Chapter 1: The Uninvited Guest
The evening air was warm, thick with spring’s perfume. A golden sunset bathed the city in a honeyed glow as traffic moved in slow, glimmering lines past one of the most prestigious restaurants downtown. Valets in black vests opened car doors for arriving guests. Laughter drifted from the terrace, blending with the soft notes of a string quartet playing just beyond the grand glass doors.
The entrance, flanked by white lilies and artfully hung silk, marked not just a celebration—but a beginning.
Inside, a young woman in a satin gown shimmered under crystal chandeliers, surrounded by friends, family, and the kind of carefully crafted elegance that said this was no ordinary wedding.
But outside, just a few feet from that perfection, time took a breath—and waited.
He arrived slowly.
