The servers exchanged whispers.

Their handiwork adorned the space, a testament to a full afternoon's labor.

It was challenging not to swoon over Gerard with his heart on his sleeve.

Gerard waited by the entrance, eager for Lilah's arrival.

Soon, he caught a glimpse of a familiar, radiant silhouette approaching.

A gentle smile tugged at his lips. He watched, entranced, as Lilah's beauty unfolded with each step. He quelled the impulse to sprint to her and embrace her tightly.

She got to the zebra crossing.

As the light shifted to green, Lilah gracefully made her way.

She stood out, akin to a gleaming swan amidst a flock of ducks.

Greeting her with warmth, Gerard stepped forward.

Not far away, inside a car, a woman's gaze locked onto Lilah.

Without warning, she slammed on the gas.

Gasps filled the air. The passersby were startled by the speeding car.

Gerard was mere steps from Lilah when an abrupt gust swept through.

He stared, horror-stricken, as she was lifted off her feet. Like a wounded dove, she plummeted to the asphalt. The rogue vehicle vanished into the distance.

"Someone's been hit!"

"Quick! Someone call an ambulance!"

Panic ensued as bystanders screamed. An immediate call for medical assistance echoed.

Gerard's eyes fixated on the crimson pool spreading around Lilah. She lay motionless, and in that heartbeat, his world shattered.

He approached, each step weighed down by dread, and knelt beside her to examine her pallid features.

"Lilah," he murmured her name, his voice trembling.

Engulfed in pain, every ounce of Lilah's being throbbed in agony, threatening to pull her under. A lone tear splashed on her cheek.

With great effort, she looked up into Gerard's tear-filled eyes.

"Don't shed... tears for me." She tried to lift her hand to touch his face, but it fell weakly before reaching its destination.