“Our next panelist joining us today is… William Hartford.”

Applause erupted across the grand hall of the international design conference. Evelyn froze for a moment, her fingers stilling over the edge of her speech notes. She hadn’t expected this—not today, not now.

From the right side of the stage, William emerged, dressed in a sleek black suit and a deep wine-colored tie that made his gaze appear even sharper. His hair was neatly styled, his posture composed—but the moment his eyes swept the room and landed on Evelyn, time seemed to halt.

Evelyn fought to keep her expression calm. She nodded politely, as though their reunion was nothing more than...