Chapter 43

AURORA. I was sitting at my desk, engrossed in my work, trying to schedule a meeting at an appropriate time between Nathaniel and a client when my phone rang. I almost ignored it, because I tried not to answer personal calls during my working hours. But when my ringtone began a second, I sighed and reached for my phone. Surprised, I glanced at the caller ID, and a rush of nostalgia flooded over me. It was my closest friend from university, Grace. We had shared countless late-night study sessions, laughter-filled weekends, and ambitious dreams. Life had taken us on different paths after graduation—she’d gone off to chase her dreams of owning a novel studio and I’d left Mexico—and our conversations had become less frequent over the years. Swiping at the screen with a sense of anticipation, I answered the call. “Grace, is that you?” Her voice, warm and familiar, flowed through the phone. “Ysabel, it's been too long! How have you been?” I smiled instinctively, going back to a time whe