Sweet Fate

Chapter 3 - Regina

“Order for Regina.”

The call snapped me out of my thoughts. I stepped up to grab my drink. My meeting with Adrian and Soren had wrapped up much faster than expected, leaving me with plenty of free time to at least explore the city of Norwyn, with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, of course.

Even though it was already lunchtime, Norwyn’s sky preferred to stay hidden behind a blanket of grey clouds that veiled the afternoon sun. Despite the cold weather and the autumn foliage beginning to turn as a sign of the changing season, the city remained bustling with life.

People bustled past in heavy layers, wearing wool coats, wrapped scarves, thick boots, and mittens to brave a city that never seemed to escape the bite of the northern wind.

I sat quietly on a park bench, watching the crowd pass by, completely absorbed in what they were doing. It was an old habit of mine, observing strangers and trying to read their stories.

Like the woman waiting impatiently by the curb. From head to toe, she was dressed in luxury. Yet, the anxiety on her face was impossible to miss. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest, her fingers restlessly tugging at the edge of her coat sleeve as she checked the watch on her right wrist. Is she left-handed? Moments later, a man who looked easily twice her age approached and kissed her. Just like that, her expression shifted into... fake romance? Visually, there was no resemblance between them, and the affection shown by the middle-aged man felt far more possessive than genuine.

I exhaled slowly, watching them walk away. In this economy, people often did whatever it took just to keep food on the table. I didn't want to judge her. I had no idea what kind of life she had been forced to live.

Shifting my gaze, I resumed taking in my surroundings: a couple sharing a tender moment, an elderly man pushing a cart, and a young child selling flowers that had gone stiff from the cold.

I could observe all of them with a calm, almost professional detachment.

Except for the man with the light brown eyes.

...Soren.

During our meeting, my eyes had been completely drawn to his. But my mind was anything but calm, reeling from a rush of emotions I couldn't quite fathom. Why did it feel like there was something binding us together? Like a strange, invisible pull that made me hyper-aware of his presence. His quiet breaths, his subtle movements, even the way he looked at me, as if... he felt it too?

I picked up the business card Soren had given me, opened my phone, and snapped a quick photo of it.

Me: Hey, can you look into someone for me?

Soren H. Caelum, owner of Caelum Press.

I need his business track record, old news, and anyone in his inner circle.

Give me a call when you're finished.

I couldn't go on like this. At the very least, I needed to find out who Soren H. Caelum really was.

---

“How are you doing, Regina? How’s Norwyn? I heard it’s chilly there most of the time, even in the summer.”

I smiled at the sound of his voice. Alfred McKenna, aka Freddy, my former coworker. “I’m doing okay. Turns out I like the cold here a lot more than I thought I would. How about you, Freddy?”

“Well, you know, the usual boring stuff. Always data, data, and data. It’s not even what I want to be doing, but the team leader never lets me join the cyber team,” he complained.

“Hahaha, I think the team leader would be devastated if you left, Freddy,” I replied.

“More like he doesn’t want me going rogue with hacking.”

“So, what did you find?” I asked, sitting on the edge of my mattress while softly running my fingers over my journal.

“Soren Hale Caelum, thirty-three years old. Owner and Editor-in-Chief of Caelum Press. According to the company history, he renamed it five years ago after buying it out right as it was going bankrupt,” Freddy explained.

I frowned, confused. “Editor-in-Chief? Not the CEO?”

I heard a crunching sound as Freddy munched on his potato chips again. “Nope, he’s not really the business person type. From what I’ve gathered in news articles, he prefers sitting behind a desk reading books. His criminal record is completely clean, and there’s nothing out of the ordinary about him.”

I fell silent for a moment. A squeaky-clean record felt oddly suspicious.

Am I reading into this too much?

“Are you okay, Regina? Do I need to dig deeper into this guy? Do you think he’s dangerous?” Question after question tumbled out of Freddy’s mouth. The worry and panic in his voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Hey, hey, hey, I’m okay. Freddy, it’s okay, don’t worry.” I quickly tried to reassure him. “I... I just can’t read him, Freddy. In a good way.”

