Chapter 14: A Conversation in the Rain

The weekend passed by in a blur, and before Evelyn knew it, she was standing outside her apartment on Monday morning, umbrella in hand as a steady drizzle painted the streets in a sheen of silver. The city had an entirely different atmosphere when it rained—softer, quieter, as if the world was taking a deep breath before another storm.

She checked her phone, scrolling through unread messages. Daniel had sent her a follow-up about their meeting, confirming the next discussion on Friday. Her editor had also left a few notes regarding her upcoming article. But the message she was really looking for had yet to arrive.

She sighed, shaking her head at herself. She was being ridiculous. Just because Alexander had seemed sincere yesterday didn't mean she should start expecting things from him. But still, there was a small part of her that hoped he would reach out again.

Lost in thought, she didn't hear the footsteps approaching until a voice spoke beside her. "Morning."

She turned, startled to find Alexander standing there, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat. His hair was slightly damp, and there was a casual ease about him that made it seem as if he'd been waiting there for hours.

"You again," she said, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"Me again," he agreed with a smirk. "Can I walk you to work?"

She hesitated, then shrugged. "If you can keep up."

They fell into step together, the rhythm of their footsteps matching the patter of rain against the pavement. For a while, neither of them spoke, and Evelyn found herself oddly comfortable in the silence. It was strange how quickly old habits resurfaced—the way he naturally adjusted his stride to match hers, the way she could almost predict what he was about to say before he said it.

"I owe you an explanation," he said eventually.

She exhaled, tightening her grip on her umbrella. "You owe me a lot of things, Alexander. But sure, start with an explanation."

He ran a hand through his damp hair, choosing his words carefully. "I made mistakes. Big ones. And I know saying that doesn't change anything, but I want to at least try to make things right."

Evelyn glanced at him, studying his expression. "Why now?"

He hesitated, then gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "Because I was an idiot before. Because I let my pride get in the way of something good. And because seeing you again reminded me of what I lost."

She looked straight ahead, trying to ignore the warmth creeping into her chest. "That's a nice sentiment, but words are just words, Alexander."

"I know," he admitted. "That's why I want to prove it."

She stopped walking, turning to face him. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

He met her gaze without hesitation. "By showing up. By being here. By not walking away this time."

The sincerity in his voice made her stomach flip, but she forced herself to remain steady. She had spent too much time rebuilding herself to let old wounds reopen so easily.

"We'll see," she said simply, before continuing down the street.

He didn't push, didn't try to make promises he couldn't keep. He simply fell into step beside her again, as if he knew that was the only thing he could do for now.

And for the first time in a long time, Evelyn let herself wonder—just a little—if maybe, just maybe, he meant it this time.