THE LAST CITY BETWEEN US

Prologue

Every story has a place where it truly begins.

Ours wasn't on a film set.

It wasn't beneath bright studio lights, surrounded by cameras and scripts, pretending to fall in love while an entire crew watched.

It began after everyone went home.

After the wrap party ended.

After the costumes were packed away and the applause faded into silence.

People always think the hardest part of acting is becoming someone else.

They're wrong.

The hardest part is remembering who you are when the cameras stop rolling.

So we left.

She flew to London with three oversized suitcases and a promise to disappear for a while.

He escaped to Milan, then Switzerland, telling everyone he simply needed a holiday.

Neither expected London to become more than another city on the map.

Neither expected to find the one person they had spent months trying not to miss.

Some stories begin with fireworks.

Ours began with rain.

With one tiny café tucked between a florist and an old bookstore.

With the last double espresso.

And with one empty chair that changed everything.

Disclaimer

This work is a piece of fan-fiction written solely for entertainment purposes. The characters depicted in this story are based on the public personas of real individuals; however, all dialogues, situations, timelines, and relationships described herein are completely fictional and products of the author's imagination.

This story is not intended to represent, reflect, or comment upon actual events, real-world behaviors, or the private lives of the individuals involved. No disrespect or infringement is intended toward any person, institution, or professional entity.