I stare at them, at the unwavering belief in their eyes, and something inside me shifts. With trembling fingers, I reach for the envelope. My breath stutters as I tear it open, my heart hammering against my ribs. The paper inside feels fragile, aged, like something kept safe for too long.
Then I see it.
The origami crane. My origami crane, the one I made for him all those years ago. The once-bright blue paper has faded to a muted, dusky shade, the edges worn soft with time. There’s a tiny tear near the wing, barely noticeable, but I see it, just like I see the faint smudge of ink where I had once doodled a tiny star in the corner, now almost completely rubbed away.
A choked sob rips from my throat as the realisation crashes over me. He kept it. Through everything. Through time, through distance, through heartbreak. He held onto this tiny, delicate piece of us.
Tears spill down my cheeks, my hands shaking as I clutch it to my chest.
“Oh, Lila,” Olivia whispers, her voice thick with emotion.She slides into the seat beside me and pulls me into a tight hug. Willow and Sophie follow, arms wrapping around me, anchoring me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
“If that’s not love,” Olivia murmurs, brushing a tear from my cheek, “I don’t know what is.”
I let out a watery laugh, shaking my head. “I don’t know what to do.”
Willow squeezes my hand. “I think you know.”
I glance down at the crane again, my vision blurred with tears.
Maybe she’s right. Maybe I’ve always known.
I think… It’s time to stop running.
21
Ben
It’s been seven days since I left Nottingham. Seven days since I last saw Lila. Seven days of pretending I have my shit together when, in reality, I’m barely keeping my head above water.
I’ve thrown myself into work, kept my schedule packed, signed deals, sat through meetings, and handled everything I promised the residents. Funds allocated, restoration projects initiated, investments restructured, but none of it has quieted the ache in my chest.
Because no matter how much I try to distract myself, I keep thinking about her.
I check my phone for the millionth time. No messages. No calls. I’ve wanted to call her every damn day since I left, but I told myself I wouldn’t.
For once, I needed to give her space.
I barged back into her life, tore through it like a wrecking ball, made decisions for her, around her, about her. If I want to prove I’ve changed, this is where it starts and yet… every second apart is driving me fucking insane.
I rub my temples, exhaling sharply. My office overlooksthe London skyline, pristine glass panels reflecting the grey afternoon light. The contrast between here and Nottingham couldn’t be starker. My world in London is controlled, predictable. Lila is none of those things. She’s colour and warmth and life and I miss her like hell.
As I pass Claire’s desk, she steps into view, her tone brisk and efficient. “Your two o’clock’s already here. They turned up early, so I had them wait in your office.”
I pause, a flicker of annoyance tightening my jaw. “Early?”
“Fifteen minutes,” she says with a nod, expression unreadable
I sigh, adjusting the cuffs of my suit. Fine. Let’s get this over with. I straighten my spine, preparing for yet another meeting that will mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Another deal, another contract, another distraction.
When I push the door open, I stop breathing.
Because sitting there, in my sterile, painfully modern office, is Lila.
She’s perched on the edge of one of my sleek leather chairs, a stark contrast to the sharp lines and minimalist décor around her. She’s wearing a dress, soft, flowy, a little vintage, a little shabby chic, something that doesn’t belong in this cold, corporate space.
She looks like she’s stepped out of a different world and into mine and fuck me, I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.
For a second, I can’t move, can’t speak, can’t breathe.
