London never slept.
Not in the way people described cities in movies—with glittering lights and laughter—but in a restless, aching way. Sirens echoed through the cold night air, taxis rushed past without pause, and strangers brushed shoulders without ever meeting eyes.
Ava Carter stood outside Heathrow Airport, gripping the handle of her suitcase like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.
"Welcome to London," she whispered to herself.
It didn't feel like a welcome.
It felt like exile.
Just three months ago, Ava had everything planned—graduate school in Chicago, a stable relationship, a life that made sense. Then betrayal shattered it all. One message. One truth. One heartbreak.
And now, she was here.
Alone.
A taxi pulled up beside her.
"Miss? You heading somewhere?" the driver asked.
She nodded quickly, blinking away the sting in her eyes. "Kensington, please."
As the car sped through the city, Ava pressed her forehead to the window, watching London blur into streaks of light.
She didn't know it yet—but this city was about to change everything.