PHOENIX

7| SHE RECOGNISED ME

The hotel lobby buzzed with the familiar rhythm of early morning. Business travellers queued impatiently at reception while tourists clustered around the concierge desk asking for directions and recommendations. Hotel staff moved efficiently between guests with practised smiles, their polished shoes clicking softly across the marble floor. Jackson hardly noticed any of it. His thoughts remained fixed firmly on Roy, on Sue, on the endless list of questions still waiting to be answered. He walked through the lobby almost on autopilot, his attention so completely consumed by his own mind that he failed to notice the figure approaching from the opposite direction until it was far too late.

The collision wasn't particularly hard, but it was enough to pull him violently back into the present. A startled gasp escaped the woman as she stumbled slightly, and Jackson reacted on instinct, reaching out with one hand to steady her before she could lose her balance completely. At precisely the same moment, the mobile phone she had been holding slipped from her grasp, bounced once against the polished marble floor and skidded several feet away.

"I'm sorry," Jackson said immediately, genuine embarrassment replacing the thoughts that had occupied him only seconds earlier. The apology came naturally, almost instinctively, as he realised he had been so consumed by everything running through his mind that he hadn't even noticed where he was going until he had walked straight into her. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Without waiting for a response, Jackson immediately crouched to retrieve the fallen phone, hoping he could at least make up for his carelessness by picking it up before it was stepped on. The woman reacted in the same way, bending down at the very same moment, and before either of them realised it, they both reached for the phone simultaneously. Their hands met over the device, their fingers brushing ever so lightly, the brief contact lasting no more than a heartbeat. Yet that single, accidental touch stopped Jackson where he was, not because of the touch itself, but because of what it awakened inside him. Before he could even understand why his body had suddenly gone rigid, an old memory came rushing back with startling clarity, forcing its way through years of distance, unanswered questions and unfinished conversations.

The memory had been buried so deeply that Jackson had almost convinced himself it no longer existed, hidden beneath the passage of time and the countless distractions life had thrown in his path. Yet it returned with such overwhelming force that it stole the breath from his lungs, flooding him with emotions he hadn't felt in years. It wasn't simply a recollection of the past; it was as though the years separating then from now had suddenly disappeared altogether, folding in on themselves until the present and the past became impossible to distinguish. For one impossible moment, kneeling on the polished floor with a stranger's fingers brushing against his own, it felt as though time itself had turned backwards.

There were some touches that a person never truly forgot, no matter how many years passed or how determined they were to move on. They lingered somewhere beyond memory, waiting patiently for the smallest reminder before returning with startling clarity. And there were some people who, no matter how completely they disappeared from your life, left echoes behind that the passing years could never erase, echoes that remained buried in the quietest corners of your heart until one unexpected moment brought every single one of them back to life.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Jackson lifted his eyes until they met hers, and the moment they did, everything else around him seemed to disappear. He found himself staring into Melissa's wide, astonished eyes, unable to look away despite every instinct telling him that he should. For a long moment, neither of them moved nor spoke. They simply stared at each other, each seemingly trying to process the impossible coincidence that had brought them face to face once again. She was the woman he once loved, the woman who had betrayed him, the woman who had set the fire that had been meant to kill him, and seeing her standing before him so unexpectedly left him momentarily incapable of thinking.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I hope I didn't cause any problems for you," she said, her voice as soft and familiar as ever. It was a voice Jackson knew far too well, one he had never truly forgotten despite everything that had happened between them. Time had done nothing to erase the familiarity of it, and hearing it again after all these years stirred emotions he had no desire to revisit. He knew that voice better than most people ever would, and for reasons he couldn't explain, hearing it now felt far more unsettling than simply seeing her again.

Jackson cleared his throat, forcing himself to speak despite the turmoil raging inside him. "I wasn't paying attention either. Forgive me for my ignorance." The instant the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He should have kept quiet. He should have simply nodded, picked up the phone and walked away before giving her the opportunity to recognise him. Instead, he had spoken, and now there was nothing he could do to take those words back. As he watched her expression change, her eyes widening ever so slightly before recognition slowly dawned within them, he realised just how foolish that decision had been.

