STERLING

CHAPTER FIVE

"In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine"- Maya Angelou

Life can be like a surprise party – not always what you expected, and sometimes your plans just don't fit the path. After all the years of wanting to avoid him, here he was standing. Reuniting with him caught her completely off guard; Saki had brought up his name a few times before, she couldn't not help but notice saki always looking at her wanting to know whether she cared,but knowing herself having resisted the urge to inquire further. Despite her efforts, curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn't deny having read about him and his company on the internet. Surprisingly, she discovered he had taken over his father's company, already, She already knew he had always been smart, confirmed by numerous conversations with him the past.

The tabloids already had highlighted him as one of the most successful personalities in the country, particularly after his interviews with Vogue and other magazines. She remembered seeing Images of him with other girls which fueled a mix of emotions—anger, insecurity, and a nagging question, which she could not help but ask herself, did he miss her. An interesting thing that caught her eyes was that he was engaged to a model in Los Angeles. She had gone through the images of them. She had noticed that he looked happy, not surprising he had forgotten about her. Meeting him out of the blue became like a surprising twist in her life story, bringing up feelings she didn't see coming.

Making her way to the curls beneath her hair, she deftly twisted them with her hands. As she observed him, the changes in his appearance struck her—aging had added a touch of maturity, lending a certain hardness to his facial features. His once-boyish charm had given way to a more rugged allure,Those blue eyes still had the power to make her knees go weak, and she couldn't help but linger on the details a little longer. His aged features revealed untold stories, hinting at an unfinished part of their shared journey.

Approaching her, he remarked, "Checking me out, sunflower," showing his perfect teeth as her heart pounded audibly in her chest. He said with an oozing aura, "Is this how you greet a long-time friend" Nonetheless, she stood her ground, determined to conceal the impact he had on her. However, when he halted in front of her, his unexpected next move left her frozen – he hugged her. His perfume engulfed her senses, and her surprise lingered as she pondered the reason behind his gesture. Three seconds later, her mind returned, and she struggled to break free from the hug, but he remained unyielding. After much effort, he finally released her. The sounds from her windows hinted at the presence of colleagues who witnessed the unexpected embrace. Embarrassed that her colleagues saw what happened , she quickly went to the window and closed the blinds, trying to keep it from curious onlookers.

Turning to face him, she found him just standing there, quietly observing. She pretended not to notice, clearing her throat as she made her way to her chair. Offering him a seat, she swiftly used the intercom to request Isaac to bring a cup of coffee, even though she had already had one. With a love for coffee, she couldn't resist. He looked at her and smiled, wondering why he was smiling, he scanned her office, she noticed his expression hardened at the sight of her and Donald's picture on her desk. Unsure why she kept it, knowing their marriage had ended, she resolved to remove it later, deeming it a waste of space. Wanting to ease the tension since neither seemed willing to break the silence, she finally spoke,

"So, what do you want, Mr. Sterling?" as she composed herself. His gaze met hers, and for a moment, the room felt tense with things unsaid, carrying the weight of their past. She removed her gaze from him and took some sweets on her table . She hated the tension between them. It sucked.

"So, we're back to Mr. Sterling, sunflower," he said with a smirk that she desperately wanted to wipe off his face. She noticed he spoke very little. A phone broke the tension, ending with him swiftly turning it off. The question lingered,why wasn't he taking the call.Was it about his fiancé, Annoyance crept onto her expression – was she jealous?What was wrong with her? She knew very well that he was engaged; she had stumbled upon that detail during her internet stalking. Why was she so affected by him? She couldn't blame herself, after all this years she was still affected by him.