The Clockmaker's Paradox

Alden Briar, a reclusive horologist (clockmaker) in his 40s, lives a quiet, structured life in a small town where he maintains historical timepieces for museums, collectors, and the local university. One day, he receives an antique pocket watch with a note that reads: "This one runs on regret." The watch doesn't tell time - it replays pivotal moments from Alden's past that he never fully understood or made peace with.

At first dismissing it as coincidence or mechanical tricery, Alden is soon...