Outside, thunder roared, and fierce lightning bolts flashed almost every second, illuminating everything around. The downpour grew heavier, and the strong wind threatened to turn into a full-blown hurricane. What better time to pack up and head out on a journey, right? Angelina thought so too, pulling more and more clothes from her closet and tossing them into her suitcases.
Today, she had finally made the decision to leave everything behind, and she wasn’t about to drag her feet. She knew that if she didn’t dive into the chaos now, she’d start doubting herself, and eventually, she’d abandon her ambitions altogether. She also understood that she might not be able to resist the pull of returning to the familiar magazine office, scared off by the uncertainty she’d face head-on. And that was the last thing she wanted.
With a frustrated huff, Angelina tossed aside a warm sweater her father had given her. Did it stir warm feelings? Maybe. Did it remind her of the person who loved her dearly and cared for her? Sure. But she didn’t want all that care, that overprotectiveness. If it was truly genuine, would he have let her move to Lviv in the first place? Why didn’t he say “stay” when Angelina had been waiting to hear those words?
Of course, she knew she’d made the choice to leave herself, that she’d shaped her own future with her own hands. And yes, it was Angelina who had agreed to the offer from her father’s acquaintance to work at the magazine. She knew it was her only shot at starting a job right after graduating college. Even the best struggled to find work, and she stubbornly refused to count herself among them. She always said she was somewhere in the middle. But to take a job just because she’d saved someone’s son? She never thought she’d agree to something like that, yet three years ago, she did. And she’d regretted it so many times since…
Now, though, it was time to move. She needed to pack the essentials and head back to her hometown. Oddly enough, Angelina believed that it was in Kyiv where she’d find what she’d been searching for all this time. She had this inexplicable feeling, one she’d only felt once before—when she’d followed her gut, drove out, and saw Maxim’s wrecked car.
How that moment had changed her life… So, what would happen now? Would Angelina’s return impact her career or her relationships? The more she thought about it, the more she realized she just wanted change.
It didn’t even take ten minutes for Angelina to finish packing, which was probably the hardest task of the day. She quickly changed clothes, tied her messy hair into a ponytail, grabbed her suitcases, and left the apartment that had become her home over the past three years.
She wished she could say how much she’d experienced here, but… This chapter of her life had passed by in a monotonous blur. Sure, Angelina had met new people, but none of them stuck around for long. She didn’t even have casual acquaintances who might wish her a happy birthday or show up to a party. The only person she really knew and talked to until today was Dmitry Sergeevich, and even he only tolerated her because she’d once saved his son.
She walked along the familiar boulevards of Lviv, unable to believe she was leaving. She’d grown so used to these quiet, cobblestone streets, the cozy cafés, the rich architecture, the otherworldly atmosphere of mystery, and the deep history. She truly loved it here. It was in this place that she’d changed, figured out who she was, and discovered her calling.
But everything comes to an end. As sad as it was, Angelina knew she had to go, and she understood she wouldn’t be coming back. She finally realized she’d been hiding here from her problems, from her fears, for far too long. Now, it was time to follow her instincts and find what she’d been waiting for all these years.
Yes, I’m not saying it’ll be easy. But whatever Angelina dives into headfirst, it will truly be worth it.