Chapter 4 — Le Jardin des Reflets

Claire

The wrought-iron gate creaked softly under Claire’s touch, the sound breaking through the gentle murmur of the city beyond. Le Jardin des Reflets stretched before her, a sanctuary of stillness framed by manicured hedges and ancient stone benches. The air carried the faint perfume of jasmine intertwined with the earthy scent of damp soil beneath her boots. She paused just inside, her fingers brushing the strap of her leather satchel, adjusting its weight on her shoulder. The satchel, like her thoughts, felt heavier today, burdened by the postcard hidden within—a relic of her past that refused to be forgotten.