Last Love: Chapter 1 - Echoes in Steel and Glass

The wind howled a mournful symphony through the canyons of steel and glass. Evelyn Moore, perched atop the newly completed Zenith Tower, felt a kinship with the melancholic city symphony. Ten years it had been since she'd last stood this high, overlooking the sprawl of concrete and ambition that both fueled and mirrored her own.Back then, the world had shimmered with a naïve hope, her future intertwined with another soul. Now, the city lights below cast a stark, metallic sheen, reflecting the cold, polished steel of her own carefully constructed life.Evelyn adjusted the hard hat, its weight a familiar anchor. Architect, the title adorned her business cards and commanded respect in boardrooms. It also served as a constant reminder of the path she'd chosen, a path paved with ambition and solitude.A cough from behind startled her. She turned to see Michael, the project manager, his face etched with nervous anticipation. "Everything set for the unveiling tomorrow, Ms. Moore?"Evelyn gave a curt nod. Michael was a good man, efficient and reliable. But the nervous energy that crackled around him these days felt out of place amongst the steel beams and polished concrete. "Just ensure the final lighting checks are complete before sunrise. The sunrise view from the observation deck is a major selling point."They stood in companionable silence for a moment, the city lights twinkling below like spilled diamonds. For Evelyn, however, the city held no romance, only the echoes of a love that had died a violent death. A love she'd sealed away in the vault of her memory, a treasure too painful to revisit."Leaving so soon?" Michael inquired, his voice laced with a curiosity Evelyn found irritating."There are finer details to finalize at the office," she replied, turning away.The descent down the elevator felt like a descent into her past. Each floor held a memory, a project, a triumph. But none of them held the warmth of a shared dream, of a future envisioned with someone else. Reaching the lobby, the sterile white walls pressed in on her, the air thick with the impersonal hum of activity.Just outside, a commotion caught her attention. A man, tall with dark hair and a disarming smile, stood arguing with the security guard, his voice tinged with amusement."Look," the man said, his voice surprisingly deep, "I have an appointment with Ms. Moore. Professor Liam O'Connell, Art History Department, and it looks like my charm offensive has failed spectacularly."The guard, a mountain of a man named Tony, shifted uncomfortably. "Rules are rules, Professor. Appointment or no, you need a pass after hours."Evelyn felt an unfamiliar tug of curiosity. Intriguing that someone would bypass the usual channels to meet her on a construction site after dark."Perhaps I can be of assistance," she said, surprising even herself. The man turned with a look of genuine surprise, his smile widening as he held out a hand. "Professor O'Connell, and you must be Ms. Moore. Your reputation precedes you."His warm handshake sent a jolt through her, a spark of something unexpected. As she looked into his eyes, a flicker of something familiar, something long buried, danced in their depths."Evelyn Moore," she replied, the name feeling foreign on her tongue. "And what brings a professor of art history to a construction site at this ungodly hour?"