Even after all those years, Melissa still looked just as stunning as Jackson remembered. Time had changed many things, but it hadn't changed her beauty. Looking at her brought everything rushing back with overwhelming force, the good memories arriving first, filling him with a warmth he hadn't expected to feel again and even drawing the faintest smile to his lips. For the briefest of moments, it was almost as though the years between them had never existed. Then the smile disappeared as quickly as it had come, replaced by a cold reminder of the memories he wished he could forget. His mind returned to that fateful day, the day he had almost died because of her, because she had seen him as a threat worth eliminating.

"I have somewhere to go and I'm already late. See you," Jackson said hurriedly, desperate to put as much distance between them as possible before he lost control of his emotions and exposed himself. Every second he remained standing in front of Melissa felt like a risk he couldn't afford to take. He knew how intelligent she was, and he knew she had always been exceptionally good at noticing the smallest details about him. If he stayed there any longer, she would undoubtedly piece everything together before he had the chance to think of a way out of the situation.

"You're going to pretend like you don't know me? After five years without seeing me, this is how you react when you see me?" she asked, the frustration in her voice impossible to miss. The accusation struck Jackson harder than he expected, and instead of feeling guilty, he felt a sudden surge of anger rising inside him. The audacity of her words was almost unbelievable. After everything that had happened between them, after everything she had done, she was standing there questioning his reaction as though he was the one who had wronged her.

"What are you talking about?" Jackson replied, choosing to play dumb despite knowing she had already begun to suspect who he really was. He wasn't about to make things easier for her by confirming those suspicions, nor was he willing to give her the satisfaction of knowing she had recognised him so quickly. Never. If she wanted answers, she would have to work for them, because he had no intention of boosting her ego by admitting the truth.

"Really, Jackson? Am I that unimportant to you? You leave me for five years, making everyone believe you're dead, and when you see me, you pretend not to know me? I can't believe you!" Melissa's voice trembled with a mixture of hurt and anger, every word carrying the weight of five long years of unanswered questions. Her eyes never left his face, as though she were searching for some sign that the man standing before her was the same Jackson she had once known, refusing to believe that he could look at her with such indifference after everything they had been through.

Is she serious right now? Jackson thought, completely dumbfounded by what he had just heard. After what she did to me, she expects me to pretend like nothing happened? After everything she put me through, after the day I almost lost my life because of her, she has the nerve to stand there acting like I'm the one who's done something wrong? The more he thought about it, the more unbelievable it became. Something is definitely wrong with her head.

"Ma'am, I think you're mistaking me for someone else. I'm Zachary Stone, and I have no idea who Jackson is. I just moved here a few days ago, and since I'm in the process of finding an apartment, I'm staying in this hotel. Do you mind if I ask you who Jackson is?" he said calmly, forcing every word to sound as natural as possible despite the storm raging inside him. He couldn't afford to make a mistake now. If she discovered who he really was, everything he had worked so hard to protect would be at risk, and he wasn't prepared to let that happen.

Melissa looked him up and down, studying him with an intensity that made Jackson's heart pound against his chest. Her eyes wandered slowly over his face as though searching for something that would expose his lie, carefully examining every feature, every expression and every tiny detail that might reveal the truth. The longer she looked at him, the heavier the silence between them became, filling the hotel lobby with a tension that neither of them seemed willing to break. Jackson had expected more questions, another accusation or perhaps even an argument, but instead she surprised him.

"I'm sorry for misunderstanding you. I'm also sorry for how I acted. I'm usually not like this with people. I just thought you were someone I knew five years ago. I'm so sorry. Please excuse me," she said, her voice much quieter than before, the frustration and anger having completely disappeared. There was only regret left behind as she apologised for the misunderstanding, her expression softening in a way Jackson hadn't expected.

Before he could say another word, Melissa turned around and hurried towards the staircase. She didn't simply walk away; she almost ran, disappearing up the stairs so quickly that within moments she was gone. Jackson remained exactly where he was, watching her retreat until she was completely out of sight, unable to make sense of what had just happened. Confusion battled with anger inside him, neither emotion willing to give way to the other as the same question repeated itself over and over again in his mind.

