Kalina pushed open the door to her quaint flower shop, her heart light and expectant. But the moment her eyes landed on the figure standing amidst the blossoms, they widened in shock.
"Aiden!" The name burst from her lips, a mixture of relief and incredulity, as she sprinted toward him, her arms outstretched. She enveloped him in a tight embrace, the scent of flowers momentarily overpowered by the familiar warmth of his presence.
"Where the hell have you been? I've been calling you, Aiden. I was worried sick…" Her voice trembled with a blend of anger and concern, her fingers clutching at his shirt as if trying to anchor him to this reality. "What happened to you?"
Aiden's response was a dry, cutting sarcasm that seemed to cut through the charged atmosphere. "Sure you were," he retorted, his voice laced with bitterness as he gently pushed her away, breaking the embrace.