Reflecting

Zayn walked into the dimly lit restaurant, his eyes scanning the room for the woman his mother had arranged for him to meet. He wasn't excited about this at all. In fact, he was dreading it. But he knew he had to do it—to keep his mother off his back, if for nothing else.

She was already sitting at the table, her back straight, her posture perfect. When she saw him, she smiled—a polite, almost forced smile that made Zayn immediately compare her to Aurora. Aurora’s smiles were genuine, lighting up her face and making everyone around her feel at ease. But this woman? She was the opposite.

He approached the table, nodding briefly in greeting before taking a seat.

"Zayn, it's a pleasure to meet you," the woman said, extending her hand. "My name is Lila."

"Likewise," Zayn replied, shaking her hand with little enthusiasm.

As the dinner went on, Zayn found himself growing more and more annoyed. Lila was nitpicking every little thing—the food, the decor, even the service. She constantly sent