Eternal Echoes

Chapter One Hundred- Twenty: Day of Decisions

3rd Person POV

Michaella woke up to the soft light filtering through the curtains, the warmth of the sun hinting at a perfect day. She stretched out in bed, feeling the weight of the previous night still lingering in her chest. Damien's words echoed in her mind. "I'll give you the day to think." And think she would. But first, she had plans to distract herself, starting with a morning of tennis with her cousins. She needed to clear her head.

After a quick shower, she dressed in her white tennis skirt and matching top, lacing up her shoes. Michaella tied her hair back into a ponytail and grabbed her racket, feeling the crisp energy of the day surge through her. It was going to be a busy one. She stepped out and drove to the tennis courts where Elijah, Matthew, and Alan were already waiting for her.

"Finally! We thought you were going to bail on us," Elijah teased as Michaella approached.

Michaella rolled her eyes playfully. "Me? Bail? Please. You guys just know I'm going to beat you again," she smirked, swinging her racket over her shoulder confidently.

Alan laughed. "Well, we'll see about that. I've been practicing."

The four of them started their warm-up, laughter and friendly banter filling the court. It was nice to be around family. Here, Michaella could forget the whirlwind of emotions and decisions that had filled her mind since last night. The familiar rhythm of the game took over as they fell into the match. Michaella's competitive streak kicked in, and soon, she was running across the court, her ponytail flying behind her as she returned every ball with precision.

"Okay, okay, I admit defeat," Elijah panted, throwing his hands up in mock surrender after losing another point to Michaella.

"Looks like you've still got it," Matthew said, wiping his brow, clearly impressed.

"Never lost it," Michaella replied with a wink, grabbing her water bottle and taking a long sip. The banter between her and her cousins felt easy, grounding her in a way she needed. She could feel the tension from the past few days slowly lifting as they played.

After a few more rounds, they finally called it a day. The sun was higher in the sky now, signalling the start of what was going to be a long day ahead.

"Good game, guys. I needed that," Michaella said as they all gathered their things.

"Anytime. You know we're always up for a game," Alan grinned.

"Alright, I'll see you all later. I've got a full day ahead," Michaella said, waving as she got into her car, her thoughts already shifting to what lay ahead.

Back home, Michaella settled into her writing space. The morning's energy from the tennis match had translated into a flow of creativity, and her fingers danced over the keyboard. She poured her feelings into her work, not mentioning any names, but weaving her emotions into her characters, creating something deeply personal and new. It felt good to write to process everything she was going through.

After an hour of solid writing, Michaella glanced at the clock. Time was ticking, and she had a meeting with the production company later. Her stomach flipped slightly as she thought about Damien's absence. He'd said he wouldn't show up today, but part of her couldn't help checking her phone every now and then. True to his word, there were no messages from him.

She sighed and shook off the nerves, focusing on getting ready for the meeting. This was about the movie—an exciting opportunity she'd been waiting for. There was no room for distractions.

As she arrived at the building, Michaella was greeted by Sarah, her assistant, who always seemed to have everything perfectly in place.

"Good afternoon, Michaella," Sarah greeted with a smile. "Ready for the meeting?"