After Our Fall, Love Reclaimed

The day I left New York was cloaked in thick grey clouds and the oppressive weight of smog. Exiting the cab, I pulled my suitcase behind me as I headed into the bustling airport terminal. Suddenly, the distant roar of an engine snapped me out of my thoughts, making me turn instinctively. It was a vehicle I knew all too well, racing toward me.

I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle and pivoted, walking purposefully.

"Lilah!"

Jayden Lewis jumped out of the car, quickly covering the distance between us.

"Lilah," he repeated, his hand grabbing my arm, the tremor in his voice unmistakable, "Where are you going?"

I met his gaze with calm detachment. "Jayden, let go."

His eyes were bloodshot, and his whole demeanor was filled with urgency.

"Lilah, stay. Can't we turn back the clock?"

I let go of the suitcase handle, stepping back slightly as I slowly unbuttoned my coat. The biting New York winter wind sliced through me, chilling me to the bone.

Though my frame remained slender, there was now a slight curve to my belly. Jayden’s eyes moved downwards, inch by inch, finally stopping in stunned disbelief.

I simply smiled at him, my eyes narrowing with a hint of amusement. "Jayden, look—how can we ever go back to the way things were?"