Amelia didn’t sleep that night.

She tried.

She turned off the lights.

She closed the curtains.

She even placed Noah’s letter inside a drawer and told herself she wouldn’t look at it again.

But every time she closed her eyes, she saw him standing outside her apartment.

Seven years.

Seven years of believing he had forgotten her.

And now he was back.

At six in the morning, Amelia finally gave up trying to sleep.

She made coffee and sat beside the window.

The city was still quiet.

Her eyes moved toward the street.

Noah was gone.

Of course he was.

She almost laughed at herself.

She had spent the entire night wondering if he might still be there.

Her phone vibrated.

A message from an unknown number.

You should not trust him.

Amelia’s smile disappeared.

She read it again.

Then another message arrived.

Noah didn’t tell you everything.

Her hands became cold.

She immediately replied.

Who is this?

No answer.

She called the number.

It was switched off.

Amelia stared at the screen.

A strange feeling settled in her chest.

She wanted to believe Noah.

But now there was a voice in her head asking the same question.

What hadn’t he told her?

---

At nine o’clock, Amelia went to work.

She worked at a small publishing house near the city center.

Normally, she loved her job.

Today, she couldn’t concentrate.

Her coworker Clara noticed.

“You look terrible.”

“Thank you.”

“I mean tired.”

“That’s better.”

Clara placed a coffee beside her.

“You didn’t sleep?”

“No.”

“Why?”

Amelia hesitated.

“My past came back.”

Clara raised an eyebrow.

“The handsome kind of past?”

Amelia looked at her.

“Unfortunately.”

Clara smiled.

“Tell me everything.”

Before Amelia could answer, the office door opened.

Her manager walked in.

“Amelia, someone is here to see you.”

“Who?”

He stepped aside.

Noah entered.

Amelia’s heart skipped.

Clara looked from Amelia to Noah.

Then she slowly smiled.

“I’ll leave you two alone.”

She disappeared.

Noah looked at Amelia.

“Good morning.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I brought you something.”

He placed a small paper bag on her desk.

Amelia opened it.

Inside was a cinnamon pastry.

She stared at it.

“You remembered.”

Noah smiled.

“You used to eat one every morning.”

“That was seven years ago.”

“I remember.”

She looked at him.

“How?”

“I remember everything about you.”

She didn’t know what to say.

Noah pulled out a chair.

“Can I sit?”

She nodded.

He sat.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other.

Then Amelia asked,

“Who was the woman you were talking to last night?”

Noah’s expression changed.

“What?”

“I heard you on the phone.”

His face became serious.

“You heard?”

“Not everything.”

He looked away.

“Her name is Claire.”

“Who is she?”

“A friend.”

“Just a friend?”

“Yes.”

Amelia studied him.

“Why did she ask if you told me?”

Noah was silent.

“That’s what I want to know.”

He finally looked at her.

“Amelia, there are things I need to explain.”

“Then explain them.”

“I will.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

She shook her head.

“That’s what people say when they don’t want to tell the truth.”

Noah’s expression softened.

“I understand why you don’t trust me.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Then don’t ask me to.”

“I won’t.”

He stood.

“But I will ask you for one thing.”

“What?”

“Give me time.”

Amelia looked at him.

“Seven years wasn’t enough?”

He flinched.

She immediately regretted saying it.

Noah nodded.

“You’re right.”

He walked toward the door.

Before leaving, he turned.

“I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

Then he left.

---

That afternoon, Amelia went to the old bookstore.

Mrs. Ellis was sitting behind the counter.

The moment she saw Amelia, she smiled.

“He came back.”

Amelia stopped.

“You knew?”

“Of course.”

“When?”

“Three weeks ago.”

“Three weeks?”

Mrs. Ellis nodded.

“He came to see me before he came to you.”

Amelia sat down.

“What did he want?”

“The same thing everyone wants when they return to the past.”

“What?”

“Forgiveness.”

Amelia looked down.

“Did he tell you why he left?”

“Yes.”

