Chapter 107

VESTA'S POV

Disappointment gnawed at me as the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky. Dom had promised a picnic lunch by the serene lake, a chance to escape the city's clamor and steal a few quiet moments together. But here I sat, the blanket spread out on the soft grass, leftover sandwiches drying in the picnic basket, and Dom nowhere to be found.

Hours bled into one another. I'd tried calling him numerous times, but his phone remained stubbornly silent. Worry gnawed at my insides, a cold, unwelcome feeling. Dom wasn't one to flake. We had plans, and he wouldn't just disappear without a word.

Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, I gathered the picnic basket, my smile strained and brittle. The idyllic setting mocked my churning stomach. Back at the apartment, a heavy silence greeted me. Dom still wasn't there.

Panic surged through me, icy tendrils wrapping around my heart. Rushing downstairs, I bumped into a young girl with bright, inquisitive eyes. "Diana?" I blurted, reco