REUNION

The elevator doors slid shut with a soft whoosh behind Alexander as he stepped out into the sleek, bustling office floor of the Orlando branch. His presence was like a ripple across a still pond; heads turned, whispers traveled in hushed tones, and the air seemed to crackle with tension. The hum of phones ringing, keys clacking, and conversations humming faded into the background as he moved with a commanding presence through the office.

Mia's pulse quickened as she glanced up from her desk. There he was. Alexander. The name alone sent a jolt through her. She hadn't seen him in years, but now here he was, walking through the office as if no time had passed. But time had passed—too much time, filled with too many wounds. Mia braced herself, reminding herself that she was not the same person he once knew. She was strong, composed, and determined to hold her ground.

He spotted her. His steps slowed as their eyes met across the room. For a split second, the world fell away. The noise of the office dulled to nothing, and all Mia could hear was the pounding of her heart in her chest. She straightened her posture, lifting her chin ever so slightly as he approached her desk.

"Mia? Is that really you?" His voice was deeper than she remembered, carrying the same smooth confidence that had once been her undoing.

She took a slow breath before responding. "It's been a while, Alexander."

He stared at her for a moment, taking her in. "You look… different."

Mia's lips curved into a small, restrained smile. "People change. I've changed."

He nodded, but there was something in his expression—surprise? Regret? Whatever it was, she didn't care. She wouldn't let herself care.

"Good to see you here," he said, his voice softer now. "I didn't expect—"

"Didn't expect what? That I'd be standing on my own two feet? That I'd make something of myself?" There was an edge to her words that even surprised her, but she didn't regret them.

He raised his hands slightly, a gesture of surrender. "I didn't mean it like that. I just… it's been a long time."

Mia's eyes flashed with intensity. "Yes, it has. And in that time, I've learned a lot."

There was a tension in the air between them, old wounds that had never fully healed. He shifted on his feet, seemingly at a loss for what to say next. For a man who always had the perfect thing to say, it was a rare moment of uncertainty.

"You've always had that fire, Mia," he said quietly. "Maybe I just forgot."

She didn't blink. "Clearly. But I'm not the same person you left behind."

His smirk, the one that used to melt her resolve, softened into something more genuine. "I'm not here to dredge up old wounds, Mia. I'm here for work, just like you."

"And yet," she said, her voice unwavering, "it feels like the past is always lurking, doesn't it?"

He took a step closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "You were never one to let things go easily."

"I've learned to fight for what matters."

Their eyes locked, and the tension was almost unbearable, the weight of their shared history pulling at both of them. Neither one moved, neither willing to break the gaze first. The office noise started to filter back into Mia's awareness, but it felt distant, irrelevant.

Alexander cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "I'm not the same either, Mia."

She met his gaze head-on, her expression unreadable. "We'll see."

Before either of them could say more, a colleague approached, interrupting the taut moment between them. Mia quickly turned her attention to her work, forcing herself to focus on the conversation that was happening around her. Alexander, too, shifted gears, engaging in the professional dialogue with the ease she remembered so well. But even as they discussed reports, deadlines, and the usual office banter, Mia could feel the unspoken tension simmering just below the surface.

By late afternoon, they found themselves alone together in a private meeting room. Mia had dreaded this moment all day, but it had been inevitable. They had been assigned to work together on a critical project a decision, she assumed, that had been made before anyone realized the full extent of their shared history.

The silence in the room was suffocating as they sat across from each other at the long, polished table. Alexander was the first to break it, his voice calm and businesslike. "So, what's the plan? How do you want to handle this?"

Mia kept her gaze on the documents in front of her. "The plan is to get this done efficiently. Personal feelings aside."

"Personal feelings were never on the table."

She scoffed, her frustration bubbling up. "Weren't they?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't know what you're implying, but I'm here to do my job. Just like you."

"Sure," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "This has nothing to do with the past."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't come here to stir things up, Mia."

"Then why does it feel like that's exactly what you're doing?"

His frustration was visible now, but there was something else too. A flicker of something deeper regret, maybe? He leaned back in his chair, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "I came here for a fresh start. We both deserve that."

Mia clenched her jaw, forcing herself to stay composed. "A fresh start? After everything?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, his voice laced with sincerity. "You know that."

Her hands trembled slightly, but she kept them hidden beneath the table. "Intentions don't erase actions, Alexander. They don't erase the pain."

His expression softened, and for a brief moment, she saw the man she used to know. The man she had once trusted with everything. "You're right. They don't. But I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for a chance to prove I'm not the man I used to be."

Mia blinked, feeling a lump rise in her throat. She quickly swallowed it down, standing up abruptly. "We'll finish this later. Separately."

"Mia, wait"

She stopped at the door, her back to him. "What?"

"I never stopped thinking about you."

His words hung in the air, heavy and raw. Mia's breath caught in her throat, but she didn't turn around. Instead, she pushed the door open and walked out, leaving him sitting alone in the cold, sterile conference room.

Hours later, long after the office had emptied and the city had fallen into its nighttime rhythm, Mia found herself standing on the rooftop of the building. The cool breeze felt like a balm against the heat of her emotions, but it wasn't enough to calm the turmoil inside her. The city lights twinkled below her, a sea of shimmering distractions, but none of it could pull her away from the storm brewing in her chest.

Why now? Why did he have to come back now? She leaned against the railing, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the cool metal.

The sound of footsteps behind her made her stiffen. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"You always did like quiet places," Alexander's voice said softly from behind her.

Mia closed her eyes for a brief moment, collecting herself. "Are you following me now?"

He chuckled lightly, though there was no humor in it. "No. I just wanted to talk."

"I have nothing more to say to you."

"Mia, please." His voice was quiet, almost pleading. "Just hear me out."

She turned around, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her defenses were up, and she wasn't about to let him break them down. "Why? So you can tell me how sorry you are? How you never meant for things to end the way they did? I've heard it all before."

Alexander took a step closer, his expression serious, sincere. "No. No excuses this time. Just the truth."

Mia's eyes narrowed. "The truth?"

"I made mistakes. I thought I was doing what was best. I was wrong."

She stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "You were."

They stood there in silence, the weight of their history pressing down on both of them. The city below continued on, oblivious to the tension on the rooftop.

"I didn't come back to hurt you, Mia," Alexander said after a long pause. "I came back because… because I've changed. And I thought maybe just maybe you could see that."

Mia shook her head, turning back toward the city lights. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"It matters to me."

His words struck something deep inside her, but she didn't let him see it. She couldn't let him see it.

"You want a fresh start?" she said, her voice cold. "Fine. Have your fresh start. But it won't be with me."

"Mia"

She didn't give him a chance to finish. She walked past him, her steps firm, her resolve stronger than ever.

This time, she wouldn't look back.

Alexander watched her go, the echo of her footsteps fading into the night. He stood there on the rooftop, alone with the weight of his mistakes, knowing that whatever chance they had once had was slipping away if it hadn't already.