Meanwhile, back in the city, Ben had tried to reach her to no avail. He knew she must have gone away because of the tension, the best destination, a view with calming effect and silence. He searched, guessed, and finally booked a ticket to the Island following a little suggestion from her co-worker.

The moment he arrived, he imagined her face lighting up with surprise, relief. Instead, the first thing he saw shattered him.

Through the open terrace of a seaside restaurant, Ben spotted her in a flowing dress, the sunset painting her skin gold. And across from her was Jason. Leaning in close, making her laugh, holding her gaze like no one else existed.

Ben froze, his stomach twisting in disappointment and anger. He waited for her to recoil from his touch, to shove Jason back, to look guilty or conflicted. But she did not. From where Ben stood, it looked like she was choosing Jason all over again.

His chest hollowed. Every confession, every kiss, every promise they had shared, he suddenly felt like the fool in Jason’s game.

Ben turned away, his throat tight, his fists clenched. He did not approach, did not ask questions. He just walked back to the airport, his mind a storm. Feeling utterly betrayed she went back to Jason and chose him.

On the terrace, Seya finally pulled her hand away from Jason’s reach. Her laughter died, her smile fading as guilt gnawed at her. Jason noticed her silence and smiled faintly, sensing the crack.

Seya had seen him. The moment Jason leaned across the table with that practiced smile, she caught sight of Ben, frozen in the shadows, watching. Her heart lurched, her lips trembled, tears threatening to spill.

For an instant, she wanted to leap up, to scream the truth. She had had the urge to run to Ben and tell him it was not what it looked like.

But exhaustion won. She was tired. Tired of being tested, chased, fought over like a prize. Ben deserved the truth, yes. But maybe letting him believe the lie was her only escape. If he thought she had chosen Jason, then both men would finally leave her alone.

So, she stayed seated. She let the smile linger. She let the illusion breathe. And when Ben’s shoulders had slumped and he turned away, she had blinked back tears.

Jason mistook the glimmer in her eyes for nostalgia.

“That’s it,” he whispered. “You remember, don’t you?”

But Seya’s heart was breaking for an entirely different reason. Ben left. No goodbye, no confrontation, it was as if he just vanished.

Back in the city. Ben put in his resignation at GAC Incorporation. He severed ties with mutual friends and disappeared from the city. Rumour had it he went abroad, burying himself in work, in building something new.

***

For a year, Seya told herself it was for the best. She poured herself into her projects, climbed the ranks until she became project supervisor at another prestigious company in Gravendale. She was respected, even admired, but at night, she sometimes traced the memory of Ben’s last expression, the hurt in his eyes, as though it were burned into her.

Jason, on the other hand, drifted in and out of her orbit. Sometimes charming, sometimes bitter, never truly gone. But Seya kept him at arm’s length, determined never to repeat that mistake.

Then came the day that shook her. The company buzzed with whispers of a new CEO taking over, a man who had acquired controlling shares and was expected to reshape everything. Meetings were cleared, schedules rearranged. As project supervisor, Seya was at the centre of preparations for the grand introduction.

She stood in the boardroom, straightening her notes, the murmur of executives filling the air. Then the doors opened. And Ben walked in. Tall, commanding, dressed in a tailored suit that screamed power. His presence filled the room, his expression unreadable. But Seya’s knees nearly buckled as recognition slammed into her.

Ben did not look at her at first. He scanned the room, acknowledging greetings with calm authority. When his gaze finally landed on her, it was ice. No warmth. No softness. Only the cool detachment of a man who had been broken and rebuilt stronger.

“Good morning,” Ben said, his voice steady. “I’m Ben Hayes Cooper. As of today, I am your CEO.”

Seya’s breath caught. The man she had once let walk away, the man she still dreamed of was now her boss. And by the look in his eyes, he had not forgiven her.

The boardroom applauded politely as Ben finished his introduction. His voice was smooth, but under the table, Seya’s fists clenched so tight her nails cut into her palms.

He had not even flinched when their eyes met. No smile, no trace of the man who once whispered her name like it was holy. Just a CEO addressing his staff.

“Project supervisors will report directly to me on priority assignments,” Ben said, his gaze flicking to her with surgical precision. “Deadlines will be tighter. Standards higher. No excuses.”

The words were not aimed at the room. They were aimed at her.

In the days that followed, Seya found herself under a microscope. Ben assigned her the toughest projects, sat in on her briefings, interrupted her presentations with pointed questions. He was calm, polite, never openly cruel but every move was designed to keep her off balance.

At night, when she lay awake, she wondered if this was punishment. Was he trying to make her crumble? Or worse, was he indifferent, proving she meant nothing anymore? She hated that the uncertainty still cut her.