Katrina pov
The world around me did not just slow down; it completely froze. The air in the restaurant grew heavy, pressing against my lungs like water until I couldn't breathe. My eyes were locked onto his, paralyzed by a past I had spent every waking second trying to outrun.
*Theo.*
My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic, terrifying rhythm that made my ears ring. Desperation flared through my veins, and in a blind, panicked reflex, I ripped my gaze away from him. I forced my eyes down, staring intensely at the plate of rice in front of me. *Just focus on the food,* I told myself, my hands trembling so violently that the fork clinked loudly against the fine porcelain. *Just chew. Just swallow. Pretend he isn't there. Pretend you didn't see him.*
But it was already too late. Deep
