Chapter 9. Tasty Lunch

Julie

The drive to work is a blur. 

My mind keeps wandering back to that late-night call with Luke. I hadn’t expected him to answer, let alone cheer me up with his random stories and crazy humor. I can't shake the strange feeling I’ve had since that call. I’m… happy. Genuinely happy. And it's not something I'm used to, especially in the last few months. 

I smile as I walk through the glass doors of Paragon Jewels. It’s a place I’ve spent years building my career, climbing to the top—yet today, even the heavy, corporate atmosphere feels lighter. 

I make my way across the lobby, past the reception desk. The receptionist, Karen, smiles at me, though her usual greeting seems to be slightly delayed. She’s staring at me as if something’s different.

“Good morning, Mrs. O’Brien,” she says.

“Good morning, Karen,” I reply, smiling back.

I catch the surprise in her eyes. Maybe I don’t usually smile this much. I know I do