Chapter 5 The transatlantic flight carried me eastward , the sun painting ever changing portraits outside my window . Brilliant azure skies gave way to rolling clouds tinged with gold , a canvas of natures finest work Inspiration struck suddenly , and I pulled out my sketchpad , capturing the ethereal play of light in a n jewelry design . By the time I finished , darkness had claimed the sky . There was something magical about crossing the Atlantic a time travelers journey where I left New York on the morning of the 27th only to land in London on the night of the 26th . Through the arrivals gate , I spotted them immediately Mum , Dad , and William standing in a row , beaming and waving like excited children at a parade . The sight of them made my heart squeeze . I ran to them , wheeling designer luggage forgotten as I fell into Mums embrace , breathing in her familiar perfume Chanel No. 5 , just as shed worn all my life . -Eight years ago , Id defied their wishes and moved to New York for university , chasing what Id thought was love . Though theyd disapproved , theyd let me go , trusting me to find my way . Those eight years had been punctuated by brief Christmas visits , a daughters absence marked by empty chairs at Sunday roasts and missed family celebrations . Tears threatened , and I pulled back from Mums embrace before they could fall . Mum , Im starving . Lets get you home , darling . She cupped my face , her eyes soft with maternal concern . Tll make your favorite shepherds pie with extra gravy , just how you like it . I linked arms with both my parents as we walked to the car park , our laughter echoing through the terminal . Chapter 5 Meanwhile , across the ocean in his Manhattan penthouse , Castro faced a very different scene . Castro sat on the Italian marble floor , repeatedly calling a number he knew wouldnt answer . Every year , hed meticulously set a reminder for my birthday August 27th . This morning , the alert had woken him in Orianas guest room , the familiar chime cutting through his dreams . His first instinct had been to head to Whole Foods , to buy ingredients for the birthday dinner hed planned . The custom Cartier bracelet hed ordered months ago was still hidden in his office safe . But seeing Oriana at breakfast , limping slightly , had given him pause . After all , I still hadnt apologized . He couldnt understand it . Id always been the reasonable one why was I being so stubborn this time ? After spending half the day restlessly checking his phone at Orianas , he finally headed home . The moment he stepped into the penthouse , he felt like hed walked into a strangers home . He actually stepped back out , checked the apartment number , and re entered . The space had reverted to its pre Aveline state- stark , minimalist , cold . In a frenzy , he searched every room for traces of me . The vintage Polaroids from Paris , gone . The sketchbook I kept by the window seat , vanished . The coffee machine hed bought because I couldnt function without my morning latte- replaced with his old French press . What the hell is happening ? he whispered , frantically dialing my number only to be greeted by voicemail . His Instagram messages bounced back blocked . WhatsApp showed one grey tick , then nothing . If not for the ghost of my perfume still lingering in the closet , he might have thought hed imagined the last seven years . In desperation , he opened Find My Friends the app wed used to surprise each other with lunch dates . My location was dark , but the history showed one last ping from two weeks ago . Id come within a hundred feet of his location , hesitated , then disappeared . Something clicked in his mind . He pulled up his calendar , scrolling back . When he saw the date , his iPhone slipped from his trembling fingers , the screen shattering like the illusion of our relationship . Chapter Chapter 6 Five-year-old Annie, who can understand animals, saved Landon Hawthorne, a wealthy businessman, from suicide. Now she's his whole world and he's her legal cheat-code against every villain fate throws ...