Chapter 52 : Unexpected Encounter

*Lily*

When Rachel left on Sunday morning to return to the city, I felt a sense of loss as she walked away. And there I was again, in the kitchen of the coffee shop, back to my routine, scrubbing away at the espresso machine, lost in a rhythm that didn't require thought. My movements were mechanical; wipe here, rinse there, all while my heart wrestled with a puzzle that refused to be solved.

The distance between Adrian and me was more than just miles—it was this gaping rift filled with uncertainty. Could we go back to what we were once? Would he be mad at me for ghosting him for so long?

The whirring grinder and the hiss of steam from the milk frother became the soundtrack to my internal debate. Long distance wasn't something I believed in, or so I'd convinced myself. Yet, as I stood there, the possibility of not fighting for what Adrian and I once had was even more unbearable.

The day faded, and with it, the bustle of customers slowed to a trickle before the doors closed behind