Tears

Damn, I fell asleep.

After the relief of ending the marriage contract and being back here, I must've drifted off.

It was 6:04 a.m. now, the day of the party. Judging by the time, though, I slept much longer than I should have.

I stood up and navigated toward the bathroom with familiar ease. 

I had the essentials with me, so I took a shower, preparing for the day ahead. While in there, I started thinking about my future.

Knowing Daniel for three years has given me insight into his character. He's always been a bully who likes to get his way, and he's very spoiled. The fact that someone like me got in the way of something he's wanted for years—there's no way he'll let that slide.

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but my problems are just beginning.

I finished my shower after washing my hair—today was important after all—and I had a lot to do.

When I was done, I dried off and got dressed in black shorts and a white t-shirt, making it back to the room by 7:12 a.m.

Not long after, there was a knock on the door.

"Good morning, I made breakfast—eggs, bacon, and some toast. You can come eat whenever you're ready," Aunt Karin said, walking into the room. The smell from the kitchen hit me instantly.

"Thanks, I'll be there soon," I replied. Thinking about the food, I smiled—it was my favorite meal when I was younger.

I stood up and went to the dining room, where a plate was already waiting for me. I grabbed a cup, got something to drink, and sat down to eat.

The morning passed quickly. After breakfast, I took Aunt to a few places so she could get everything ready for the party later.

The first event was a formal dinner, so while we were out, I made sure to get myself a nice suit.

One thing I noticed about my new physique was that I had a natural scent—not strong, but it smelled really good.

Our reservations were at 5:00 p.m., and after a day of running around, it was 3:48 p.m. 

We arrived home to get dressed, and on the way, Naomi called Aunt to say she and her friends were back from the salon and getting dressed as well.

They talked for a while and planned to meet us at the restaurant.

After we got ready, it was 4:21 p.m., so we left the house and headed to the venue.

I parked the car, and Aunt Karin got out to go inside. I was supposed to wait in the car and surprise Naomi when she arrived.

---

**Lena's POV**

"Our ride is here!" I stood up and walked over to Naomi, who was putting on her bracelet. It was one she always wore, with her name on it, but it was practically falling apart.

I remember a boy once gave her an expensive, diamond-encrusted bracelet, saying, "Now you can wear something of actual quality." 

The look on her face after that—I had never seen her so upset.

I always knew that bracelet was important, but she never said why.

"Birthday girl! I'm hungry!" I pouted, hoping my sad face would make her hurry up.

"You're always hungry. I'm almost done, hold on." she chuckled at my antics.

I walked away, heading to check on Luna.

*Ruffle*

I found her struggling to zip up her dress in the next room. Smiling, I stepped in.

"Aha, do you need your big sister's help?" I teased. She rolled her eyes but moved her hands, allowing me to zip her up.

"thank you." Luna's yellow dress suited her perfectly.

All our dresses were well-matched: mine was pink, Luna's yellow, and Naomi's green.

Not long after, we all headed down to the limousine, which took us to a fancy restaurant.

Out of habit, I scanned the parking lot and spotted a very expensive car I wasn't expecting to see.

My curiosity got the better of me, and I excused myself, telling Naomi I'd catch up soon. I quickly sped toward the car, as fast as I could in heels.

I reached the jet-black SUV and pulled out my phone, taking pictures from multiple angles—carefully avoiding the license plate. I didn't want to get anyone in trouble; I just appreciated nice things.

After snapping a few shots, I quickly reviewed the photos. In one of them, I noticed someone sitting inside, visible through the windshield.

I hadn't realized until then.

Embarrassed, I went to delete the picture and walk away. Until—

*Click*

My head shot up at the sound of the door opening, and I saw the most perfect man I'd ever laid eyes on.

---

**Akashic's POV**

I sat in the car for a while, watching as a limousine pulled up. My attention sharpened when I saw three women step out.

I recognized Naomi immediately from recent images, but what threw me off was the girl next to her.

"Luna?!" It felt like I was in a simulation. What were the odds that her friend was Luna? I wonder how they met…

As I refocused on the group, I noticed one was missing. Even stranger, someone was sprinting toward me in heels.

I was impressed by how fast she was moving and slightly nervous she'd fall.

Naomi gave her a glance, shaking her head at the familiar-looking girl.

And then it hit me—I knew her too. We'd only met once, briefly, but she was pretty popular. It was Luna's sister.

That could explain their connection. She usually travels around to other cities for events and stuff. 

I stayed in the car out of curiosity as she came closer. She started taking pictures of my car, excitement clear on her face.

Honestly, I respected her professionalism. Some people take photos of my car, but they often touch or lean on it—or even sit on the hood. She only took photos, clearly appreciating the car without getting too close.

After scrolling on her phone for a moment, she froze. That's when I decided to get out.

At the sound of the door opening, she turned toward me, and recognition flashed in her eyes.

"Husba—Akashic!" She stammered, her eyes widening.

"You remember me? That's surprising." I said, smiling. I looked a little different now, so I wouldn't have blamed her if she didn't recognize me.

"No, well yes! You're Luna's friend and Naomi's cousin!" She fumbled.

"Oh, is the surprise spoiled already?" I frowned, wondering if Naomi already knew I was here.

"Not at all. It's a bit complicated, but Naomi doesn't know you're here."

"Well, that's all that matters."

"Nice to meet you again. I'm Akashic Torre." I offered her my hand for a handshake, feeling it was polite since she was a friend of Naomi's.

"Same! I'm Lena Starr!" She shook my hand; her hands were small and cold.

We chatted for a bit before I got a text from Aunt, saying I could come in now.

Lena and I walked in together, with her stepping in first.

---

**Naomi's POV**

After Lena ran off to look at the car, Luna and I walked inside. We gave our name to the hostess and found my mom in the private room we reserved.

"Happy birthday!! I'm so proud of you!" Mom stood up and hugged me, crying as she repeatedly told me how proud she was and how much she loved me.

I started tearing up too, thinking about how grateful I was for her.

I didn't want to cry yet, so I held it in, and after a few seconds, we sat down.

"Where's Lena?" Mom asked.

"She saw a nice car, so of course she ran off to take pictures. She'll be here soon," I explained. As I did, I saw her texting someone on her phone.

I was curious but stayed quiet.

*Knock, knock*

A few minutes later, light knocks sounded at the door. Lena entered, blushing.

I was shocked—this made the second time she'd blushed so hard. Before I could say anything, there was another knock on the door.

*Knock, knock*

Luna and I exchanged confused looks before Mom called out, "Come in."

When the door opened, my mind went blank.

Tall, long light-blue hair, a black suit... My heart sped up as I recognized the face. My mind tried to rationalize that I was mistaken, but my heart wanted it to be true so bad that I ignored it. 

Before he could even speak, I stood up and launched myself into his arms.

"Haha, well hello to you too, Naomi." 

At the sound of his voice, all my efforts to hold back tears failed. I started crying, and he tried to soothe me. Eventually, he placed his hand on my head like he used to when we were kids, and I cried even harder, hugging him tighter.

"Akashic!!"