A quiet sigh came through the line. Ever since that incident, Freddy had been fiercely protective of me, bound by the shared grief of losing the person we both loved. “Sorry, I just... I can't lose you, Regina. Not after what happened. You're all I have left of her.”

“I know, Freddy. Me too,” I answered softly. “Take care of yourself, okay? Call me if you need anything. I miss you, Freddy.”

“I miss you too, Regina.”

I ended the call and opened my journal. The first thing that caught my eye was a photo of the three of us: Freddy pouting next to his empty fishing rod, me smiling with my three fish, and... Elara, beaming with a wide grin because she had caught the most.

Elara.

I gently brushed my fingers over her face in the photo, the face of the one person who had stood against the world with me. My best friend, my sister, my family.

If I had arrived five minutes earlier that night, could I have saved you? If there hadn't been a case calling you away, would you still be busy making out with Freddy? If only... you hadn't followed me into the same line of work, would you still be standing by my side?

“The world keeps moving, Elara. The sun and the moon keep trading places. So why does my time feel completely frozen just because you're no longer here with me?”

---

The next three days passed in surprising peace.

I explored almost half of Norwyn. I bought a lot of new books in the Shopping & Café District, not to mention the endless cafés I wanted to try. Then I took a short walk to enjoy the sea breeze nearby in the Harbor District. The view of the open ocean, the towering buildings in the city center, and the lush green mountain forest behind them formed Norwyn's striking contrasts. It was the exact reason this city had become my destination when I was looking for... a new home.

Today, I found myself at the Convention Hall at Norwyn University. Since Norwyn was a close-knit town, it was incredibly easy to find local event updates on social media. The Norwyn Literary Festival began today and will run for the next week.

I wandered through rows of book booths. From romance to horror, the festival felt like a comforting haven for me.

My steps halted in front of a room packed with people. What caught my attention, however, was the man sitting on the stage. My eyes landed on the banner hanging above: “Talk show: The Psychology Behind Memorable Characters by Caelum Press Founder, Soren Caelum.”

Curiosity surged within me. I slipped inside, sat in the very back row, and pulled out a small notebook and a pen from my bag, watching how Soren interacted with the crowd.

Without realizing it, my hand stopped taking notes. My eyes kept drifting back to him. He looked so... I didn't even know how to describe it. The polite way he addressed people, the clarity in his answers, and the way a smile reached his eyes long before touching his lips.

He didn't try to dominate the room, yet his gentle presence commanded everyone's full attention. He knew exactly when to be serious, when to joke, and even when to pause.

“Alright, before we wrap up today's session, does anyone in the audience have a question?” the host asked, uttering the words I had been waiting for.

A sea of hands quickly shot up into the air, including mine.

His light brown eyes scanned the room, taking in all the eager faces. But his gaze locked when his eyes met mine. His shoulders stiffened slightly, as if surprised by my presence. “Perhaps the woman sitting at the back?”

“Yes, go ahead, the lovely lady in the back,” the host called on me after Soren pointed in my direction.

I stood up, my gaze remaining locked with his. “My name is Regina. I'd like to ask... If an author truly understands the mind of a killer, do you think that makes them dangerous?”

The entire room fell deathly silent. Every eye turned toward me. I understood what was going through their minds. How could such a dark question be tossed out so casually?

His eyes smiled before his lips finally followed, offering a warmth devoid of any judgment. “That’s a nice question, Miss Regina.”

He paused for a moment, as if truly weighing his answer. “I don’t think understanding the mind of a killer makes someone dangerous. I think it makes them willing to look where most people choose to look away.”

All eyes shifted back to him, mesmerized by his surprising response. “Understanding isn’t the same as agreeing, Regina. It’s choosing to see the reasons behind someone’s actions without excusing what they’ve done.”

My breath hitched when he softly addressed me by my name.

His posture, once upright, relaxed as he leaned back slightly into his chair. “If an author can truly understand both the victim and the killer, then they’ve done more than write a story. They’ve written about... humanity.”

His gaze was deep, yet all I felt was a wave of calm and understanding. “And I believe people who seek understanding are far less dangerous than people who judge before they understand.”

Our eyes stayed locked. I didn't even realize when the room had fallen so still. It felt as if it were just the two of us, right up until a burst of applause filled the hall, forcing me back to reality.

To be continued.