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She told Linda about the plan of going to Hawaii for a few months, a place she had dreamed of visiting since she was young.

But no one, even Anna herself had ever expected her to settle in Hawaii and get married.

"Hey Anna, how are you? I haven’t seen you in so long, it’s been what, two years, right?" Linda spoked first, her voice warm with curiosity as she settled into the chair across from Anna.

Anna laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, two years," she said, her eyes glancing down at her hands. "Feels like it’s been a lifetime, but also like time’s flown by."

Linda smiled, studying Anna’s face for a moment. "You look different. In a good way," she added, her tone light but genuine. "Like you’ve finally found some peace."

Anna smiled back, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I think I have. I’ve been living in Hawaii for a while now, and… well, things have changed. A lot."

Linda’s eyes widened. "Yeah, I would never expect you to just live there for the rest of your life."

Anna chuckled softly but quickly sobered. "Yeah, neither did I. But here I am. It’s been... a lot of unexpected changes."

There was a pause before Anna leaned in slightly, her voice dropping a little. "Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Do you happen to know a Mr. Lay? Mr. Lucian Lay. I mean, I know we haven’t talked in a while, but before I left for Hawaii, I told you my new number and some personal details about where I was going. You’re the only one I told. But somehow ... somehow he found my number."

Linda blinked, her expression shifting. "Mr. Lay? No, I never knew anyone named Lay," she replied, a slight frown furrowing her brow. "I’m not sure who he is, but I definitely haven’t shared your information with anyone. Not even Julian, if that’s who you’re thinking of. In fact, I never even met him before."

Anna sat back, a smile appeared in her face, "Of course, you've always been on my side, Linda. I am happy to have a friend like you." she said. "And it's good to see you again after two years, I’ll be busy with things at Oxford over the next few weeks, but I’m really glad we could catch up now."

Linda smiled warmly, nodding. "I’m glad we did too. Take care of yourself, Anna. Don’t be a stranger."

Anna stood up from the table, grabbing her bag. "I won’t. I’ll check in when I can. Goodbye, Linda."