What is wrong with her?

Jackson knew exactly what he was supposed to do. He was supposed to leave the hotel lobby, continue with everything he had planned for the day and forget that he had ever run into Melissa. That was the logical thing to do. It was the safe thing to do. It was exactly what he had promised himself he would do if they ever crossed paths again. But logic had never stood much of a chance whenever Melissa was involved. Instead of walking towards the exit, he found himself turning towards the staircase. Before he could stop himself or even question what he was doing, he was already climbing the stairs after her, following the path she had taken only moments earlier.

By the time he reached the floor where she had disappeared, Melissa was nowhere to be seen. Jackson glanced down the hallway until his eyes settled on the only door that had closed not long before he arrived. Without allowing himself the chance to reconsider, he walked over to it and knocked. Silence greeted him. He waited patiently, his eyes fixed on the door as though willing it to open, but nothing happened. Several long moments passed without the slightest sound from inside, and just as he convinced himself that she wasn't going to answer and began turning away to leave, the door finally creaked open.

Melissa stood in the doorway, and it didn't take Jackson more than a single glance to realise she had been crying. Her eyes were swollen and red, her cheeks still slightly damp, and there was a sadness written across her face that she hadn't managed to hide before opening the door. She looked genuinely surprised to find him standing there, as though he was the last person she had expected to see.

"What are you doing here? I told you that I mistook you for someone I know, and I already apologised for that," she said, her voice trembling ever so slightly, making it painfully obvious that she hadn't fully regained her composure.

Jackson instinctively reached out and placed a hand against the door when she began pushing it closed. "I'm sorry," he said gently. "I just noticed that you were upset, and I wanted to know if you're okay or if perhaps I said something that made you upset." He wasn't entirely sure why he had come after her, nor did he know why her tears bothered him as much as they did, but seeing her like this had made it impossible for him to simply walk away without asking.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm okay, and if I'm really upset, you can rest assured that it has nothing to do with you. Now, if you'll excuse me," Melissa replied before firmly pushing the door shut. Jackson barely had enough time to pull his hand away before it closed completely, leaving him standing alone in the hallway, staring at the wooden door in disbelief. He blinked several times, still trying to process what had just happened. For someone so tiny, she possessed an astonishing amount of strength. He hadn't even realised she was capable of shutting the door with that much force.

Jackson remained standing outside her door for what felt like an eternity, unable to convince himself to leave yet equally unable to knock again. He knew he could end the charade right there and then. All he had to do was knock once more, wait for her to answer, look her in the eyes and tell her the truth: that he really was Jackson, that he had survived the fire everyone believed had claimed his life, and that he had returned for one reason only: to make her and her entire family pay for what they had done to him. It would be the easiest thing in the world to say those words. The difficult part would be living long enough to regret them. Three years of planning, hiding and rebuilding his life would disappear in an instant, and for what? The moment Melissa discovered who he really was, everything he had worked so hard to protect would be destroyed. Roy would make sure of that. Or perhaps Melissa would. She was Roy's daughter, after all. Five years ago, she hadn't hesitated to burn him alive because she believed he was a threat. There was no reason to believe she would hesitate now. If anything, she would probably make sure that this time, he stayed dead.

Jackson let out a long, weary sigh before resting his back against the wall beside her door. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he tried to quiet the chaos inside his head, but it was impossible. His thoughts refused to settle, each one colliding with the next until he could barely tell where one emotion ended and another began. He couldn't believe he had allowed himself to be so reckless. He had spent years preparing for this moment, promising himself that if he ever came face to face with Melissa again, he would remain calm, detached and completely in control. Instead, a single unexpected encounter had shaken him far more than he cared to admit. Seeing her again had unearthed emotions he had convinced himself were long buried beneath the passage of time. The pain returned. So did the betrayal. The anger was still there too, just as fierce as it had been five years ago, all of it crashing over him at once and threatening to consume the discipline he had spent years building.

