The sound of heels clicking against the polished marble floor echoed through the sleek, modern office building. Aariz adjusted his tie, running a hand through his hair as he waited near the conference room, a slight frown on his face. The day had been filled with endless meetings, but this particular one felt different. The brief he had received earlier had made it clear: he was about to meet a key business partner, someone whose reputation preceded them.
He didn't know why, but there was a strange, unshakable feeling in the pit of his stomach. His mind had been consumed with the recent events in his life—his guilt, the overwhelming tension with Layla, the weight of betrayal that seemed to follow him like a shadow. It had been ages since he'd felt any real connection to anyone, and in a moment like this, with business on the line, the last thing he expected was to encounter someone who would throw him off balance.
The door opened, and he looked up instinctively, his gaze locking onto the person entering. Alina.
She stepped into the room with the same elegance and confidence that had always defined her, but there was something different now. Her posture was straighter, more composed, as if the weight of the years that had passed had forged something stronger within her. Alina had always been beautiful, but now, there was an aura of resilience about her that made her even more captivating.
For a moment, the world outside that conference room ceased to exist. The voices of the assistants, the hum of the fluorescent lights, all disappeared. It was just the two of them—standing across the room from each other, caught in a web of unspoken emotions. Aariz's heart skipped a beat, as if he had been transported back to a time when things were simpler, when he could hold her hand without feeling the crushing weight of regret.
She didn't look at him immediately. Instead, she nodded politely to the others in the room, exchanging brief pleasantries as they took their seats. Aariz stood still, his breath caught in his chest, trying to keep his composure. Her presence had rattled him, just as it always had.
As the meeting began, the world seemed to blur around them. He tried to focus, his mind fighting to stay on track with the discussions, but his eyes kept darting to Alina. She was professional, poised, but there was a coldness in her demeanor that he couldn't ignore. She was no longer the woman he once knew—the one who had shared everything with him, the one who had trusted him. Now, she was a stranger in the guise of someone familiar.
Their business dealings unfolded with a rhythm, as both parties presented their terms, each one more carefully crafted than the last. Yet, despite the professionalism, there was an undercurrent of tension between them. It was a delicate dance of words, each one carrying a weight far heavier than it appeared on the surface.
Aariz could feel the silence between them growing thicker, as if something unsaid hung in the air. His gaze would occasionally flicker toward Alina, catching glimpses of the fire in her eyes. There was a quiet strength there, a resolve that he hadn't noticed before.
Then, during a break in the meeting, Alina excused herself, stepping out of the conference room to take a call. Aariz seized the opportunity to follow her, the urge to speak to her growing too strong to ignore. He had to see her, even if only for a few moments. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was his last chance to address the distance between them.
Alina stood by the window when he approached, her back to him. The soft hum of the city outside provided a backdrop to the heavy silence that hung in the air. She didn't turn when she heard his footsteps, her body stiffening as if she had already anticipated his arrival.
"Alina…" Aariz's voice was soft but insistent, and for a moment, neither of them moved. It was as though the space between them had become something tangible, something that neither could bridge.
Her shoulders tensed slightly before she finally turned to face him. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes, those deep brown eyes, told a different story. There was a flicker of something in them—something raw, something vulnerable. But it was quickly hidden behind the shield of her calm exterior.
"What is it, Aariz?" Her voice was controlled, but there was an underlying sharpness to it, as though she had already prepared herself for this confrontation.
"I didn't expect this," he admitted, his gaze lingering on her, tracing the curve of her jaw and the way she held herself. There was a quiet beauty in her resilience, but it was a sadness too, a sorrow that had hardened her in ways he hadn't anticipated.
Alina's lips pressed together in a thin line as she took a deep breath. "Neither did I."
The words were simple, but the weight behind them was crushing. They both understood the implications. This wasn't just a business meeting. This was them, facing the years of unspoken hurt, the betrayal, the silence that had stretched on for far too long.
Without thinking, Aariz stepped closer, the pull between them magnetic, undeniable. His gaze softened as he reached out, his hand brushing against the sleeve of her coat, a tentative touch that spoke of longing and regret. Alina flinched slightly at his touch, but she didn't pull away.
"Alina," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "I know I've made mistakes. But I—"
Before he could finish, Alina stepped back, shaking her head. Her expression shifted, hardening. "Aariz, you don't get it, do you? You don't get to walk in here and expect things to be okay because you're sorry. You don't get to fix everything with a simple apology."
Her words stung, but they were also a reminder of the truth he had tried to ignore for so long. The truth that their relationship had been shattered, and no amount of regret could undo what had been done. The years of distance, of pain, had created a chasm between them that was far too wide to cross in a single moment.
But despite everything, despite the walls she had built around herself, he could see the crack in her armor. There was still something there, a spark that refused to die. It was the same spark that had once ignited their love, and it was still there, hidden beneath the layers of hurt and time.
Alina turned away from him, walking to the window, her back still to him. Aariz stood there, his chest tightening, his heart in his throat. He knew he couldn't fix everything, but he couldn't stop himself from trying.
"I've never stopped loving you, Alina," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I may have made mistakes, but my love for you never died. And I'll keep trying. I don't know what the future holds, but I want you in it."
She didn't turn around, but her hand tightened around the phone in her grip. Aariz could see the battle inside her—the conflicting emotions warring for dominance. It was clear that the distance between them wasn't just physical; it was emotional, and it would take time to heal.
But that moment, that fragile, fleeting moment, was all he needed to feel that spark of hope ignite again.