The next morning, Jonas found himself walking the familiar cobbled streets of Ghent toward the old city office. The brisk autumn air bit gently, carrying with it the scents of damp stone and fallen leaves. His mind replayed Lena’s cryptic email, the mention of that unfamiliar update tugging at a memory buried beneath years of distance.

They met at a small café near the canal, the kind of place where the steam from coffee mingled with quiet conversations and the occasional clatter of cups. Lena was already seated, her pragmatic eyes scanning a tablet, but the warmth in her slight nod softened the years between them.

“Jonas,” she said simply. “I didn’t want to worry you, but this file… it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in the archives. The system you proposed — it’s active again, but altered. Someone’s been building on your old plans, behind the scenes.”

Jonas’s brow furrowed. “Who? And why the secrecy?”

Lena shrugged. “That’s the part I don’t understand. But whatever it is, it’s connected to a new urban project, and it’s stirring up some ethical questions. I thought you should know.”

As they talked, Jonas felt the quiet resilience that had carried him through solitary years bubbling up—a mix of wariness and hope. The city’s decay was no longer just a backdrop; it was a challenge he couldn’t ignore. And Lena’s unexpected reach offered a fragile bridge back into a world he had left behind.

Later that evening, back in his canal-side flat, Jonas stared at the fading light as it kissed the water’s surface. The past was no longer a locked chapter. It was a flame, flickering, demanding attention.

He opened his journal, fingers hovering over the keys, and began to write—not just about plans and projects, but fears and possibilities.

The city’s shadows were deepening, and Jonas knew the real test was yet to come…