CHANCES

BOOK 3

She nodded at her boss

"he's also going to be here for a few months,so,arrange an office for him"

"okay sir"

"I forgot to pick him up when he arrived so try to appease hi ,get him an apartment too"

"yes sir" she nodded

"and Amelia........ please don't disappoint me I'm getting married to his sister,so please "

" yes sir"she repeated

"you're the one I'm relying on now and ................."

"I know I'll try my best "she cut him short

"thank you "

"it's nothing, I'll go prepare for him."

After arranging all her boss asked her to do, Amelia stood in the glass‑walled lobby of Hugart' group, the early‑morning light spilling across the polished floor like a promise. She adjusted the badge that read “Welcome Team – Amelia Atkins” and took a deep breath. The email had been brief: _“We’re thrilled to have Justin Lance joining us as Senior Analyst. Please meet him at 9:00 and give him the grand tour.”_

She had seen the name on the org chart a dozen times, but the reality of it hit her harder than she expected. Justin Lance—the guy she had hurt terribly.

The elevator doors chimed, and a man stepped out, briefcase in hand, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He was taller than she remembered, his hair a little darker at the temples, his suit impeccably cut. He scanned the lobby, eyes landing on the reception desk, then flicking to the sign that read “Welcome Team.”

“Good morning,” he said, voice smooth and confident. “I’m Justin Lance. I have an appointment with…?”

Amelia’s heart thumped against her ribs. She stepped forward, extending her hand. “Hi, Justin. I’m Amelia, I’ll be showing you around today.”

He shook her hand, his grip firm but his eyes flickered with a brief, puzzled glance. “Amelia, nice to meet you. I’m a bit early, I hope that’s okay.”

“It’s perfect,” she replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a mask. “Let’s start with a quick coffee. We have a great espresso bar on the third floor.”

He followed her to the elevator, the doors closing with a soft whoosh. As they rode up, Amelia caught his gaze in the reflective panel. He was studying her, as if trying to place a name to a face. She felt the old habit of filling the silence.

“So, what made you decide to visit us” she asked, keeping her tone light.Even if she knew why he was there she still asked.

He chuckled, a sound that seemed rehearsed. “Opportunity. The projects here are exactly the kind I’ve been looking for. Plus, the office looks… impressive.”

Amelia nodded, the words feeling like a rehearsed script. The doors opened on the third floor, and the aroma of freshly ground beans greeted them. They ordered two black coffees and found a small table by the window that overlooked the city’s waking skyline.

For a few minutes, the conversation flowed easily—talking about the weather, the new office layout, the upcoming quarterly meeting. Amelia felt herself relax, the old familiarity of small talk easing the knot in her stomach. Then, as Justin took a sip, his eyebrows lifted in sudden recognition.

“Amelia…?” he said, the name hanging between them like a question mark. “Amelia Atkins? From…?”she had wanted him to never recognize her.

She felt the floor tilt. “Yes,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “We… we went to university together. We lived in the same dorm.”

His eyes widened, then narrowed as the memory slammed into place. The night they had stayed up until dawn, sketching out a business plan on a coffee‑stained napkin, the way he had laughed when she’d tried to order a “triple‑shot espresso with a side of ambition.” The way she had left a month later, citing “personal reasons,” and never returned he was devastated.

“Right,” he said, the smile now a thin line. “Amelia"he frowned.

Amelia forced a laugh that sounded more like a cough.

He leaned back, his gaze turning colder, as if the realization had flipped a switch. “You know, it’s funny how you just… disappear and then reappear as someone’s welcome committee. It’s almost… poetic.”

The words hit her like a splash of cold water. “Justin—” she began, but he cut her off.

“Honestly, Amelia I’m surprised you’re still here. I thought you’d have moved on to something… bigger. Something that doesn’t involve playing host to the guy who left you hanging.” He set his coffee down with a soft clink that echoed in the quiet corner.he had used her own words against her

Amelia’s cheeks flushed. The sting of his accusation was sharp, but beneath it lay the old ache of being forgotten. “I didn’t—”

“You didn’t what?” he snapped, voice low enough that only she could hear. “You didn’t think I’d notice? You didn’t think I’d see right through this… this perfect little welcome act? You’re still trying to prove something, aren’t you?”

She stared at him, the room suddenly too bright, the hum of the espresso machine a distant roar. “I was just trying to be professional,” she managed, voice trembling. “I thought… I thought we could start fresh.”

He shook his head, a bitter smile forming. “Fresh? You can’t erase the past by putting a badge on your chest, Amelia. You’re still the same person who left a note on my desk and never looked back.”

Amelia’s eyes filled with tears she refused to let fall. She stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. “I’m sorry you feel that way,” she said, each word a careful step. “I’ll have HR show you to your desk.”

He watched her go, the smile fading into a hard line. As she walked away, the city outside seemed to blur, the skyline a jagged reminder that some meetings were meant to be brief.

Amelia paused at the elevator, hand on the button, and took a shaky breath. She could feel the weight of the badge against her chest, a reminder that she was still here, still standing, still moving forward—even if the welcome she had planned had turned into a painful reunion.

When the doors opened, she stepped inside, the doors sliding shut with a soft sigh. The elevator descended, and with each floor that passed, the sting of Justin’s words began to dull, replaced by a quiet resolve. She would finish the day, do her job, and when the clock struck five, she would walk out of Hugart group with her head held high, leaving behind the ghost of a past that no longer had power to define her.