Chapter Thirty Nine
The little brunch café at the edge of town was the kind of place that looked like it belonged in an old photograph. Soft amber light spilling through lace curtains, the smell of roasted coffee and fresh pastries drifting through the air, and a hum of quiet conversation blending with the clink of ceramic cups. Ace paused outside for a heartbeat, exhaling slowly. The moment she stepped inside, a familiar voice called her name. “Ace!” Clara was waving her over from a table tucked into a cozy corner near the window. Across from her sat Evelyn, Ace’s mother, who immediately stood and wrapped her daughter in a warm hug. “There’s my girl,” Evelyn murmured against her shoulder, holding her tight before finally stepping back. “You look tired. You’ve been working too much again.” “I’m fine,
- Writer
