As she burst through the door, the cool afternoon air hit her like a splash of water, refreshing yet unsettling, and she didn't stop moving until she reached the corner of the street, where she finally dared to glance back, only to see Jack standing in the doorway, his eyes still fixed on her, a gentle smile playing on his lips, as if he knew she'd return, like a bookmark left behind, waiting to be rediscovered,Emily quickened her pace, her feet carrying her away from the bookstore and the charming stranger, her mind attempting to dismiss the flutter in her chest as mere foolishness, but the memory of Jack's warm eyes and gentle smile lingered, like a whisper in the wind, refusing to be silenced, as she disappeared into the bustling streets of the city, leaving behind a trail of curiosity and what-if's.

Days turned into weeks, and Emily's life returned to its usual rhythm, the encounter with Jack becoming a distant...