The sun hung high above Stellis City, its rays reflecting sharply off the sleek glass facade of the Themis Law Firm building. Artem Wing adjusted the cuffs of his suit as he stepped inside, his footsteps steady and deliberate. His lunch break had been quiet—a brief respite from a packed schedule—but all sense of routine vanished the moment he stepped into the lobby.

He stopped in his tracks.

She was there.

It had been years since he last saw her, yet her presence was unmistakable. Her hair, once long and flowing, was now neatly cut, framing her face in a way that made her seem more composed, more mature. Time had softened her features, and though she had gained some weight, it suited her—a subtle shift from the girl he had known in college to the woman standing here now.

It was no secret she had moved on. He’d heard through mutual acquaintances about her marriage, her child—a daughter. But none of that explained why she was here, standing just a few steps away, engaged in easy conversation with one of his colleagues.

Artem’s chest tightened as he watched her smile politely, her voice too low to hear over the hum of the lobby. For a moment, it felt as though time rewound, pulling him back to memories of shared coffee breaks and quiet library sessions. He thought he had buried those feelings, tucked them neatly into the past. But now, faced with her unexpected presence, they clawed their way back, unbidden and unwelcome.

What was she doing here?

He knew he should move—step forward, greet her, or at least walk past without hesitation. But for the first time in years, Artem Wing froze, gripped by the weight of the past and the uncertainty of what her presence in his world now could mean.