The night in New York seemed tailor-made for Gabriel and Ava.

The sky was clear, scattered with timid stars trying to compete with the lights of the most alive city in the world. The wind brushed softly through the air, whispering between buildings.

Gabriel — charming, effortless, his soul light — walked beside Ava along the Brooklyn Bridge Park waterfront, his navy blazer unbuttoned, hands in his pockets, every movement carrying that easy charisma that came so naturally to him. Ava, composed a