Celestial Ties

CHAPTER 19

Graham POV

Today was one of those days that you wish you could just erase. I left the office with no destination in mind, just hoping to escape the overwhelming sense that everything was either frustrating or mind-numbingly dull. But that little incident with the girl—the one who nearly walked right into my car—was the one thing that stood out in an otherwise pointless day. The scene kept replaying in my mind.

"Where have I seen that face before?" I mused, trying to recall, but nothing came to me. Still, there was a nagging feeling of familiarity. She was really lucky I wasn't speeding.

Before I could dwell on it any longer, my phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. The call connected through my car's Bluetooth. I didn't even need to look at the screen to know who it was—Melissa's chirpy voice filled the car. "Grammy!" she exclaimed, as if I'd been waiting all day to hear from her.

As if today couldn't get any more annoying, I thought. Melissa was no exception. "What do you want, Melissa?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended as I focused on the road, making sure I didn't run into another "little missy" who wasn't paying attention.

"Grammy, I have a red carpet appearance tomorrow—the launch of the new French Avenue perfumes," Melissa's voice chimed through the speaker. I sighed, already knowing where this was heading. "Melissa," I began, but she cut me off before I could get another word in.

"Please, I know you're about to decline, but everyone's been asking me to bring you. You don't want the paparazzi asking questions and digging into our relationship, do you?" she pleaded, though I could hear the fake urgency in her tone. Melissa always knew how to get what she wanted, and if there was an obstacle, she'd either break it down or find a way around it.

"Okay, but I'm only staying for an hour," I conceded, already regretting it.

"Make it two hours," she pushed, testing her luck.

"Melissa, don't push it," I snapped, my patience thinning.

"Okay, an hour is just fine," she replied, her voice tinged with mock sadness. I ended the call without another word, relieved to have a moment of peace, however fleeting.

Needing to clear my head, I decided to head to one of my favorite spots—The Crown Jewel Restaurant. It was a members-only place, which kept it quiet and free from the usual chaos. It was exactly what I needed.

When I finally arrived, the manager greeted me at the door. "Welcome, Mr. West," he said with a polite smile.

I returned the gesture with a nod. "It's been a while. Let me take you to your table," he offered, leading me to my usual spot by the window.

I settled into my seat, feeling the tension from the day slowly start to melt away. The waiter approached, ready to take my order.

"Beef steak and a whiskey," I said, my tone calmer now.

"The steaks will be ready in two minutes, sir. Would you like to open a bottle of whiskey?" the waiter asked.

"No," I replied, dismissing the idea of lingering too long.

As the waiter walked away, I looked around the restaurant, taking in the familiar ambiance. This place felt right—maybe the only thing that did today. Here, I could finally unwind without feeling like the world was out to annoy me.

I was finally done cooling off. The Crown Jewel had worked its magic, and the tension that had knotted up inside me all day was beginning to unwind.

"Mr. West, I hope you enjoyed your meal," Greg, the manager, said as he walked me to the door.

"Yes, I did, Greg. Thanks," I replied, accepting the car key from the valet as he handed it over.

As I drove back to the office, I considered the idea of catching the tail end of the promotional video meeting for our new app. Maybe it'd be a decent distraction from the lingering irritation of the day. Pulling up to the valet stand at the office, I handed my keys to the valet. "Welcome back, sir," he said, taking the car to my designated parking space.

My phone beeped again, an unwelcome reminder of the demands waiting for me. I needed a break from this constant tether, but habit had me glancing at the screen. Lost in the glow of my phone, I didn't see the person in front of me until it was too late.

I collided with something—or rather, someone. My eyes finally left the screen, and when I looked up, there she was—Little Missy from earlier.

"Ouch," she said, stumbling slightly as she tried to regain her balance. For a brief moment, our eyes met, and there was a flicker of recognition, but it was quickly overshadowed by the irritation that seemed to hang between us like a heavy fog. Of all the people to run into today, it had to be her. Her expression was a mix of surprise and frustration, and I couldn't blame her. First, I nearly ran her over, and now I was literally running into her. Perfect. I couldn't help but wonder why this girl kept popping up in my day, as if the universe was playing some twisted joke on me.

"Are you okay?" I found myself asking, though I wasn't sure if it was out of concern or just an automatic response.

She straightened up, brushing off her clothes. "I'm fine," she muttered, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of recognition, as if she too was piecing together the earlier encounter.

There was a brief, awkward silence. I could feel the tension, like we were both waiting for the other to say something, but I had no intention of making small talk, especially not with someone who had already soured my mood earlier.

"Watch where you're going next time," I finally said, my tone more harsh than intended. It was easier to be distant, to keep this encounter as impersonal as possible.

She narrowed her eyes at me, clearly unimpressed. "Maybe you should take your own advice."

Her words were sharp, cutting through the thin surface of politeness I was trying to maintain. I could tell she was holding back more, but honestly, I didn't have the energy to care. I had bigger things to deal with today—things that didn't involve this random girl who seemed determined to cross paths with me.

"Noted," I replied curtly, turning my attention back to my phone as if she wasn't even there. But as I walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the last time I'd be seeing Little Missy.

And for reasons I couldn't quite explain, that thought lingered with me longer than it should have.