The streets shimmered with holiday lights as I drove back to my penthouse. Each string of twinkling bulbs along the avenues seemed brighter than the last, but tonight, even the festive city couldn’t distract me. The city seemed alive, full of cheer and energy, but for once, I felt a strange calm instead of the usual rush.
Resting on the seat beside me was a photo strip—four small squares of paper showing three people squeezed into a tiny booth. Me, Vanessa, and Kelvin. I reached for the photo strip Kelvin had begged us to take at the holiday market.
I had glanced at the strip several times during the drive. Each time my eyes returned to it, a faint smile tugged at my lips. Kelvin’s wide grin, with a smudge of chocolate on his cheek, filled the first frame. Vanessa sat next to him, her am
