A moving truck idled outside, the engine humming like distant thunder. Workers carefully hauled boxes—her boxes—from the cramped apartment she used to call home. Juliet watched from the second-floor window, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

  She had written a simple line in her notebook: The princess moved into a castle of her own, leaving the old tower behind. A day ter, a letter had arrived, followed by a deposit, followed by a sudden opportunity—legal, pusible, and yet impossible. All thanks to that book.

  Now, she stood in her new house. Bright. Spacious. With a garden in the back and windows that let in the morning sun. It wasn’t a castle, but it was close enough.

  She sat on the balcony, letting the breeze dance through her hair as she opened the notebook on her p. The pages felt heavier than ever, like they were watching her just as much as she watched them.

  So far, she hadn’t written much. Just a handful of scenes.The prince—Evan.The curse—Amelia’s death.A failed resurrection.A violent rescue.And money—neatly delivered in a package marked as a prize she’d “forgotten” she entered.

  Juliet closed her eyes and exhaled. “It’s working,” she whispered. “It’s really working.”

  Her lips curled into a smile.

  But the smile faded as she noticed someone standing at the front gate.

  Tall. Familiar.

  Evan.

  Her heart skipped. She had been so caught up in testing her power, she had forgotten the first thing she ever summoned.

  Her prince.

  She hesitated, her breath hitching. Then she stood and went downstairs, opening the front door before he had the chance to knock.

  “Evan?” she said, unsure why she even sounded surprised.

  He smiled warmly. “You look... different,” he said, his voice smooth, easy, the same voice that had once only existed in her dreams. “I like it.”

  Juliet’s fingers subconsciously rose to her tangled hair. She hadn’t even brushed it properly. Her cheeks flushed. “I moved,” she said, trying to sound casual. “As you can see.”

  “I noticed.” He stepped inside when she moved aside, his eyes roaming the entry hall with curiosity. “A big change from your old pce.”

  Juliet gave a sheepish nod. “Yeah. I guess... I just needed space.”

  He leaned against the wall and looked at her thoughtfully. “You’ve changed, Juliet.”

  “Have I?”

  “You seem brighter.”

  She wasn’t sure how to respond to that. So she didn’t. Instead, her eyes darted to the notebook resting on the coffee table.

  Evan followed her gaze, his smile tilting with interest. “That’s your book, isn’t it?”

  Juliet moved quickly, grabbing it before he could reach it. “It’s just… personal. A journal.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Alright. I didn’t mean to pry.”

  But his voice was soft. Almost knowing. It made her skin prickle with unease—and something else. Longing.

  She gnced at him again. Evan. Her creation. Her dream. The man she wrote into existence.

  And yet, here he was. Breathing. Smiling. Real.

  She swallowed hard. “You... didn’t come here just to look around, did you?”

  “No,” he said. Then paused. “I wanted to see you.”

  Her heart stuttered.

  “And,” he added, stepping closer, “I was wondering... are you free tonight?”

  She blinked. “Tonight?”

  “For dinner. Just the two of us.”

  Juliet stared at him. She should’ve said no. Should’ve asked questions. But instead—

  “Yes,” she breathed.

  Evan’s smile widened. “Great. I’ll pick you up at six.”

  Then, as he turned to leave, he gently reached out and patted her head.

  She froze. Her entire face burned.

  “See you soon, princess,” he said with a wink, then disappeared down the path.

  Juliet stood in her doorway for a long time after that, her hand touching the top of her head.

  She was in love.

  She knew it was dangerous. Knew what he really was. But none of that mattered now. It was the feeling she remembered from long ago—when she still believed in love.

  As the clock ticked toward six, Juliet threw herself into preparation. She ran to the mall, bought clothes she could’ve never dreamed of affording just weeks ago. Silk. Lace. Soft things that clung to her in all the right pces.

  She wasn’t elegant. But tonight, she would be radiant.

  By the time she returned and dressed, her heart was pounding like a drum. She waited by the window, watching the sky darken, until finally—

  There he was.

  Evan stood outside, dressed in a sharp bck suit that made him look like he stepped off the pages of a fairy tale.

