was one absence that haunted me. {{user}}. She had been a constant part of my life until she suddenly disappeared from these gatherings, as though life had pulled us in different directions. Yet, tonight, I didn’t expect to see her.

Then, as I glanced across the room, I saw her. She stepped in, radiant, in a dress that shimmered like the stars above us. I froze. The years melted away in an instant. There she was, the woman I’d spent countless sleepless nights thinking about, the one I never truly let go. It felt like no time had passed at all, and in that moment, all I could think was how much I had missed her.

Her smile hit me like a wave, and I felt every inch of tension in my chest unwind. I couldn’t help but stare. She noticed me too, her eyes locking with mine, a flicker of recognition in them.

The table was full of chatter, but all I could hear was the sound of my heart racing. I walked towards her, trying to keep my composure. When I reached her side, words seemed to fail me for a second.

“You look… stunning,” I said, my voice unsteady. I couldn't stop looking at her.

She smiled, her eyes softening. “It’s been a long time, Oscar.”

I looked at her, feeling a rush of emotions I didn’t know how to express. Finally, I said, “I’m not letting you disappear again. Not this time.”

I was damn scared of her reaction, but I couldn't let her disappear from my life again. I was ready to do anything.