Chapter 4 : Noah's POV

Chapter 4

I was too focused on the conversation with my potential client, trying to negotiate the details of a deal that could secure the next big step for the company. My mind was running through figures, deadlines, and strategies when the abrupt collision caught me off guard.

For a moment, I didn't register what had happened. The sudden wetness that spread across my chest pulled me back to reality. I glanced down and saw that the iced latte she had been holding was now splattered across my shirt, the cold liquid soaking through the fabric. A sinking feeling of surprise and mild frustration hit me.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath, stepping back instinctively. As I looked up, ready to apologize, my gaze met hers. It took me a second to process the sight in front of me, because, frankly, I didn't expect this.

Standing there, flustered, with a look of both embarrassment and genuine surprise on her face, was Nadine. Of all the people I could have run into today, it had to be her. The last time we'd spoken—if you could even call it that—had been at one of those family functions we were both dragged to. Our interactions had been brief, stiff, polite. Just a few words exchanged between two people tied together by an engagement that neither of us seemed to care much about. But now? She looked different.

There was something more human about her, less guarded. Her brown almond-eyes were wide with shock, and the faint hint of a blush tinged her cheeks. I didn't expect to see her here, not like this. Honestly, I never thought I'd run into her outside the obligations we shared. It was almost surreal.

"Well, this is unexpected," I said, unable to stop myself from smiling despite the situation. There was something about her—something that kept drawing me in, even though I didn't understand why. It was a bit of a cliché, but she seemed to have this air of quiet mystery about her, one that I couldn't quite figure out.

"Yeah, truly unexpected," she replied, her voice betraying a hint of unease. I could tell she wasn't expecting this either—not this close, not at this moment. She seemed to be flustered, stumbling over her words, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy. I could feel the tension between us—the awkwardness of never having actually had a conversation. Even when we were in the same room, we'd always kept things minimal, as if both of us were avoiding something we didn't want to acknowledge.

"Well, sorry. I hope to see you someday. But not this way…" Nadine said, the words stumbling out of her mouth like she was trying to laugh it off, but it felt forced, as if she was trying to hide the discomfort. She then handed me a packet of wipes, her fingers trembling slightly.

I couldn't help but laugh softly, even though it wasn't exactly funny. "...This was certainly not how I pictured our reunion." Her gaze met mine, and for the first time since I could remember, I saw something in her eyes that wasn't just the polite disinterest she'd always shown. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought I saw something... warmer. Maybe it was the surprise of the situation, but whatever it was, it felt different from before. Hearing her laugh—even for a brief moment—really did something to my heart. It was almost like a first time hearing it.

"It's fine," I said, taking the wipes from her hand, feeling her fingers brush against mine for a moment. That small contact left me with a strange jolt—one I wasn't sure how to interpret. It wasn't anything significant, but it made me pause. I looked at her, unsure of what to say. The silence stretched for a second too long.

For some reason, I was both eager to talk to her but also unsure of how to break the ice. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" I said, the words feeling clumsy as they left my mouth. My instinct was to apologize for the mess, but for some reason, I found myself not caring as much about the stain on my shirt as I did about the strange feeling of seeing her outside of those family events.

I had no idea why, but in that moment, I suddenly found myself wanting to know more about her. Not just the girl I was engaged to, not just the quiet, reserved woman who never really spoke to me, but the person she was outside the confines of our families' expectations.

"I should probably let you go… I'm sure you don't want to stand here and chat with someone who's spilled coffee on you," Nadine said, the awkwardness in her words impossible to miss. Her voice was light, but I could tell she was trying to brush off the moment. I couldn't let her walk away like that. "It's alright, Nadine," I said, trying to sound casual, feeling a small flicker of joy at the chance to tease her. "You don't need to leave on my account." Her expression softened, but there was still a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

"I'll go first, but... I'm sorry again," she added, her voice quieter now, before turning to walk away. And as she left, I couldn't help but watch her go, feeling a strange sense of reluctance. It wasn't just the collision that lingered in my mind, but the feeling of something unfinished between us. Something that wasn't there before, but now... now I couldn't shake the thought of it. Maybe this unexpected meeting wasn't as random as it seemed after all.