  And this time, she didn’t hesitate.She grabbed her bag, smiled to herself, and walked out to meet him.The restaurant was the kind Juliet had only seen from the outside — tall windows glowing with golden light, polished marble floors, soft music humming in the background like a lulby for the rich. Once, years ago, she might have passed by with her head down, pretending not to care. But now she stepped inside beside Evan, heart fluttering, heels clicking nervously on the floor.

  A waiter guided them to a table near the window. Evan had reserved it, of course. Everything he did felt effortless — smooth, prepared, like he knew exactly how to pull her deeper into this dream.

  She sat down, smoothing her dress with shaky fingers. Evan didn’t say anything at first. He just smiled at her — that same warm smile that had already ruined her sense of reality.

  "You're staring," he said after a beat, his voice teasing, light.

  Juliet blinked. "W-What?"

  "Me." He leaned in slightly, resting his chin on one hand. "You’re staring at me like I’m some rare animal in a gss cage."

  Her face turned red. She looked down at her menu, pretending to read. "I wasn’t."

  "You were." He ughed gently. "It’s cute."

  Juliet looked away, biting her lip, trying not to smile.

  Then, he reached across the table — slowly — and pced his hand over hers.

  Her breath caught. Warm. Real. Too real.

  "So," he said, his thumb brushing gently over her knuckles. "What made you start writing?"

  She blinked again, caught off-guard by the question.

  "I... I don’t know." She thought for a moment. "There wasn’t a single reason. But I do remember reading this children’s book when I was little. Raven. It was about a bird trying to protect her kids during a storm. Silly, really. But something about it stayed with me. I remember thinking... I want to write something like this. Something that makes someone feel like I did."

  Evan tilted his head, a soft smile on his lips. "That’s not silly at all."

  Before she could respond, the waiter arrived with their food — elegant dishes pced before them like artwork. Juliet's eyes widened. It looked too good to eat.

  But she took a bite anyway.

  It was perfect — soft and warm and seasoned like a memory. And yet, what made it taste magical wasn’t the food. It was sitting across from him.

  Evan, the man she created.

  She wanted to ask him something too — about hobbies, about his favorite color, his childhood — but she didn’t. Because deep down, she knew he had no answers she didn’t write.

  She sighed quietly, staring at the candlelight flickering in the gss between them.

  He noticed.

  "You okay?"

  "Yeah," she said quickly. "Just... thinking."

  "What’s your favorite book?" he asked.

  She smiled, eyes lighting up. "The Lover’s Magic."

  "Never heard of it."

  "It’s obscure," she said, leaning forward, suddenly animated. "It’s about two people — a magician and a noble — who keep meeting in different timelines, always falling in love but forgetting each other every time. It’s beautifully tragic. I read it when I was sixteen and couldn’t stop crying."

  He listened with quiet interest, smiling as she spoke.

  "And your parents?" he asked gently. "Are they...?"

  Her voice turned small. "Dead."

  It was a lie, but he didn’t press further. His smile dimmed just enough to let her breathe.

  Instead, he asked one st question. "What’s your dream, Juliet?"

  She paused, her heart catching again — not from love this time, but from memory.

  "I had a friend. A long time ago. We promised each other we’d do something amazing with our lives." Her voice grew distant. "I told him I’d write a story for him. A real one. A beautiful one. But he’s gone now. I never got the chance."

  Evan was silent.

  Juliet looked away, blinking back the ache that never really left.

  She didn’t say it out loud, but she was thinking it\:Evan’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer — not prying, just patient. Like he was waiting for her to decide when, not if. now all she want to share her past with him .... this is third chapter

  “If you ever want to talk about it,” he said gently, “whatever it is... I’m here, Juliet. My ears are yours.”

  His voice was steady. Not dramatic. Not forced. Just kind.

  Juliet looked at him, really looked — the candlelight dancing in his eyes, the calm he radiated like warmth on a cold night. This wasn’t the first time someone had offered to listen. But every time before, it had felt empty. Obligatory. A courtesy people used when they didn’t want the truth.

  But with him... it was different.

  She smiled.

  Not a big smile. Just a small, fragile one, like something blooming through frost.

  This was the kind of man she’d dreamed her prince would be — not just charming and beautiful, but someone who saw her, even when she tried to disappear.now all she want to tell him about her past.