Chapter 4 : She's Back

Elera

Finally, the day came.

I stood in the middle of our apartment, staring at the last few boxes stacked against the wall.

For the first time since Caspian told me about the transfer, Ravenmere no longer felt like an idea.

We were actually going.

I picked up my handbag.

"That's it."

Caspian looked around the apartment.

"Everything?"

"Everything."

He smiled.

"Then we're officially homeless."

I laughed.

"Speak for yourself. I have a fiancé with a new Area Manager salary."

He walked toward me.

"So that's why you agreed to marry me?"

"Maybe."

He slipped an arm around my waist.

"Gold digger."

I smiled.

"Banker's wife."

"Much better."

He kissed my forehead before taking my bag.

Outside, one of Caspian's friends, Marcus, was already waiting.

He was one of the employees transferred to Ravenmere with Caspian.

"You two took forever."

Caspian looked at him.

"We're bringing our entire lives."

Marcus looked at the boxes.

"Clearly."

A few hired workers were already loading the heavier things into the vehicle.

I stood back and watched them work.

There was something strange about seeing everything we owned being carried away.

But I wasn't sad.

Not really.

I was excited.

A little nervous, perhaps.

But mostly excited.

Caspian came to stand beside me.

"Ready?"

I looked at him.

"Now I am."

He smiled.

"Then let's go."

The road to Ravenmere was easier than I expected.

Caspian drove while Marcus sat in the front, arguing with him about music.

I sat in the back, laughing at both of them.

"You two are worse than children," I said.

Marcus turned around.

"He's the problem."

Caspian shook his head.

"Don't listen to him."

"You're both problems."

Marcus laughed.

"She's already taking my side."

"She's my fiancée," Caspian said.

"Exactly. She'll eventually realize she made the wrong choice."

I laughed.

Caspian reached back and found my hand.

"Don't listen to him."

"I won't."

He squeezed my fingers.

For the next few hours, the journey was filled with jokes, music and random conversations.

At one point, we stopped for food.

Caspian bought me the snack I always ordered.

I stared at him.

"You remembered?"

"Of course."

"You remembered the exact one?"

He shrugged.

"I remember everything about you."

I smiled.

"That's dangerous."

"Why?"

"Because now I can't lie to you."

He grinned.

"Exactly."

We continued driving.

As we got closer to Ravenmere, the scenery began to change.

Then I saw the first familiar street.

I sat up.

"There."

Caspian glanced at me.

"What?"

"That restaurant."

He slowed slightly.

"The one with the blue sign?"

"Yes."

I smiled.

"I used to love their pasta."

Marcus looked at me.

"Used to?"

"I still do."

Caspian immediately said,

"Then we're going there."

I laughed.

"We haven't even unpacked."

"Food comes first."

"Of course it does."

A few minutes later, I recognized another place.

"The cinema."

Caspian looked toward it.

"You used to come here?"

"All the time."

"With friends?"

I looked at him.

"Yes."

He smiled.

"Good."

I laughed.

"Why do you always sound suspicious?"

"Because I know you."

"You're ridiculous."

He reached for my hand again.

I looked out the window.

The town had changed in places.

But so much of it remained familiar.

A café.

A bookstore.

A little clothing shop.

A park.

I remembered some of those places with a smile.

Others simply made me think for a moment before the memory passed.

I had expected coming back to feel heavier.

It didn't.

Ravenmere was just Ravenmere.

A town I'd once lived in.

A place I'd left.

And now, a place I was returning to for an entirely different reason.

I looked at Caspian.

"I think I'm going to like it here."

He smiled.

"I knew you would."

"You didn't."

"I did."

"You were worried."

"A little."

I leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For making this easier."

His eyes met mine through the mirror.

"You make everything worth it."

My smile grew.

Marcus made a loud coughing sound from the front.

"Please remember I'm still in the car."

I laughed.

Caspian shook his head.

