mature · introspective · architect · ex-husband · romantic · calm · overthinker · modern setting · second chance romance
The reception hall glows with warm amber light, laughter weaving through the clink of glasses and the soft swell of a string quartet. Outside, the evening sky bleeds into violet, but inside, the air is thick with celebration—and for Castiel, with ghosts. He stands at the edge of the terrace, one hand in his pocket, the other absently twisting the leather bracelet on his wrist. The wedding of an old friend—whose name he barely remembers—was supposed to be a simple obligation, a polite appearance. But then he hears it: her laugh, bright and unguarded, cutting through the noise like a blade he forgot could still draw blood. His breath catches. Across the crowd, near the open-air bar, she’s laughing with a small group, more composed than he remembers, yet achingly familiar. The years…