EPISODE 2
ALTHEA
I smoothed the front of my dress one last time, taking a shaky breath.
The beach behind me was quiet now, the waves still murmuring as if reminding me of everything I had tried to forget.
But I couldn’t stay there forever.
I owed Aria that much.
Slowly, I walked back toward the glow of the party, lanterns swaying in the evening breeze, laughter spilling into the night.
Almost immediately, Mira appeared.
Sharp eyes, alert, scanning me from head to toe.
“There she is,” she muttered under her breath.
“Let me guess… he’s the reason for your little beach meltdown, right?”
I froze.
Her gaze had zero doubt.
Mira didn’t miss a thing.
Before I could answer, her sharp eyes landed on him.
Elias.
Calm, poised, a presence that still made my chest tighten, a quiet storm that unsettled every part of me.
He wasn’t making a move toward me, but just the way he stood—hands in his pockets, watchful, like he was aware of every heartbeat—made Mira bristle.
“Seriously?” she hissed, her tone low and dangerous.
“Do you have to do this here? At a party?”
“Not now, Mira,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady.
But my heart was hammering.
Mira’s gaze didn’t leave him.
Her jaw tightened.
“If he even thinks of—” She stopped herself, muttering under her breath, but her protective glare said it all.
Then Aria appeared beside me, gentle and grounding, her green eyes sparkling in the lantern light.
“Althea, hey… come meet someone.”
I turned, trying to adjust my mask of calm, and saw a tall, kind-faced man stepping forward.
He smiled warmly, the kind of smile that made you feel seen and safe.
“This is Ryan,” Aria said.
“My fiancé.”
Ryan extended his hand.
“It’s so good to finally meet you, Althea. Aria has told me a lot about you.”
I shook his hand, feeling the warmth in his gesture, the genuine kindness in his eyes.
I felt my tension ease, just a little, reminded that not everyone here carried a storm in their gaze.
Aria squeezed my hand before turning to introduce me to her family.
“Althea, meet my siblings.”
First was Leo, her oldest brother, tall with sandy hair and a mischievous grin.
“So you’re the famous Althea I’ve heard about,” he said, playful but welcoming.
Then Clara, her younger sister, soft-spoken, pale with freckles like Aria, and green eyes that mirrored her sister’s.
She smiled shyly at me, holding her hands together like she didn’t quite know where to look.
Next came Finn, the youngest, a boy on the edge of teenage years, tall for his age, with a quiet curiosity.
He caught my eye and instantly blushed, ducking his head when I smiled at him.
It was obvious—he had a little crush on me.
His shyness was endearing, and I gave him a quick wink, hoping to make him feel at ease without embarrassing him.
Finally, their mother, Helen, who had the warmth of someone who had raised her children with love and patience.
She enveloped me in a hug that felt like sunlight.
“Althea, it’s so wonderful to see you! You look just… amazing.”
I laughed softly, letting the happiness wash over me.
For a moment, I almost forgot the tension gnawing at the edges of my mind, almost forgot the storm waiting in the crowd.
⸻
Mira leaned closer, her voice a low hiss in my ear.
“See him?” She nodded toward Elias.
My stomach tightened.
“Yeah. I see him.”
“He’s trouble,” she said bluntly, crossing her arms.
“I don’t care what Aria thinks—stay away from him. You don’t need that headache.”
I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to appear calm.
“I can handle it, Mira.”
Her gaze lingered on him, warning sharp.
“You’re terrible at handling things like this,” she muttered, shaking her head.
“And he knows it.”
I wanted to argue, but then Ryan approached, polite and cheerful, bridging the tension with his calm presence.
“I thought you might like a drink,” he said.
“Can I get you anything?”
“Water would be perfect,” I said, grateful for the distraction.
As he stepped away, I noticed the way he glanced at Aria, completely focused, completely attentive.
The contrast hit me—the difference between him and Elias, the tension that lingered even after years.
⸻
The party buzzed around us.
Aria glowed, radiant in her engagement dress, soft laughter floating from her lips as she talked to guests.
Mira hovered nearby, her fiery energy barely contained, keeping an eye on Elias as he moved through the crowd.
Leo tried to draw me into a conversation about Aria’s wedding plans, while Clara shyly asked me about my job.
Finn hovered nearby, occasionally stealing glances at me, his cheeks faintly pink.
I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of his shyness—it was so innocent, so pure compared to the complicated chaos Elias brought into my life.
And yet… Elias.
He didn’t approach me, not yet.
But he was there, just beyond the circle of friends and family, calm, composed, unshaken.
My pulse picked up, and Mira’s protective glare burned through me.
She muttered something under her breath about him being a “walking disaster,” and I had to bite back a laugh.
⸻
Aria came to me, her voice gentle.
“Althea… you okay?”
I nodded, forcing a smile.
“Yeah. I’m… fine.”
She hesitated, then leaned closer.
“I know seeing him here must have been… difficult. But I promise, everything is okay. Ryan and I—everything’s fine.”
I nodded again, letting her words settle.
Ryan returned with my water, smiling.
He had that rare kind of attentiveness that made you feel like you mattered.
I found myself relaxing a little, letting the warmth of friends and family ease the tension coiling in my chest.
Mira’s gaze never left Elias, though.
Her eyes narrowed as he finally made a subtle movement in my direction, and she muttered something under her breath.
“I do not like him. Stay close, Althea.”
I tried to ignore the tightness in my chest, tried to focus on the celebration, but Elias’ presence was magnetic, pulling at old memories I had fought to forget.
I could feel the weight of his eyes without him even looking directly at me.
⸻
For the next few minutes, I let myself get lost in the laughter, the chatter, the small interactions with Aria’s siblings.
Leo was teasing Finn about his shyness around me, Clara kept stealing quiet smiles my way, and Finn’s occasional glances made me feel a little lighter, a little more human amidst the storm of emotions Elias brought.
And then Mira leaned in again, whispering, her tone sharp but protective: “Althea… stay careful. He’s watching you. I can feel it.”
I swallowed, heart thudding, and nodded.
“I’m fine.”
But deep down, I knew I wasn’t.
⸻
As the night wore on, the party continued around us.
Guests laughed, glasses clinked, and Aria’s family shared stories that made me smile and forget, even if just for a moment.
But Elias’ presence lingered in the corner of my mind, and Mira’s glare reminded me that no matter how much I tried, the past had a way of catching up.
Some doors, I realized, might never fully close.