Chasing Yesterday

Prologue

KAELITH

The house was beautiful, even in its unfinished state. The clean lines and expansive windows hinted at the kind of life it would hold: warm, bright, full of possibilities. But all I could feel as I stepped inside was a sharp, sinking weight in my chest.

She was standing in the open living room, a clipboard in one hand, the other gesturing to a wide expanse of wall. Her voice—calm, professional, and utterly familiar—floated across the room.

“This is where the built-ins will go. Floor-to-ceiling shelving to frame the fireplace and give the space a cozier feel.”

I hadn’t heard her voice in nearly a decade. It hit me like a sudden gust of cold air, stealing my breath.

She turned at the sound of the door closing behind me, and when her eyes met mine, the clipboard in her hand faltered, dropping slightly. Her lips parted, but no words came out at first.

“Kaelith,” she finally said, my name a soft exhale.

“Avrielle.”

The single word felt too small for everything I wanted to say, for the years that stretched between us, empty and unresolved.

Her hair was medium-length now, layered in a way that framed her face perfectly. It suited her—effortlessly chic and polished, much like the tailored blazer she wore. She looked... good. Too good. Like someone who had moved on, someone who had rebuilt herself with a confidence I could never quite grasp.

“You’re the client?” she asked, her tone carefully neutral, though I could hear the faint edge of disbelief in it.

“I am,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “And you’re my architect.”

She nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. “I guess the world is smaller than we think.”

“Smaller than it should be,” I muttered before I could stop myself.

Her lips twitched, almost like she wanted to smile, but then her gaze flickered behind me. I turned to see Emily standing there, holding two cups of coffee.

“I thought I’d join you,” Elira said, handing me a cup and slipping her arm around my waist. Her voice was warm, her touch grounding.

Avrielle’s eyes dropped to Elira’s hand on my hip, and her expression shifted, tightening in a way I couldn’t quite read.

“This must be Elira,” she said, her tone polite but distant. “Elira’s told me about you.”

Emily smiled brightly, completely unaware of the undercurrent in Avrielle’s words. “And you must be Avrielle, the architect. It’s nice to meet you.”

Avrielle nodded, her gaze shifting between us for a moment before she spoke. “It’s good to meet you too. I hope you’re both happy with what I’ve planned so far.”

I wanted to say something, to fill the awkward silence that stretched between us, but my throat felt tight, and my thoughts were spinning.

“Of course,” Elira said, saving me from having to answer. “Kaelith’s been so excited about the house. She talks about it all the time.”

Avrielle’s lips pressed into a thin line, and she gave a quick nod. “Well, I’ll make sure it’s perfect for you both.”

Before I could respond, the door to the patio slid open, and a tall, dark-haired woman stepped inside. She carried a tape measure in one hand and a roll of blueprints in the other.

“Hey,” she called out, walking toward Avrielle with an easy confidence. “I just finished measuring the upstairs. Everything’s good to go.”

Avrielle smiled—soft, genuine, and achingly familiar. “Thanks, Zerena.”

She turned back to us, and for the first time, her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to review some details with my partner.”

Her partner. The word hit like a punch to the gut, even though I had no right to feel that way. I nodded, forcing a polite smile, and watched as she and Sarah walked off together, heads bent in quiet conversation.

Elira leaned into me, her warmth grounding me again, but my mind was already elsewhere, replaying every look, every word.

It was supposed to be easy. She was supposed to be just another face from my past, another person I’d outgrown.

But as I stood there, staring at the house we were building—the one Avrielle was helping me create—I realized something I wasn’t ready to admit.

I’d spent years running from the pieces of myself I’d left behind. And now, here they were, standing in front of me, wearing a blazer and a guarded smile.