Greyford looked different at night.
The streets were quieter, the lights softer, and the town felt almost peaceful.
Daniel stepped out of the café and walked slowly down the sidewalk, the warm taste of coffee still lingering.
Inside the café, Nora watched him leave through the window for a moment before returning to wipe the counter.
Something about Daniel was unusual.
He was polite.
Quiet.
But there was also a sadness in his eyes that he tried very hard to hide.
And Nora had noticed it the first day he walked into the café.
Outside, Daniel stopped under a streetlight and looked up at the sky.
Clouds moved slowly across the moon.
For a brief moment, the world felt calm.
Then suddenly—
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Daniel frowned.
Almost nobody had this number.
He pulled out the phone and looked at the screen.
Unknown Number.
He hesitated for a second before answering.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Daniel frowned deeper.
"Hello?"
A slow voice finally spoke.
"You shouldn't have come here."
Daniel's entire body stiffened.
"Who is this?"
But the call ended.
The quiet tone of the disconnected line filled his ear.
Daniel slowly lowered the phone.
His heart was beating faster now.
The words echoed in his mind.
You shouldn't have come here.
He turned and looked down the empty street.
Nothing.
No one.
Only the silent town and the distant glow of streetlights.
For a moment, he wondered if it was just a prank.
But something deep inside him whispered a different answer.
Someone knew.
Someone had followed him here.
Back inside the café, Nora stepped outside to lock the door.
She noticed Daniel still standing there.
"You okay?" she asked.
Daniel quickly forced a calm expression.
"Yeah. Just thinking."
She walked closer.
"You look like someone just told you the world is ending."
He chuckled softly.
"Nothing that dramatic."
Nora studied his face carefully.
"You're not very good at lying."
Daniel blinked in surprise.
"What makes you think I'm lying?"
She shrugged slightly.
"My job."
"Your job is making coffee."
"And observing people."
Daniel couldn't help smiling slightly.
For the first time in a long while, the tension in his chest eased a little.
Nora leaned against the café door.
"So, Daniel Carter," she said. "What's your story?"
Daniel looked away toward the quiet street.
"I told you. Just someone looking for a fresh start."
She tilted her head.
"And you think Greyford can give you that?"
"Maybe."
Nora smiled softly.
"Greyford has a way of surprising people."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The cool night air surrounded them.
Then Nora suddenly said, "You know, there's a small lake just outside town."
Daniel looked back at her.
"A lake?"
"Yeah. It's the best place to clear your head."
She smiled again.
"You should see it sometime."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Maybe I will."
But as they stood there talking, a pair of eyes watched them from the darkness across the street.
Inside a parked car.
The same black car.
The mysterious man sat silently behind the wheel.
A photograph rested in his hand.
It showed Daniel and Elena together.
The man looked up toward Daniel and Nora standing under the streetlight.
His expression slowly hardened.
Then he whispered to himself.
"So the new life has already begun."
He folded the photograph carefully.
"But it won't last."