Page 1 of Shadows of Recovery

One

Dr. Sophie Everhart stood in front of her mirror, adjusting the strap of her sequined dress. The reflection staring back at her looked confident and ready for a night of celebration. Her best friend, Jenna Cade, peeked over her shoulder with a wide grin.

"You look stunning, Soph. Ready to have some fun?" Jenna's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Sophie smiled, feeling a rare sense of anticipation. "Absolutely. Let's go celebrate Nina's upcoming wedding in style."

The bar was already buzzing with energy when they arrived. The group of young medical professionals, all dressed to impress, made their way to a reserved table. The evening was filled with laughter, clinking glasses, and the camaraderie that came with years of working together through the highs and lows of medical school and medical practice.

Sophie raised her glass."To Nina, the soon-to-be Mrs. Turner. May your marriage be filled with even more joy than your single life."

Jenna added,"And may you always have a bottle of wine in the house for emergencies."

"You guys are the best. I can't believe this is actually happening!" Nina burst out laughing.

Another one of their friends, Lisa, smiled. "Nina, remember that time we went camping, and you swore off love after that disastrous date?"

Nina shook her head."Oh, how could I forget? That was the night I fell in love with the great outdoors… and swore off dating apps."

"And now look at you, all grown up and about to get hitched! Who would've thought?" another friend said.

"Definitely not me. I thought Nina would be a lone adventurer forever, like a real-life Lara Croft." Sophie giggled.

Jenna snorted,"Speaking of adventures, remember when Nina decided to climb that mountain on a whim?"

Nina blushed. "You mean the mountain that turned out to be a very steep hill? My epic fail."

Sophie sipped her fruity drink. "Hey, it was still epic in our eyes. And now you’re about to embark on the biggest adventure of all—marriage."

Jenna raised her glass. "Just remember, if you need advice, we're here. Between us, we've got a wealth of wisdom."

Nina sighed. "Oh, I know. That's why I'm so confident. I have the best support system in the world."

Sophie hugged Nina."Cheers to that! And to many more nights like this, filled with laughter, love, and a little bit of chaos."

The girls raised their glasses. "Cheers!"

"Alright, enough about me. Who's ready for some karaoke?"Nina raised her glass at her friends.

"Only if Sophie promises not to hog the mic this time." Jenna fake-pouted.

"No promises. You all know I'm a karaoke queen." Sophie tossed some sparkling garland around her neck.

Jenna laughed."Let’s make a deal—no one sings 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' more than once."

Sophie ran for the stage, alcohol coursing through her veins. "Deal. Now, let's get this party started!"

* * *

A few tables away,Tristan Blackwell sat with a group of his colleagues from the Blackwell Institute and Waverly County ER, all enjoying a relaxing night out. The atmosphere was filled with laughter as they shared stories and unwound from their demanding jobs. The soft glow of the restaurant's ambient lighting highlighted their smiling faces, and the clinking of glasses punctuated their conversations. Amidst the shared jokes, the burdens of their work temporarily lifted.

Tristan nursed his drink as he scanned the room with casual interest. The dim lighting and vibrant atmosphere hummed with the energy of a Friday night. His gaze caught on a familiar face—Jenna Cade, one of the ER physicians. She was laughing, surrounded by a group of women at the karaoke stage. His attention was drawn to one in particular, a striking redhead with a voice that wasn’t half bad as she sang a lively rendition of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper.

Amused, Tristan found himself occasionally watching the group throughout the night. They were clearly enjoying themselves, lost in the music and the haze of celebratory drinks. The redhead, whose name he didn’t know, seemed to be the life of the party, her smile infectious as she danced and sang with abandon.

But as the night wore on, Tristan's casual amusement began to wane. Something about the scene shifted. One of the men dancing with the group—a tall, handsome stranger with an easy smile, his dark hair neatly styled and his suit perfectly tailored to his athletic frame—seemed to be focusing on the redhead. At first, Tristan dismissed it as harmless interest, the kind that often sparked in places like this. But as the minutes ticked by, he noticed the man's eyes never left her, observing her every move with a disconcerting intensity.

Tristan’s instincts, honed from years of working in the ER and dealing with all kinds of people, began to tingle with unease. There was something off about the way this guy moved closer to her, each step seeming more calculated than the last. His interest in her was far from innocent; there was a predatory edge to his gaze that made Tristan’s skin crawl.

---