Ella was extremely grateful to Callie. She was a true friend and had stepped in to help Ella get her life back on track. It was hard giving up her life here, this was her home, but Ella had no other option.

‘This place was a happy home once, but for the past six months it’s just felt like an empty shell and tainted in some way.’

Everywhere she looked reminded her of Alex, and she couldn’t wait to hand the keys back and move on with her life.

‘I’m ready when you are.’ Ella looked towards Callie. ‘Can we just get out of here?’

Within ten minutes Ella was standing on the pavement outside number 17 Ellerbeck Close, next to her battered old brown suitcase. With the door firmly lock behind her, she exhaled. ‘A new chapter,’ she said, her eyes teeming with tears.

‘You’ve got this,’ replied Callie, linking her arm through Ella’s.

‘Thank you, for everything, and especially for coming to my rescue. It’s just what I need.’

‘That’s what best friends are for,’ replied Callie, glancing at her watch. ‘Come on, we have a train to catch.’

‘Heartcross, we are coming to get you.’ Ella attempted a smile as she wheeled the suitcase behind her, and began the short walk towards the train station and the next chapter of her life.

Ella had never visited Heartcross before, but she’d seen it on the news eighteen months ago, after all the villagers had been stranded when the only bridge in and out of the village had collapsed due to a storm. For the next six months, thanks to Callie, Ella was going to be working as a waitress at The Lakehouse, a restaurant owned by millionaire property tycoon, Flynn Carter, and would be sharing a flat above the village shop with Callie. Ella couldn’t be any more grateful to Callie; this was exactly what she needed to try and forget the past and get her life back on track.

Full of emotion, Ella bit down on her trembling lip and didn’t look back. Dr Alex James – or whatever his real name was – was not going to break her. She was going to come through this with the help of Callie.

As the train pulled on to platform ten, Ella and Callie climbed on board. With Ella’s suitcase safely stored in the luggage compartment, they sat down and within minutes the train slowly pulled away from the station. This was it, her new life started right now. Ella knew living in a tiny tourist village was going to be a huge change compared to the hustle and bustle of city life. And working at The Lakehouse restaurant was going to be different from owning her own business, but she was excited about the challenge.