---- But Europe was vast. Where could he even begin? Ironically, he had ruled out Slovenia almost instantly. It was, after all, the place where he proposed. The place was filled with too many memories of us. And he thought he knew me well enough to be sure: if I truly hated him, if I truly wanted to sever all ties, then surely I wouldn't return to the site of our most precious moments. So, he went to Serbia instead. Thad once mentioned, half-jokingly, that I wanted to retire in a wine town there and become a cheerful little drunkard. That one choice-so small, so seemingly logical- set us on diverging paths. But there was one time, one perfect twist of fate, when we nearly crossed. ---- It was at the airport in Bergamo. I was sprinting through the terminal, running late for a connecting flight to Croatia. There was no time to waste, no time to breathe. Just a blur of gates, signage, and pounding footsteps. At that same moment, Levi had just landed and was making his way out, planning to catch a car to Milan. His phone rang. It was his mother. His father had suffered a sudden heart attack. Time was of the essence. He booked a return flight to Reinstern City on the spot. And while standing in the check-in queue, his heart suddenly began to pound with inexplicable urgency-wild, loud, like it was trying to leap out of his chest. ---- Some instinct screamed that I was nearby. He froze and looked around the terminal. Scanned every face. But I was already gone, just a blur lost in the crowd, and he saw no one familiar. He lowered his head in quiet defeat. And so, in the chaos of an international airport, amidst hundreds of rushing strangers, we passed each other. A heartbeat away, and yet worlds apart. He had responsibilities to return to. And me? I would never wait for him again. Eventually, I returned to Slovenia. There, I took over a charming little flower shop and made it my home. That same year, Levi's father passed away. The doctors couldn't save him. ---- In the seven years since taking over the family business, Levi had lived like a robot. The company's new hires had never seen him smile-not even once. They whispered behind his back, mystified. How did anyone put up with such a cold, joyless man? One veteran employee, someone who had been at the company for over a decade, let out a long sigh. "Back when his wife was still around, the boss wasn't like this at all," he said wistfully. "I saw him wrap her in his arms and act like a lovesick teenager more than once." A bold new hire asked, "So why doesn't his wife come around anymore?" Before the older employee could answer, a voice chimed in from behind, ''She's gone abroad. Traveling."