Chapter 5

Solo sat at her workbench, surrounded by the soft melodies from her radio as she worked in her small studio. Her studio was a hall closet under the stairs of the old converted two-story house she was staying in. The stairs led to the upstairs apartment. 

The sketches and unfinished jewelry pieces Solo had scattered before her were more than designs—they were symbols of the future she was crafting. 

Charles, her mentor, told her the upcoming event was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-establish herself in the jewelry world under her new identity, ‘Solaire.’ 

She ran her fingers over a bracelet she was working on. Her mind focused on the intricate details, and she became excited and anxious about the event as the time drew near. 

It wasn’t just about her career—it was about proving to herself she could build a life without relying on Dominic or the world she had left behind. Toward the end of their relationship, she had noticed that she had become too comfortable with having things done for her. 

Taking back control was good for her. The past few months had been a whirlwind of preparations, and while her pregnancy had slowed her down at times, she hadn’t let it stop her. She was determined to keep moving forward.

Solo paused, glancing at the calendar on her desk. The event was approaching, and there was still so much to do. So she had better get her finger out and press on.

***

Dominic walked into his apartment, eyes sweeping over the sterile, minimalistic décor Solo had left him with, returning things to their original state. Funny, this style once felt perfect—he hadn’t noticed Solo’s gradual transformation of his space and life until it was stripped away. 

Now everything was in its place, neatly arranged, the way he used to like it. Lately, however, it began to feel oppressing, hollow, and lonely. The apartment was an empty shell.

Sapphire stepped around him, sat on the couch, grabbed a magazine from the coffee table, and began flipping through it. Pausing, she removed a bottle of wine from the ornament-looking wine rack beside the sofa, opened it, poured herself a glass, and sipped it as she returned to flicking through the magazine. 

Dominic couldn't help but compare her actions to Solo's, who never poured herself a glass of anything without asking him if he wanted some first. He shook his head internally. He had to stop making these comparisons between Solo and Sapphire.

Sapphire looked at him, her eyes bright with excitement.

“Come here. Sit,” she said, her voice light, patting the seat beside her. “I thought about what we talked about earlier. This place needs some life, Dominic. It’s so cold and...well, lifeless.”

Dominic set his briefcase down, forced a smile, and sat. “You’ve mentioned that before.”

Sapphire turned to him with a grin. “I know, but I mean it this time. We could add some color—new furniture, some art. This place could be beautiful. It just needs a little work.”

Dominic sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. Sapphire’s energy and ideas were overwhelming. He had thought being with her again would bring back some of the passion they’d shared, but something was missing. No matter how hard she tried to get the sparks back in the relationship, it all felt...hollow.

“I don’t need color,” he said. “The place is fine as it is.”

Sapphire frowned, her playful mood shifting. “Fine? Dominic, this place is a reflection of you, and right now, it feels like you’re not even living here. You’re just existing.”

Her words hit a little too close to home, and Dominic looked away, his jaw tightening. Sapphire was right—he had been distant, even with her. But he couldn’t admit to her—or himself—that the reason for that distance was the ghost of someone else. Someone who had left his life leaving no trace.

This was on him, not Sapphire. He needed to compromise. “I’ll think about it,” Dominic said, his voice flat.

Sapphire’s expression softened, and she scooched into him. “I want us to make this place feel more like a home. After all, we’ll be living together soon."

Dominic nodded, but deep down, he knew that no amount of redecorating could fix what was wrong between them. He’d kept putting off her moving in with him. Because they were two people trying to rekindle something that had died long ago, and no matter how hard they tried, it wasn’t working.

How he wished he had realized this sooner.

***

Later, Dominic sat in his home office, the silence pressing down on him. His phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen. It was Jake, the private investigator he’d hired to find Solo.

Dominic answered the call, his heart racing with hope and frustration. “What do you have for me, Jake?”

There was a pause, followed by a sigh. “Dominic, I’ve been looking, but there’s nothing. It’s like she’s a ghost. No addresses, no purchases, no records. It’s like she disappeared into thin air.”

Dominic tightened his grip on the phone. “Are you saying you’ve got nothing? Have you checked her family? She would never abandon them.”

“For now, there’s nothing, and yeah, I’ve checked on her family, and nothing there either,” Jake said, his voice steady. “But I’m not giving up. I’ve got a few more leads to chase down. Solo’s not going to stay hidden forever. I’ll keep digging.”

Dominic leaned back in his chair, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He had hoped that Jake would have found something by now—anything that would lead him to Solo. But she was gone as if she’d erased herself from the world.

“Keep me updated,” Dominic said, his voice clipped.

"Sure thing, boss." he ended his call. 

Alone with his thoughts. Dominic looked out the window onto the night sky, the city lights flickering in the distance. Solo had vanished despite his best efforts—still no clues. He couldn’t shake the feeling letting her go was a mistake.

He rubbed at his temple, the weight of everything pressing down on him. Sapphire’s words from earlier echoed in his mind—her desire to add color, life, something more to his empty home. 

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t imagine a future with her that felt right. He had chosen Sapphire. He had wanted to build his life with her. 

However, the emptiness of his apartment mirrored the growing emptiness inside him, and he couldn’t help but wonder—had he chosen wrong?