Chapter 4: You Always Do This

Emma's POV

I'm sitting at the worktable, color cards and fabric samples everywhere. The phone's on the corner, lighting up every few minutes.

My hands move across the samples, but I'm not really seeing them. The phone buzzes. I grab it.

Voice message from Architect_Soul.

I press play.

"Good morning. How's your day starting?"

I look at the mess of samples in front of me and hit record.

"Today I met this super difficult client. She wants purple and orange. Purple! And orange!"

Send.

A few minutes pass. The phone vibrates.

"Sounds very... bold. But I'm sure you can make it work. You're good at what you do."

My mouth curves up before I can stop it. I stare at the screen, then reach for the phone again.

"Thanks. I hope so. How's your morning?"

The reply comes fast.

"Meetings. Too many meetings. But thinking about talking to you later makes it bearable."

My heart beats faster. I put the phone down. Take a breath. It doesn't mean anything. Just friendly chat.

But my hands shake slightly as I try to focus on the purple and orange disaster.

Noon hits and my stomach growls. I check the time. Forgot lunch again. The phone buzzes.

"Have you eaten? It's past noon."

I freeze.

I press record. "Not yet. You?"

"Having a sandwich. Peanut butter and strawberry jam."

The phone almost slips from my hands.

Peanut butter and strawberry jam. That's my favorite. That's the only sandwich Ryan ever learned to make.

Just a coincidence. Lots of people like this. Stop reading into everything.

I flip the phone face down. Close my eyes. Press my temples. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

Three times.

Then I pick it up again.

"That's... that's my favorite too."

"Really? Good taste."

There's something in his tone. Like he's smiling. Or maybe something else.

By five forty-five, I'm packing up. Sunlight streams through the windows. Sky's clear blue. The phone rings.

"Be careful on your way home. Weather forecast says it's going to rain."

I walk to the window. Not a cloud in sight.

"But it's sunny. Like, completely clear."

"Trust me. Bring an umbrella."

I hesitate. Then dig through my bag, finding a folding umbrella. Ryan put it there two months ago. I never took it out.

Thirty minutes later, I'm walking down the street. The sky suddenly darkens. Raindrops start falling.

I open the umbrella. The rain gets heavier, turning into a downpour. I run into a coffee shop, shaking water off my coat.

Standing inside, watching the rain, I can't help but laugh. I pull out my phone.

"Okay, you were right. How did you know?"

"Checked the weather forecast. You never bring an umbrella."

My smile freezes.

You never bring an umbrella. Not "people should check the weather." YOU. Like he knows me. Like he's seen me forget before.

My fingers start trembling. I sit down in a corner, staring at the screen.

I don't reply.

Fifteen minutes pass. The phone rings. Unknown number.

"Ms. Clarke? This is Catherine Ashford's office. We'd like to commission you for an important engagement party."

The phone almost drops.

"Ashford? Which... which family member?"

"Catherine Ashford. Her son's engagement party. We've heard you're the best in the city. Budget is unlimited. We want perfection."

My ears ring. Catherine Ashford. Ryan's mother.

"Can I ask when the party is?"

"Next month. We can discuss details when we meet. Ms. Clarke, are you interested?"

I close my eyes. Breathe deep. My fingers grip the phone until my knuckles turn white.

I should refuse. Should hang up right now.

But I hear myself say, "Yes. I'd be honored."

After the call ends, I sit there feeling hollow. The coffee shop sounds blur into nothing.

Jessica bursts through the studio door an hour later. Shock and fury all over her face.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?! This is Ryan and Sophia's engagement party! You're gonna plan your ex's wedding?!"

I lean back in my chair. "I think I need to see it. Maybe if I see him happy, I can finally move on."

Jessica grabs my shoulders. "You're torturing yourself! Emma, look at you! You've lost ten pounds, you're having nightmares, your pillow's soaked every morning! You really think you can handle this?"

Her hands shake. I look away. We both know the answer.

"I'm a professional. I can do this."

Jessica stares at my red eyes and finally sighs. "Fine. But if you can't handle it, we leave. Immediately."

I nod. Don't trust myself to speak.

After Jessica leaves, I sit alone in the empty studio. Night falls and I don't turn on the lights. Just the phone screen glowing in the darkness.

At eleven PM, I log into Blind Hearts. Architect_Soul is already waiting.

"You sound exhausted today. What happened?"

I laugh bitterly as I record. "I took on a really difficult case. I have to plan my ex's engagement party."

Long pause. I stare at the screen, waiting. Thirty seconds. One minute.

"You don't have to torture yourself like this."

My voice shakes. "I need closure. I need to watch him exchange rings with someone else before I can really let go."

Another pause. "What if that engagement isn't what you think?"

Something snaps inside me. "You always do this. You always give me hope. But reality isn't a fairy tale. He fell in love with someone else. That's a fact."

"I just think—"

"Forget it. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Silence. Minutes pass. I stare at the phone, heart pounding.

Finally, his voice comes back. There's an emotion in it I can't read.

"I'm planning something important. Something that might change everything. I hope you can be there when it happens. As a friend."

My heart sinks.

"You're leaving too?"

"No. I want to make things right. But I need some time."

"Seems like everyone needs time lately. Okay. When is it?"

"Next month. I'll tell you the exact date. Emma..."

I freeze. First time he's said my name.

"Wait, how do you know my name?"

A moment of panic in his voice. "Your profile. The app has it."

I quickly check. Emma C. Right.

"Oh. Right. Then I'll wait for your message."

I lie in bed, mind a complete mess.

Architect_Soul is planning something important. So he's leaving me too? Even this virtual companion is going to disappear?

I bury my face in the pillow, eyes stinging for reasons I can't explain.