Evening fell, and they had finished arranging the house. Madame Lee was delighted, and soon everyone returned to their respective homes.
In the car, Daniel remained silent. Jade kept stealing glances at him, wondering why he was so quiet. She had been genuinely happy that he came, even though she had spent most of the day laughing with Riguel.
Now, guilt settled heavily in her chest. He had missed work just to be there for her, while she had been busy enjoying herself, barely noticing him.
They arrived at the penthouse. It was already 10 p.m. Daniel asked for their nightly kiss, received it without a word, and then walked away.
Jade remained standing in the living room, lost in thought. He had been colder and more distant than usual—no teasing, no quiet remarks.
Is he angry? she wondered.
The next morning, Jade wanted to apologize to Daniel for the previous day, but he was already gone. She had an appointment at her mother's house with Riguel to begin planning the event.
As she was on her way, the car suddenly jerked to a stop. The driver had nearly hit a woman—he stopped only a few inches away.
"Oh my God!" Jade exclaimed as she hurried out of the car.
"are you alright, madam?"
The woman was sitting on the ground. She wasn't injured.
But her eyes were… too calm.
When Jade bent down to help her, the woman grasped her hand.
A chill ran through Jade's body.
"Careful," the woman whispered.
"Some bonds are older than they appear."
Jade frowned.
"Madam… do you need help?"
The woman studied Jade closely, as if she recognized her.
"You carry a silence the sky listens to," she said softly.
Jade tried to pull her hand back, but the woman held on—gently.
"Have you ever heard of a star called VESPERIS?" she asked.
The name echoed strangely in Jade's mind.
"No," Jade answered, uneasy as she made as if she has never heard the name before.
"Good," the woman said.
"Then it is still early."
"Early… for what?
"Listen to me," the woman continued in a low voice.
"When the night takes something from him, do not challenge the sky."
"Who?" Jade asked, her pulse racing.
The woman gave a faint, sorrowful smile.
"An Ooman once loved me."
Jade froze.
"I believed love could protect him," the woman went on.
"I was wrong."
She finally released Jade's hand.
"When the sky claims what is owed, it does not ask permission."
Jade's throat tightened.
"What happened to him?" she whispered.
The woman slowly shook her head.
"That is not a story meant for daylight."
Then she stood up, brushing dust from her dress.
"Remember this," she said as she stepped back.
"If you become his anchor…
the sky will notice."
She took a few steps away, then stopped.
"And when it does—
it never takes the one you expect."
Before Jade could ask another question, the woman disappeared into the street.
As if she had never been there.
Jade remained still.
Jade arrived at her mother's house a little later than planned.
Riguel was already there, sitting at the table with a notebook open, sketches spread everywhere. Madame Lee was in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared tea.
"Finally," Riguel said with a smile.
"I was starting to think you had abandoned me."
Jade forced a small smile and sat down.
"Sorry… something came up."
"You look like someone who hasn't slept," Riguel added, studying her face.
"Everything alright?"
"Yes," she replied quickly.
"Just tired."
But her mind drifted again.
If you become his anchor… the sky will notice.
She shook her head slightly, as if trying to push the words away.
"Okay," Riguel continued, tapping his pen against the notebook.
"So, for the event, I was thinking something simple but elegant. Nothing too flashy."
"Mm-hm," Jade murmured.
"And the location—maybe the rooftop of the hotel. The view is incredible at night."
"Yes… the view," she echoed, unfocused.
Riguel stopped writing.
"Jade," he said gently.
"Where did you go just now?"
She blinked and looked at him.
"Sorry. What did you say?"
He smiled, half-amused, half-concerned.
"I said you're clearly not here."
Madame Lee came in and placed the tea on the table.
"You've been staring into space since you arrived," she observed kindly.
"Is something troubling you, my daughter?"
Jade hesitated.
"I met a strange woman this morning," she finally said.
"By accident. She said… strange things"
Riguel raised an eyebrow.
"Strange how?"
"She talked about the sky," Jade replied slowly.
"And about… stars."
Riguel chuckled lightly.
"Stars? That's new."
"I don't even understand what she meant," Jade admitted.
"But it felt like a warning."
Madame Lee grew thoughtful.
"Some warnings don't ask to be understood," she said softly.
"They ask to be remembered."
Jade wrapped her hands around the warm cup of tea.
Her heart felt heavy, though she couldn't explain why.
Riguel cleared his throat and smiled again, trying to lighten the mood.
"Well," he said, clapping his hands together,
"whether the sky is watching or not, we still have an event to plan."
Jade nodded.
"Yes," she said quietly.
"Let's plan it."
But even as she spoke, her thoughts were elsewhere.
Jade tried to push everything aside and focus on her new work and responsibilities.
"Hey," Riguel said with a slightly amused smile,
"are you still thinking about that woman who talked about the sky?"
"No!" Jade replied quickly, a little too quickly.
"I'm just stressed about this new responsibility you gave me. I don't want to disappoint you."
Riguel waved it off.
"Don't worry. We still have time. One month is plenty."
After the meeting, Jade returned to the penthouse.
Daniel wasn't there yet.
She paused, surprised.
She had wanted to apologize to him all day.
So she decided to wait for him in the living room.
Sitting on the couch, she found herself thinking again about the mysterious woman—
her words, her eyes, the strange weight they had left behind.
Without realizing it, Jade fell asleep.
.
.
Daniel came back very late, almost at midnight.
To his surprise, Jade was asleep on the couch.
"Why is she sleeping here?" he wondered.
He approached quietly.
A strand of her hair had fallen across her face. He gently brushed it aside.
A faint smile curved his lips.
"She looks so calm… so soft," he thought.
"Without knowing she's a hurricane."
He lifted her carefully, holding her in his arms, and carried her toward her room.
As he was about to lay her down, she murmured in her sleep,
"Daniel… Daniel…"
He froze for a second and looked at her.
She was still asleep.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
His chest tightened.
He placed her gently on the bed.
"Sorry, Daniel," she murmured again, turning to her side.
He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
Then he left the room silently.
Back in his own room, Daniel sat on the edge of the bed.
He picked up his usual notebook and began to write
as he always did before going to sleep.
The night passed.