Aunt insisted that Elise return to school.
"You've lost enough time already," she said firmly, tucking Elise's books into a worn leather bag. "You need to live, not just survive."
So Elise found herself on the first day of classes at Saint Haven College. The campus was vast, buzzing with new faces and voices. She felt small, still adjusting to her new life, still haunted by half-memories that refused to fit together.
Anastasia, of course, was thrilled. She had always dreamed of college life, and she moved through the crowd like she owned it, tugging Elise along.
"Elise," she whispered suddenly, her eyes lighting up, "do you see him?"
Elise followed her gaze—and froze.
Across the courtyard, standing tall and aloof with his dark hair brushing his shoulders, was him. The stranger from the alley. His crimson eyes caught the sunlight for a fleeting second before he turned away, vanishing into a stream of students.
Elise's heart skipped a beat.
Anastasia, however, pressed her hands to her chest with a dreamy sigh. "He's perfect," she murmured. "I swear, if I don't marry him, I'll never forgive myself."
Elise forced a laugh, though her chest tightened. She didn't know his name, didn't know why she couldn't forget the way he looked at her, as though he knew her deepest secrets.
But now, here he was.
And Anastasia—her beloved cousin—was already falling for him.
Elise whispered his name for the first time, though she didn't know why it slipped from her lips like a memory breaking free:
"Davon…"