Chapter 8

• Present day
• Charlotte spent the following days immersed in her work, the delicate sounds of metal against metal filling the quiet of her atelier. Each day felt like an escape, the artistry of creating a bespoke necklace for Ester pulling her focus away from the chaotic emotions that swirled inside her since that fateful meeting.
• The sunlight sifted through the large windows, illuminating her workstation, where sketches and shimmering gemstones lay scattered like dreams waiting to be realized. Yet, despite her efforts to drown out thoughts of Damien and their shared past, he lingered at the edges of her mind, a specter that refused to vanish.