The rain had started in earnest now. It blurred the world into shades of silver, washing the city clean while her thoughts tangled in the storm. Elena wrapped her arms around herself and hurried toward the bus stop, her heels splashing through puddles. She'd left her car behind at Adrian's insistence—he'd wanted her to "keep things simple." Funny, she thought. Divorce was never simple.
The bus arrived with a hiss. She climbed aboard, found a window seat, and pressed her forehead against the cold glass. The city rolled by—skyscrapers like jagged memories, neon lights bleeding through the fog. Each corner whispered something familiar: the café where they used to meet after work, the bookstore where he'd bought her first-edition novels just because she'd smiled at them.
She closed her eyes, forcing the memories away. No more looking back.
Her phone buzzed again. Unknown Number:Still pretending you don't care?
Her pulse jumped. She looked around the bus—faces blank, everyone lost in their own worlds. She typed ,Who are you?
Three dots blinked, then disappeared. No answer.
The bus lurched forward, and Elena's reflection stared back from the window—pale skin, tired eyes, a woman she barely recognized. The rain outside mirrored the tears she refused to shed.
By the time she reached her apartment—a small, quiet place she'd rented under her maiden name—the sky had gone black. She changed into a worn sweater and made tea she barely tasted. The phone lay on the counter, silent but heavy with questions.
She told herself it was probably spam, or some cruel prank. Yet something in her chest tightened, that old instinct whispering that the past wasn't finished with her.
Across the city, in his penthouse office, Adrian stood by the window watching the rain blur the skyline. His phone vibrated on the desk, lighting up with a message from an unknown number. He frowned as he read the words: "She's alone now."
For the first time that day, his control slipped. The glass in his hand trembled.