“Everything?”

Mrs. Ellis paused.

“No.”

Amelia looked up.

“What does that mean?”

Mrs. Ellis sighed.

“Some truths are difficult to tell.”

“I need to know.”

She leaned closer.

“Noah’s father wasn’t the only reason he left.”

Amelia’s heart stopped.

“What else?”

Before Mrs. Ellis could answer, the bell above the bookstore door rang.

A man entered.

He was wearing a dark suit.

He looked directly at Amelia.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then the man smiled.

“You must be Amelia.”

She frowned.

“Do I know you?”

“No.”

He walked closer.

“My name is Adrian.”

Mrs. Ellis stood up immediately.

“Leave.”

Adrian smiled.

“I only came to talk.”

“You shouldn’t be here.”

He looked at Amelia.

“Your friend Noah didn’t tell you about me?”

Amelia’s stomach tightened.

“No.”

Adrian leaned closer.

“Then you should ask him.”

He turned and walked away.

The bell rang again.

The door closed.

Amelia looked at Mrs. Ellis.

“Who was that?”

Mrs. Ellis didn’t answer.

“Who was he?”

“A mistake Noah made a long time ago.”

“What kind of mistake?”

Mrs. Ellis sighed.

“The dangerous kind.”

---

That evening, Amelia returned home.

She found Noah waiting outside.

He stood beneath the streetlight.

She walked toward him.

“You know Adrian.”

Noah’s face immediately changed.

“Where did you hear that name?”

“He came to the bookstore.”

Noah’s jaw tightened.

“Did he speak to you?”

“Yes.”

“What did he say?”

“That I should ask you about him.”

Noah looked away.

“Amelia, listen to me.”

“No.”

She stepped closer.

“I’ve spent seven years believing you left because of your family.”

“I did.”

“Then why is Adrian involved?”

Noah was silent.

“Who is he?”

No answer.

“Tell me.”

Noah finally looked at her.

“He’s the reason I stayed away.”

Amelia’s heart sank.

“Why?”

“Because he threatened you.”

She stared at him.

“What?”

“He knew about you.”

“How?”

“I don’t know.”

“You do know.”

Noah took a breath.

“Adrian was working with my father.”

Amelia froze.

“What?”

“He helped hide the money.”

“And you knew?”

“I discovered it later.”

“Then why didn’t you go to the police?”

“I did.”

Noah looked exhausted.

“But Adrian disappeared.”

“And now he’s back.”

“Yes.”

Amelia stepped closer.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I was trying to keep you safe.”

“You keep saying that.”

“I mean it.”

“You don’t get to decide what I’m allowed to know!”

Her voice broke.

Noah lowered his eyes.

“I know.”

Tears filled Amelia’s eyes.

“I waited for you.”

“I know.”

“I loved you.”

“I know.”

“And now you’re back.”

He looked at her.

“I love you.”

She shook her head.

“Don’t say that.”

“Why?”

“Because I still believe you.”

Noah’s expression broke.

He stepped closer.

“I never stopped loving you.”

Amelia wiped her tears.

“Then stop protecting me with lies.”

He stared at her.

Finally, he whispered,

“Okay.”

She looked at him.

“Tomorrow, I’ll tell you everything.”

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

He turned to leave.

Amelia caught his hand.

“Noah.”

He stopped.

She didn’t let go.

“Don’t disappear again.”

He looked at their hands.

Then at her.

“I won’t.”

---

That night, Amelia received another message.

This time, there was a photograph attached.

Her heart stopped.

It was a picture of Noah standing outside her apartment.

Taken only minutes earlier.

Below it was one sentence.

You should have listened to me.

Amelia stared at the screen.

Then another message appeared.

He will leave you again.

She looked toward the window.

The curtains were closed.

But suddenly, she felt as if someone was watching her.

Across the street, hidden beneath the darkness, a car slowly drove away.

And inside it, Adrian looked at Amelia’s building.

He smiled.

Because Noah had returned.

And that meant the past was coming back with him.