“He saw me sitting there alone. He didn’t ask too many questions. He just sat beside me.” A faint, trembling smile touched Emma’s lips. “He spoke so gently. I don’t even remember what he said… but I remember how he said it.”
She swallowed.
“And then he hugged me.”
Tears gathered in her eyes, though she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand, letting out a small embarrassed laugh.
“It was like someone had lifted that storm off my chest.”
She shook her head slightly, almost in disbelief at her younger self.
“I still remember the first thought that crossed my mind when he sat down next to me.” She laughed softly through her tears. “I thought…he’s so cute.My heart skipped a beat when he said hello.”
Emma’s cheeks flushed faintly.
“It sounds silly now. It was my grandfather’s funeral… and there I was, developing my first crush.”
The room fell quiet.
Sophia looked at her carefully. “Are you sure it’s him?” she asked gently.
Emma turned to her and gave her a soft, wistful smile.
“It was the worst day of my life,” she said. “Of course I remember.”
Her gaze drifted back to the tablet.
“I wanted to thank him. After I stopped crying, I stood up to look for him… and I fainted. I hadn’t eaten anything all day.”
Her hand absentmindedly brushed her temple as if remembering the dizziness.
“When I woke up, everyone had already left. He was gone. I didn’t even know who he was.”
She paused, then continued.
“I didn’t find out until the night we went to Luxe Club together. When I saw him there… I froze.”
Sophia’s lips pressed into a thin line.
“I couldn’t believe it was the same person. That’s why I didn’t say anything at first. But every time I saw him after that, something felt familiar. I knew I had seen him before, but I couldn’t place it.”
Her fingers tapped lightly against the tablet.
“And then last night… it suddenly clicked. The way he looked at me. The way he speaks. It all came back at once.”
She let out a quiet breath.
“I asked Lloyd to investigate.”
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
“And I was right.”
Silence stretched between them.
Sophia leaned back against the edge of the desk, folding her arms loosely across her chest as she looked down at Emma.
“So now what?” she asked calmly. “You want to thank him?”
