CHAPTER 1
STARTING OVER IN ASHWOOD CITY
The highway stretched endlessly before them, a silver ribbon cutting through open fields and quiet towns. The car’s tires hummed softly against the road, steady and rhythmic, as Lucy kept her focus on the horizon. In the rearview mirror, she could see her two daughters, Emma, the elder at 21, gazing out the window with a look of quiet frustration; and Sofia, 15, her small face pressed against the glass, watching the scenery blur by.
They had been driving for nearly four hours. The car smelled faintly of strawberry candy and the coffee their mother had grabbed at a roadside dinner. Every few minutes, Lucy glanced at her girls, guilt tightening in her chest.
The move had been sudden… too sudden. Just weeks ago, she’d still been working at the bookstore in Greenvale, where life was steady, if not easy. The girls had their friends, their school, their small routines. Then the letter came, a job offer in Ashwood City, with housing included. It was security, a chance to rebuild. But it also meant leaving everything familiar behind.
Still, as the miles rolled on and the silence in the backseat grew heavier, Lucy began to wonder if she had done the right thing.
............
“Mom,” Sofia asked softly, her voice breaking the hum of the car. “Why did we have to move?”
Emma let out a groan and pulled her hoodie tighter. “We’ve talked about this, Sofia.”
“I know,” Sofia said, frowning. “But I still don’t get it.”
Lucy kept her voice calm. “Sweetheart, the new job will help us. We’ll have a nice house and a fresh start. No more moving every few months.”
“But I liked our old place,” Sofia said, a hint of sadness in her voice. “And my friends. You didn’t even ask us.”
Her mother’s grip tightened on the wheel. “I know it’s hard, baby. But sometimes we have to do what’s best for the family, even when it doesn’t feel fair.”
Sofia turned toward Emma. “Don’t you miss it too?”
Emma sighed. “Of course I do. But you’ll get used to it. You always do.”
Sofia looked away, the ache of homesickness pressing against her heart.
............
They arrived in Ashwood City as the sun dipped behind the skyline. The town was smaller than Greenvale but full of charm, red brick buildings, tree....lined streets, and soft laughter drifting from parks. Their new home sat on the edge of town, a pale yellow house with white shutters and a porch that creaked underfoot.
Lucy parked the car and exhaled. “Well,” she said, forcing a smile, “we’re here.”
Sofia climbed out and stared at the house. “It’s… different,” she said quietly.
Emma shrugged. “It’s fine, I guess.”
Lucy looked at her daughters and smiled softly. “Give it time. It’ll feel like home soon.”
But Sofia wasn’t so sure.
............
Inside, the house smelled of new paint and dust. Boxes filled every corner.
“Sofia,” Lucy said, pointing upstairs, “your room’s across the hall from Emma’s. The one facing the garden.”
Sofia nodded, dragging her suitcase up the stairs. Her room was empty except for a small bed and a window that framed a wild patch of grass. It didn’t feel like hers–not yet.
She sat by the window, hugging her knees, and whispered, “I miss home.”
—
“Hey,”
Emma said, knocking on Sofia’s door. “Want to come with me to the park? There’s a bakery near there that sells chocolate croissants.”
Sofia’s eyes brightened. “Really?”
“Really.”
They walked together through Ashwood — past murals, small shops, and flower boxes in window sills. The park was calm, dotted with ducks gliding on the pond.
As they sat sharing croissants, Sofia whispered, “Do you think Mom’s sad because of me?”
Emma frowned. “What? No. Why would she be?”
“Because I keep saying I hate it here,” Sofia murmured. “Maybe she thinks she made a mistake.”
Emma sighed and took her hand. “Mom did this for us. For you, too. We’ll be okay. You’ll see.”
Sofia managed a small smile. “Maybe. It just doesn’t feel like home yet.”
“It will,” Emma said. “Eventually.”
___
The sun had barely risen when Lucy knocked gently on Sofia’s bedroom door.
“Sofia, wake up, sweetheart,” she said softly. “We’re going out today—school shopping.”
Sofia groaned, burying her face deeper into her pillow. The idea of leaving the house, of facing yet another new place full of unknown faces and unfamiliar smells, made her stomach twist into tight knots. Yet, underneath the anxiety, a spark of curiosity glimmered. Maybe, just maybe, this trip wouldn’t be entirely dreadful.
“I’m up, I’m up,” she mumbled, finally sitting up, her hair in soft tangles around her face. She threw on a sweatshirt and jeans, shoving her feet into sneakers with more energy than she actually felt.
Lucy smiled, brushing a loose curl from Sofia’s forehead. “Good. I thought we could make it fun, you know, pick out some things that make you feel… like you.”
Sofia paused, blinking at her mother. She wanted to nod, to believe it, but a part of her remained skeptical. “Like me…?” she asked quietly.
“Yes, exactly,” Lucy said. “Something that feels like you, not just… everything everyone else has.”
The car ride was quiet, except for the soft hum of the engine and the occasional chirp of birds along the roadside. Sofia stared out the window, watching fields of gold and green slip by. She thought of Greenvale, of the narrow streets and the familiar bakery corner she and Emma used to walk to on Saturdays. She could almost taste the cherry pies and smell the old, cozy bookstore.
“It’s okay to miss it,” Lucy said suddenly, as if reading her thoughts. Sofia turned toward her, startled. “I know you miss home. I miss it too. But we’re going to make this place ours, together. Even if it’s one small step at a time.”
Sofia nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her throat felt tight, the way it always did when memories pressed too close.
They got to the first mall, and Sofia parted ways with her mum, who went grocery shopping, and agreed to meet downstairs.
Sofia walked through the grand glass atrium, she felt a mix of awe and curiosity. Everyone in town knew the mall belonged to Mr. Miller, the powerful businessman whose family name was almost legendary.
At the escalator, juggling her shopping bag and phone, Sofia lost her balance for a moment. A steady hand caught her before she could stumble.
“Careful there,” a calm, warm voice said.
She turned—and found herself looking into the eyes of a young boy, tall, confident, with a presence that made the crowd around them seem to fade.
“I—I’m fine, thank you,” she stammered.
“You sure?” he asked with a half....smile. “You looked like you were about to start a chain reaction.”
They both laughed. She hadn’t realized she was still holding his arm until she quickly pulled away, embarrassed.
“I’m Daniel,” he introduced himself casually, though she noticed how people passing by glanced at him with recognition and respect.
“Nice to meet you, Daniel,” she replied, though the name made her pause. Daniel Miller? Could it be… the famous Miller's, back then at Greenvale, she has always wished to meet him, he was well known in Greenvale, and never thought he had his life with his family at Ashwood, he must be really private.
“Yes,” he said, reading her expression. “My father owns the mall. But don’t worry—I’m not going to make you pay extra rent for the escalator.”
That broke the ice. They shared another laugh… … It was the first time someone looked at Daniel without the weight of his family’s empire in their eyes. Daniel exited immediately and left Sofia hanging, and promised to meet again. Sofia was left in awe as she couldn't believe she just met Daniel Miller…