"Ignore him."

"I am."

By the time we arrived, the afternoon sun was beginning to soften.

The new house was larger than our old apartment, with a small garden and enough space for everything we'd brought.

Marcus got out first.

"Finally."

Caspian stepped out and stretched.

I followed.

The hired workers began unloading the furniture.

One of them carried a large box toward the entrance.

"Careful with that!"

I called.

"It's fragile."

The man nodded.

"Got it."

Caspian laughed.

"You're going to drive everyone crazy."

"I just don't want my things broken."

"You've been saying that since we left."

"Because nobody listens."

Marcus shook his head.

"Welcome to Ravenmere."

I smiled.

For a moment, everything felt perfect.

Then I noticed someone standing across the street.

A man.

He wasn't one of the workers.

He was watching us.

I looked at him for a few seconds.

Something about his face seemed familiar.

But I couldn't place him.

He noticed me staring.

His expression changed.

Recognition.

Definitely recognition.

I frowned.

He started walking toward us.

"Excuse me."

I turned fully toward him.

"Yes?"

He stopped a few feet away.

His eyes moved from me to Caspian.

Then back to me.

"You just arrived?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

He gave a small smile.

"Welcome."

"Thank you."

He seemed as though he wanted to say something else.

Instead, he simply nodded.

"Enjoy your stay."

Then he walked away.

I watched him go.

Caspian came beside me.

"Do you know him?"

I shook my head.

"I don't think so."

"Are you sure?"

"I've never seen him before."

But I couldn't shake the feeling that he knew exactly who I was.

I turned back toward the house.

"Maybe he just recognized me from somewhere."

"Maybe."

Caspian slipped an arm around my waist.

"Come on. We have a house to conquer."

I smiled.

"Let's go."

Neither of us noticed the man stop at the end of the street.

He pulled out his phone.

And called someone.

Lucien

I had no intention of answering my phone.

Not tonight.

Not while I had better things to do.

The woman beside me laughed softly as she leaned closer.

My phone vibrated on the table.

I glanced at it.

Ignored it.

It stopped.

A few seconds later, it started again.

I closed my eyes.

Whoever was calling clearly didn't understand the meaning of being ignored.

I let it ring.

It stopped.

Then came the third call.

I grabbed the phone.

"What?"

My voice came out cold and irritated.

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Then my man's voice.

"Boss."

"What?"

"I saw her."

I frowned.

"Who?"

Another pause.

"Elara."

Everything inside me went still.

The woman beside me touched my arm.

I didn't even look at her.

"What did you say?"

"Elara is back in Ravenmere."

I sat up.

"You're sure?"

"I saw her myself."

My jaw tightened.

Three years.

Three damn years.

I looked toward the woman beside me.

She was waiting for me to continue whatever we'd been doing.

I pushed her away and stood.

"Where?"

My man gave me the location.

"When did she arrive?"

"Not long ago."

"Who was with her?"

"A man."

I stopped.

"What man?"

"I think he's her fiancé."

My grip tightened around the phone.

Her fiancé.

Of course.

Three years had passed.

What had I expected?

That she would wait for me?

I looked away.

"Send me everything you know."

"Yes, boss."

The call ended.

I stood there in silence.

The woman looked at me.

"Are you leaving?"

I ignored her.

I picked up my shirt from the floor and put it on.

She frowned.

"Lucien?"

Still nothing.

My mind was somewhere else.

Ravenmere.

Elara.

Her fiancé.

I had spent three years pretending her name meant nothing to me.

Apparently, I'd been lying to myself.

I picked up my phone again.

My man's message came through.

She's at the new house with him.

I stared at the screen.

Then typed only four words.

Don't lose sight of her.

I slipped the phone into my pocket.

Three years ago, Elara had walked out of my life.

Now she had walked straight back into my town.

And I wasn't ready to decide what that meant.

But I knew one thing.

I needed to see her.