Chapter Five: A Stranger in Everdale

The train ride to Everdale felt longer than it was. Each mile that passed seemed to pull Mia further from her old life, yet the weight in her chest refused to lift. By the time the train slowed to a halt at the small-town station, her heart was pounding for an entirely new reason — fear of the unknown.

The platform was quiet, a stark contrast to the bustling city she left behind. A few people milled about — an elderly couple holding hands, a mother pulling a reluctant toddler along, and a man in a worn-out hat, reading a newspaper like he had all the time in the world.

No one noticed her.

And that was exactly what she wanted.

Mia adjusted her coat over her still-flat stomach, pulled her small suitcase behind her, and stepped onto the platform. The air smelled of rain-soaked pavement and freshly brewed coffee — a strange but oddly comforting combination.

As she made her way through the small town square, Mia realized how different Everdale was from the city. No towering skyscrapers, no flashing billboards — just cozy cafés, charming bookstores, and streets lined with flower pots. It felt frozen in time — simple, quiet.

But even in its stillness, Mia couldn't shake the storm raging inside her.

She hadn't told Lily much about Everdale — only that it was a "temporary" move. But the truth was, she didn't know if she'd ever go back. What was left for her there? Betrayal? Whispers behind her back? The ghost of a stranger who had left her with more than just a memory?

No. This was her new beginning.

She found a small inn at the edge of town — The Rosewood Inn — run by a kind elderly woman named Margaret who barely asked any questions when Mia requested a room for an extended stay.

The room was modest but clean — a simple bed, a tiny desk, and a window overlooking the main street. It wasn't much, but it was hers.

As Mia unpacked the few belongings she had, her mind wandered back to the pregnancy test — the two pink lines, the wave of fear, the silent cry that escaped her lips when she realized her life would never be the same.

She placed a hand over her stomach again, closing her eyes.

"It's just you and me now," she whispered softly.

The room's silence was deafening.

The next morning, Mia woke to the soft chirping of birds outside her window — a sound so foreign compared to the honking and shouting she was used to.

She spent the day walking through Everdale, taking in the local coffee shop, Harper's Beans, the bookstore with its crooked sign, and the park where children laughed and played.

The peacefulness of it all only made her more aware of the chaos she still felt inside.

By late afternoon, Mia found herself sitting on a weathered bench in the town square, scrolling through job listings on her phone. She needed work — fast. She couldn't burn through her savings, especially now that she had a baby on the way.

Her heart raced at the thought.

A baby.

The weight of the word pressed down on her like a stone. She didn't know how to be a mother — she barely knew how to take care of herself.

But then she thought of Ryan — and Samantha — and the bitter taste of betrayal that still clung to her tongue.

They had taken so much from her — but they wouldn't take this. This child was hers, and hers alone.

A sharp buzz in her pocket broke her thoughts.

Lily. Again.

Mia hesitated before answering.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Are you okay?" Lily's voice was a mix of worry and relief. "Where are you?"

Mia gazed down the street at the small shops and distant hills. "Everdale," she replied.

There was a long pause.

"Have you thought any more about… finding him?" Lily finally asked.

Mia's stomach twisted. She knew who Lily meant — the man from that night. The stranger whose name she didn't even know.

"No," Mia whispered. "I don't want to."

"But what if he wants to know?" Lily pressed. "Mia, this isn't just about you anymore."

Mia's grip tightened on the phone. "He doesn't get to want anything, Lily. He's gone — whoever he is — and I'm not spending my life chasing a ghost."

Her voice cracked at the last word, and she blinked away sudden tears.

Another long silence.

Then, Lily's voice softened. "I just want you to be okay."

Mia swallowed hard. "I will be."

But as she ended the call and stared at the quiet town around her, the doubt crept in again.

Was running away truly a fresh start — or just another way of hiding?

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting Everdale in shades of gold and purple, Mia realized something unsettling.

She wasn't just running from her past.

She was running from the future too.

And sooner or later, both would catch up to her.