Chapter 78

• The morning at Maya’s design studio was quiet, the soft hum of creativity filling the air as she worked at her drafting table. Swatches of fabric and pencil sketches surrounded her, each a piece of the intricate project she was pouring her heart into. She’d been immersed in this world for weeks, a welcome distraction from the tension brewing at home.
• A light knock on the glass door pulled her from her focus. Maya looked up, her brow furrowing in surprise as she saw Luke standing outside, holding a bouquet of vibrant wildflowers. He offered her a small smile, raising the bouquet slightly as if to say, ‘These are for you.’
• Maya hesitated. She hadn’t seen Luke since their last tense conversation at the café, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about his sudden appearance. Reluctantly, she stood and walked to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open.