Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Encounter That Was Never Chance
Chloe
The sun dipped lower, casting golden light against the pavement as Chloe stepped outside, her mind tangled in the routine of the day.
Everything had been smooth.
Work was steady.
Her team respected her.
Carter had settled into school.
She was moving forward, fully, completely, without interruption.
Without Kian.
Sixty days had passed.
Sixty days since she last saw him.
Sixty days since he lingered anywhere near her.
But Carter?
Carter still had Kian.
Still spent afternoons with him.
Still carried the presence of someone Chloe had decided to avoid, to erase from her immediate path.
And yet—she had never questioned it.
Never wondered why.
Never thought about how strange it was that Kian hadn't once pressed himself into her space.
Not until now.
Not until her breath clipped.
Not until the air shifted.
Not until her eyes lifted—and landed directly on him.
Standing near her car.
Calm.
Unrushed.
Like he had always planned to be there.
Her pulse tightened.
A flicker of annoyance.
Of irritation.
Not because she was unprepared.
Not because she didn't want to face him.
But because—something about this felt different.
And before she could step past him, before she could dismiss his presence, his voice cut through the space between them.
"Let's go to the beach."
Kian's POV
He hadn't approached her once in sixty days.
Hadn't stood in front of her.
Hadn't forced himself into her orbit.
Hadn't done what he normally would—pushed, pressed, demanded her attention when he wanted it.
Because this time?
This time, he was waiting.
Giving her space.
Giving her the time she deserved before everything changed again.
And now?
Now, it was time.
She didn't expect him.
Didn't anticipate this moment.
Didn't realize this was always meant to happen.
And when she turned—he saw the flicker of frustration.
Saw the tightening of her breath.
Saw the way she hesitated—but didn't turn away.
So he stepped forward.
Not forceful.
Not demanding.
Just offering.
"Let's go to the beach."
Her reaction was immediate.
Her body stilled.
Her expression unreadable.
But Kian pressed on.
"Just like before. Just us. Not before everything fell apart. Not before it was complicated. Just like the old times."
And for the first time in sixty days—Chloe actually looked at him.
Not past him.
Not through him.
Just at him.
And that was enough.
For now.