Severa's POV
Celine Emperium—the CEO of Emperium Constructions, my cousin, and the one person who never lets me rest—has a lot of connections. That's expected. She runs one of the largest companies under our family's empire.
But of all the people she could possibly know…
Why did it have to be him?
Eugene Dominguez.
My fingers curled into tight fists under the conference table, nails pressing into my palms as I forced myself to remain composed. My heartbeat drummed against my ribs, a painful, suffocating rhythm that reminded me too much of a summer I tried to forget.
I wasn't prepared for this.
I wasn't prepared to see him again.
Celine's voice was light, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. "Eugene is our external consultant for this project. His firm will be handling the logistics for our provincial expansion."
Logistics.
Expansion.
Project.
I heard the words, but they barely registered.
All I could focus on was him—the man who had once looked at me with a soft smile under the glow of fireflies, who had once held my hand as we walked through the fields of Esperanza, whispering words that now felt like carefully crafted lies.
And now, ten years later, he sat across from me like none of it ever happened. Like he hadn't shattered me.
Eugene looked… different.
Gone was the carefree boy from the small town I had fallen for. The man in front of me was refined, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that screamed influence and power. His once slightly unkempt hair was now neatly styled, and there was an air of quiet confidence around him.
But his eyes.
His eyes were the same. Cold. Unreadable. The same detached gaze he had when he confirmed his betrayal ten years ago.
"Shake hands?" Celine nudged us playfully.
I stiffened.
Eugene extended his hand.
I ignored it.
Without a word, I pulled out my chair and sat down, pretending not to notice the awkward pause that followed. My hands remained clenched in my lap, my body rigid as I fought the overwhelming urge to get up and walk out.
Celine sighed, her gaze shifting between us. "Okay… that was weird."
She turned to Eugene and smiled apologetically, as if she had unknowingly thrown him into an uncomfortable situation.
But Eugene didn't seem fazed. If he was affected by my reaction, he didn't show it.
Of course, he didn't.
Because he never cared.
Not back then. And clearly, not now.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus on the meeting. "Let's begin."
The next hour was unbearable.
Celine went over the project details, discussing the upcoming construction site and the necessary logistics. Eugene spoke when needed, his voice calm, professional, and infuriatingly smooth.
I tried to act indifferent, but every time he spoke, my pulse spiked.
It wasn't fair.
It wasn't fair that he could sit here, composed, while I was struggling just to keep my breathing steady.
I wasn't that girl anymore.
I had spent years building myself back up, creating walls so high no one could ever get through them again. And yet, one unexpected meeting was enough to crack those walls.
No.
I wouldn't let him have that power over me.
Not again.
When the meeting finally ended, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
Celine stretched her arms and grinned. "That went well! I think we'll have this project up and running smoothly in no time."
Eugene gave her a small nod. "It's a strong proposal. The provincial expansion will benefit both sides."
I stayed silent, gathering my documents. I needed to leave before—
"Severa."
His voice.
Low. Steady. Directly addressing me.
I froze.
Slowly, I lifted my gaze, meeting his eyes for the first time in ten years.
It was a mistake.
The second our eyes met, it was like being pulled into a memory I had buried deep, a past that refused to stay forgotten.
He studied me carefully, his expression unreadable. "It's been a long time."
I swallowed, forcing my voice to remain steady. "Yes. It has."
I expected him to say something else. Maybe an apology. Maybe an excuse.
But he didn't.
He simply nodded, as if our past was nothing more than a distant acquaintance he barely remembered.
That pissed me off.
Ten years.
Ten years of pain, of resentment, of questioning everything I had believed in. And yet, here he was, acting as if it was nothing.
I clenched my jaw and grabbed my bag. "If there's nothing else, I have work to do."
Celine blinked. "Wait, Sev—"
I didn't let her finish. I walked out of the conference room, my heart hammering in my chest.
The second I was alone in the hallway, I let out a shaky breath, leaning against the wall for support.
I needed to get a grip.
Eugene Dominguez was just another business associate now. Nothing more.
He couldn't hurt me anymore.
And I would make sure of it.