The restaurant was too beautiful for heartbreak.
Crystal chandeliers dripped light like molten gold across the tables, painting every glass of wine with a shimmer. Soft piano music swirled through the air, wrapping around couples who leaned close, whispering secrets over plates of pasta and steak. Laughter floated from the corner where a group toasted something worth celebrating.
But my table?
My table sat untouched.
The water glass in front of me was half-drained, condensation dripping down the stem. A single candle burned between the empty chair and me, its flame bending in the faint breeze whenever the door opened. I smoothed the silk of my dress for the hundredth time, my fingers trembling over the fabric.
The dress he said he liked.
“Wear this color again,” Valen had murmured we
