Erik had been focused on his own family business for the past few years, and now, seeing Blizz again after so long, he couldn't help but be impressed by how much she'd accomplished. He hadn't expected the young entrepreneur to have risen to such prominence in the business world, but here she was, standing before him—completely different from the last time he'd seen her.
Blizz broke the silence with a playful smile. "So, why are you standing out here?" she asked, noticing that he hadn't moved an inch.
"I have a meeting planned, but I decided to stop by this cafe. I like it here," Erik said with a chuckle. "My driver should be pulling up with the car any minute now."
Blizz nodded, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Looks like we can't chat further then. What a shame," she teased.
Erik laughed, his smile widening. "Why not? We could definitely have a long chat next time," he replied, leaning slightly closer. "But if you don't mind, could I have your number?"
Blizz raised an eyebrow but didn't hesitate. "Of course," she said, taking Erik's phone and quickly typing in her number.
Just as she finished, her phone buzzed with a new message from her driver, telling her where he had parked the car. But Blizz had asked him to come in front of the cafe instead. At that moment, Erik's own car rolled up to the curb, the tires crunching softly on the pavement.
"here it is," Erik said with a small wave. "Take care, Blizz."
She smiled and waved back. "You too, Erik. See you around."
With one last glance at Erik, Blizz turned and slid into her own car.
Right in front of the cafe, there was a fashion boutique, and a person happened to notice Blizz and Erik together. Just then, someone called out, "Hey, sorry for keeping you waiting!"
Amy appeared with a guilty smile. Leah brushed it off and answered, "It's okay now, let's go. I need to pick up a dress for my niece's birthday party, and I need to tell you something else as well."
"So, what did you want to tell me?" Amy questioned, her voice a bit curious as they walked through the boutique.
Leah glanced around the store before answering. "Well, I just saw Blizz and Erik together, you know?"
"Really?" Amy said, raising an eyebrow. "I thought they might've started dating already. But, guess not. Or maybe they already are?"
"Not possible," Leah replied with a shrug as she picked up a dress to examine. "After Lizz's incident, we all got separated. Blizz's family moved her to another city, and Erik's parents sent him abroad to study. We four friends were the only ones still together."
"Yeah, I don't know why Blizz got so quiet after that incident," Amy said, her voice softening. "Maybe it hit her really hard. After all, she was her sister..."
Leah sighed, looking out the window of the boutique. "I wonder what Flora is doing. Who knows where she went? It's as if she disappeared after that day."
.
.
Blizz had been working on her computer for hours, absorbed in the endless flow of emails and reports. The clock on the wall ticked by, unnoticed, as she clicked away at the keys, her focus narrowing until exhaustion finally caught up with her. Before she realized it, her eyelids grew heavy, and in the midst of her concentration, she drifted off to sleep.
In the dream, the whispers started softly, faint and distant. They swirled around her, teasing her ears, but the words were muffled, incomprehensible. She strained to make sense of them, but they slipped through her mind like water through her fingers.
Suddenly, the dream shifted. A sharp, gut-wrenching scream tore through the silence, echoing in her ears. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" The scream was full of pain.
Blizz's eyes shot open with a gasp. Her body jerked as she tried to steady herself, but the shock was too much. She lost her balance and tumbled from her chair, crashing to the floor with a loud thud.
Her heart raced in her chest, her breaths shallow as she scrambled to sit up, trying to shake off the lingering terror of the dream. It took a moment for her to register where she was—her office, the familiar setting now feeling strangely unfamiliar.
.
.
Clara (calls may): "So, how's the university life treating you, May?
May: smiling "Yeah, well you know I'm a professor, teaching astronomy. It's been great, but it's a lot of work. There's always something new to research, and the students are eager to learn, which makes it all worth it."
Clara: "That sounds amazing. I knew you'd end up in the stars. You've always been so passionate about it."
May: chuckling "I guess I've always had my head in the clouds. But seriously, it's rewarding. Though, it's already time for my next lecture, so I'd better run. We're studying the latest telescope data today."
Clara: "Of course, I won't keep you. Go show them how it's done."
May: grinning "Will do. Let's catch up again soon, Clara."
As Clara hung up the phone, she glanced at the clock. there was still some time before the lunch break gets over. She leaned back in her chair, taking a deep breath, and stretched her arms out. She grabbed her coat and headed to the library just down the hall. The museum's library was always a quiet escape, and she enjoyed seeing the new arrivals.
When she entered, the familiar scent of old books filled the air. She quickly spotted a stack of newly placed books on a nearby table. Curious, she walked over to them.
One of the staff members who managed the library was standing nearby, organizing some of the books. He looked up as Clara picked up a particularly thick volume, his expression turning puzzled. "What's this?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at the book in her hands. "Where did this come from?"
Clara glanced down at the book and then back at the staff member. "I don't know," she replied. "I just saw it here."
The man pulled out his list of recent acquisitions, flipping through the pages until he found the section for newly arrived books. He scanned the list, his frown deepening. "It's not listed here," he said, looking up at Clara. "This book isn't included."
Clara furrowed her brow. "That's strange... it looks like it just arrived." She held the book up again, inspecting the cover, but there was no clue as to where it had come from.
"Very odd," the man muttered, taking the book from her and flipping it open but the book was empty with no words written inside. "I'll check with the other staff. Someone must have brought it in without filing it properly."
Clara nodded, and thought that the cover of the book was so detailed and beautiful.