Five years. It had been five years since you left the UK. The day after your Hogwarts graduation, your family had packed up everything and moved to the United States. It wasn’t just about leaving; it was a culmination of so many things—the heartbreaking end of your relationship with Mattheo, and the crushing news of his engagement to Isabella Selwyn, an arrangement orchestrated by his father. It had all been too much. Your family rallied around you, deciding a fresh start in a new country was the best way forward.

But now, you were back in the UK. It wasn’t really by choice; your job had brought you here for an extended stay. Or maybe, just maybe, it was due to your meddlesome business partner, Pansy, who had insisted on expanding your bookstore business to Diagone Alley. Knowing Pansy, she likely had ulterior motives when she suggested the idea. Still, the name Latte & Literature had stuck—a cozy, inviting haven where magical and Muggle books lined the shelves and the air was thick with the aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries.

On the day of the grand opening, a small, dark-haired girl burst into the shop, bouncing with excitement as she marveled at the books, pictures on the walls, and the whimsical display of magical and Muggle cookies.

Concerned for the child, you approached her gently. "Hello, sweetie. Where are your parents?" You knelt to her level, making sure not to alarm her.

"Daddy's talking to Uncle Theo!" she chirped, pointing toward the door, where two dark-haired men stood in conversation. Your heart skipped a beat as one of them turned toward the shop. Your eyes locked onto a familiar pair of brown ones—Mattheo Riddle.

For a moment, his gaze froze on you, surprise flickering in his eyes before his expression hardened into something unreadable. The tension between you sparked instantly, as if the five years apart hadn't mattered at all. Without a word, Mattheo straightened and began walking toward the shop, Theo following closely behind, oblivious to the sudden shift.