Fading Embers: The Search For Lost Love

Bargaining with FateThree Years EarlierCalista stood before the imposing doors of the Windsor Law Firm, her hands trembling in the cold air of the waiting room. Her father’s future hung in the balance, and Ranya Windsor was her last hope. Lila, her father’s colleague, had assured her that he could help.The firm was one that loan sharks found quite intimidating. She desperately wanted to save her father from jail, not only because her family name and image would be tarnished but also because she couldn’t bear to watch them take him away. She knew he was not responsible for the allegations imposed on him by Lewiston Corporation.“Miss Calista MacQuoid, Mr. Windsor will see you now.” The receptionist’s voice jolted her back to the present. She took a deep breath and stepped inside, her eyes meeting the icy gaze of Ranya Windsor for the first time.“Don’t mind his cold demeanor when you meet him. He can help you.” Lila’s voice echoed in her head as she walked into the room, the recepti

“You’re not doing that, are you?” Emily asked, her voice a little high-pitched, as they were currently in one of the biggest lounges in Texas.She owned a lounge called ‘The Place.’When she decided to name it THE PLACE, Calista laughed out loud, wondering why she chose such a weird name for a bar. What she didn’t know was that her friend actually meant it; she wanted everything to stand out, including the name.Emily’s smartness caught her attention when she went to a friend’s party in college. She knew just how to attract the right person, and her friendly gestures towards everyone captured her attention.“How did your family take it?” Emily asked, nodding her head at the loud music. “I mean, it will be a lot, given the time frame.”“I didn’t give them enough time to process it, Emmy. We’re moving out the day after tomorrow, and that’s it.”“I kind of find you cruel,” Emily added, her voice sounding displeased. “You can’t snatch off a life because you’re afraid he might not come loo

“Mr. Ranya Windsor,” Damian said confidently as he walked towards Ranya, his face no longer masked with anger but replaced with a smile. Ranya looked up from the system as the well-dressed man in a blue suit approached his table.“You’re not kidding me, are you?” Ranya asked, gesturing towards the system on the table. “This is a cafe, not your office.”Ranya scoffed loudly, shaking Damian’s outstretched hand, and whispered, “The last time I checked, we were supposed to meet for work. I agreed to this cafe meeting because I know you brought him with you. I can only avoid unnecessary drama by choosing to meet in public.”Damian laughed and took a seat across from his friend. Damian Lillard was Ranya’s cousin, and he chose to work for him due to his political agenda. Being the Prime Minister’s personal assistant had many advantages for a politically minded person like Damian.“I see you’re avoiding questions about Vivian,” Damian remarked, staring intently at Ranya, whose expression turn

“Is your heart made of stone, Calista?” he mumbled to himself, hastily finding his way into the empty home. It wasn’t completely empty, as he had presumed. The house still looked luxurious and well-fashioned, but the things Calista had bought to make the house less cold and frightening were gone. She had brought colors to his home, and her absence made the whole place feel extremely out of place for him. It felt quiet, making it look less like home.With his heartbeat pounding loudly against his chest, he roamed the entire house seeking something connected to her—a single item she must have touched or something he had gotten for her—but he found nothing.He walked through the rooms, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The apartment was filled with memories of moments shared and emotions felt. He searched for any sign of her presence but found nothing. No lingering scent, no personal belongings. It was as if she had never been there.Before she came, his home was void of colors. The

“California isn’t all bad, really,” Willie MacQuoid said, munching on a ramen burger. Ever since they arrived in Los Angeles, she had fallen in love with the city’s unique culinary delights. “You all just said California; nobody told me we’re coming to LA.”“I told you,” Mr. MacQuoid replied, sitting across from her at the dining table, his eyes on the magazine gifted to him by a friend he met on the plane. “I’m good with locations.”“Dad, you need to try this. No one will believe how magically delicious it is until you have a bite,” she persuaded, pushing the burger towards him with an encouraging smile.Mr. MacQuoid forced his eyes away from the magazine, nodding his head while eyeing her emphatically. “There’s no way I’m eating a burger made of noodles.”A long, throaty laugh escaped Calista’s throat as she walked into the dining room holding a dish filled with chicken-fried steak, its sweet aroma filling the whole room.“Don’t feed Dad those crispy things. We left Texas, but we sh