Drawing in a slow, steady breath, Jackson forced himself to regain control. This wasn't why he had come back. He hadn't spent the last three years preparing for revenge only to lose sight of his purpose the first time he saw Melissa. He had a mission, and that mission demanded patience, discipline and a clear mind. Allowing his emotions to dictate his actions now would accomplish nothing except putting himself, Sue and Ethan in even greater danger. No matter how shaken he felt after seeing Melissa Roy again, he couldn't afford to let her become a distraction. Not now. Not when he was finally closer than ever to discovering the truth.

After standing there for a few moments longer, Jackson slowly pushed himself away from the wall and glanced at her door one last time before turning around. There was nothing more he could accomplish by remaining there. He needed to get back on track, continue gathering information about Roy and his family and make certain that Sue and Ethan remained completely out of harm's way. They were the reason he had fought so hard to survive, and they were the reason he couldn't afford to make a single mistake. Whatever feelings Melissa's sudden reappearance had stirred inside him would have to wait, because lowering his guard, even for a second, was a luxury he simply couldn't afford.

As Jackson left the hotel, he made a mental note to keep a much closer eye on Melissa. She was no longer just a part of his past; she had become an unpredictable variable in a plan that depended on precision and control. He couldn't afford surprises, and Melissa had always been capable of creating them. The fact that she was staying in the same hotel as him changed everything. Whether it was a coincidence or something more, he needed to know what she was doing, who she was meeting and whether her presence there had anything to do with Roy. But as dangerous as that new development was, Jackson forced himself to remember that Melissa was only one piece of a much larger puzzle, and right now he couldn't allow his focus to narrow solely onto her. The bigger picture was still Roy and the family that had destroyed his life five years ago.

He walked briskly towards Sue's apartment, his thoughts already shifting from the shock of seeing Melissa to the practical realities of what it meant for his plans. Every step seemed to sharpen his awareness of the danger surrounding them. If Melissa recognised him, then the possibility that the Roys would soon discover he was alive had increased dramatically. He needed to think ahead, anticipate every possible move and make sure he stayed several steps in front of them. By the time he reached Sue's building, his mind was already racing through strategies, contingencies and the risks that had suddenly multiplied.

When he arrived at her door, he knocked and waited, trying to compose himself before she saw the turmoil written all over his face. The door opened a moment later, and Sue immediately looked concerned. Her eyes moved over him quickly, taking in his tense posture and troubled expression. "Jackson, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," she said as she stepped aside to let him into the apartment.

"I just ran into Melissa," he said bluntly the moment he walked inside, not bothering to soften the news. "She's here, in the same hotel I'm staying at." The words felt unreal even as he said them aloud, as though speaking them might somehow make the encounter less shocking than it had been.

Sue's eyes widened immediately. "Melissa? What did she say?" she asked, the concern in her voice deepening.

"She recognised me, or at least she suspects it's me," Jackson replied as he began pacing the room, unable to stay still. "I had to lie and tell her I was someone else, but she's smart, Sue. She's always been smart. If she hasn't figured it out already, she will eventually." The more he spoke, the more frustrated he became with himself for allowing the encounter to unfold the way it had.

Sue frowned deeply, processing the implications of what he was telling her. "This complicates things. What are you going to do?" she asked after a moment.

Jackson stopped pacing and turned to face her. "I need to accelerate my plans," he said, his voice hardening with determination. "I have to take down the Roys before they figure out who I am and decide to come after us. If Roy discovers I'm alive before I'm ready, we lose the advantage. You and Ethan need to stay out of this, Sue. It's too dangerous."

Sue crossed her arms, a stubborn and determined expression settling over her features. "Jackson, you can't do this alone. Let me help you," she insisted, refusing to back down.

"No," Jackson said immediately, his tone firm enough to leave no room for misunderstanding. "I can't risk your lives. I survived once, but I won't survive losing either of you because of my revenge. Please, Sue, just take care of Ethan, keep a low profile and stay as far away from the Roys as possible. Let me handle this. That's the only thing I need from you right now."