Lyla stepped out of the washroom, adjusting the cap on her head as she made her way back to the table. The restaurant was bustling with activity, the scent of sizzling delicacies filling the air. Just as she turned a corner, ready to join Noah and Sean, a voice from her past stopped her in her tracks.
"Lyla?"
Her breath hitched. That voice—it was too familiar, yet it sent an unsettling chill down her spine. Slowly, she turned, her eyes widening in disbelief.
James Brown stood a few feet away, a smug, knowing smile curling on his lips. Dressed in an expensive suit, his dark eyes gleamed with a mix of longing and possession. He looked almost the same as before—except now, there was something even more unsettling about his presence.
"It really is you," James said, taking a step forward. "After two years… I finally found you."
