Kaelan Vaughn’s mocking, playful gaze was a splash of icy water, jolting Kaia back to reality.

Her Ky would never look at her like that.

No matter how similar they looked, they were not the same person.

With that realization, the heart that had been in turmoil since she first laid eyes on Kaelan finally settled into a dead calm.

Kaelan sat back down at the mahogany desk. "Three strikes and you're out, Ms. Storm. Don't push your luck."

Kaia knew she should leave.

But as she turned, the "five years" timeline echoed in her mind.

She had to ask. Just to sever that last, lingering thread of fantasy.

"Mr. Vaughn, may I ask you one question?"

"The Vaughn Corporation was founded five years ago. Before that, what were you doing?"

Kaelan forcefully stubbed out his cigarette, his eyes lifting to hers, filled with impatience. "Is that any of your business?"

Kaia's body stiffened. A bitter, self-mocking smile touched her lips.

He was right. It wasn't.

She dug her nails into her palm and gave Kaelan one last look. "My apologies for disturbing you."

Kaia walked out of the brownstone without looking back.

A blanket of white snow covered the long street, the traffic flowing ceaselessly.

Standing at the mouth of the alley, a storm of conflicting emotions filled Kaia's chest, yet she felt utterly empty.

The gloomy sky began to snow again.

Kaia tilted her head back, and for some reason, in that moment, she desperately wanted to see *her* Kaelan.

In the end, she hailed a cab to Greenwood Cemetery.

Half an hour later, Kaia paid the driver and walked straight to a tombstone in the far eastern corner.

The dark stone was covered in a thick layer of snow. She crouched down, using her bare hands to wipe the snow and ice from the black-and-white photograph.

Kaia gazed at the man with the gentle smile in the picture, whispering, "Ky, it's been a while. Have you missed me over there?"

But only the biting north wind answered.

Kaia stood for a long time before sitting down beside the tombstone.

She leaned her head against the cold stone, just as she used to lean on Kaelan's shoulder, and recounted the events of the past few days.

In the end, only silence remained.

In the five years since she’d lost him, she came to see him almost every month, each time chattering on about everything she had experienced.

Until today, she found she had nothing left to say.

In the quiet, the snow fell softly, landing on her head and on his tombstone, as if they were growing old together, their hair turning white.

…

Kaia stayed for a long, long time, her mind replaying the years she had spent with Kaelan, frame by frame.

But gradually, those distant memories began to blur.

They say a person’s death isn't the end of their life, but the moment they are forgotten.

A sudden fear gripped Kaia. The fear that one day, she would truly forget everything about Kaelan.

In that moment, she made a decision.

She would leave New York.

She would travel, visit the places she and Kaelan had gone to together.

Kaia immediately drafted a resignation letter and sent it to her boss. Then she said goodbye to Kaelan, went home to pack, and prepared to end her lease.

But after living in New York for so many years, her belongings had accumulated, scattered and numerous. It felt impossible to pack everything.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

It was Julian.

Puzzled, she answered, only to hear an unfamiliar male voice on the other end. "Is this Ms. Kaia Storm? Mr. Croft is very drunk. You're his emergency contact. Could you please come pick him up? The address is the Venus Hotel, room 3602."

He spoke quickly and hung up, not even giving her a chance to refuse.

Thinking about her decision to leave New York, Kaia figured she should probably tell Julian in person anyway.

The drive from Queens to the hotel didn't take long.

Kaia took the elevator to the thirty-sixth floor. When she found room 3602, the door was slightly ajar.

Pushing it open, she found the room was pitch black.

She stepped inside and called out tentatively, "Julian?"

No one answered.

Kaia frowned, about to fumble for the light switch.

A scorching heat slammed into her, and then, with a loud "BANG," the door was slammed shut.

Kaia’s back hit the door panel hard, and she let out a pained grunt.

Thinking it was a drunk Julian, she raised her hands to push him away.

"Julian, let go!"

But the next second, her palm met scorching hot skin.

Beneath her hand, the man’s heart was pounding violently.

Kaia froze, panicking, trying to pull her hand back, but he grabbed it, pinning it against the door.

Then, his lips crashed against hers.

The man forcefully parted her teeth, his tongue tangling with hers—

This kiss… it was so familiar.

Memories of her intimate moments with Kaelan flooded her mind. Kaia's heart throbbed so intensely it felt like it would leap from her chest.

It wasn't until the man's cold palm slid under the hem of her sweater, pressing against her skin, that she was jolted back to her senses.

She shoved him away with all her might.

"SMACK!"

At the same time, her elbow hit the light switch. The room was instantly flooded with blinding light.

Kaia instinctively squinted. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the cold, sharp features of the man opposite her—

"Kaelan… Vaughn?"