The Lingering love

THE LINGERING LOVE Chapter One: The Man I Never Forgot The last person Serena Hayes expected to see on a Monday morning was the man who had broken her heart five years ago. Unfortunately, fate had never been particularly kind to her. Serena stood in the conference room of Sterling Heights, holding her presentation folder tightly. She had spent the entire weekend preparing for this meeting. This job meant everything to her. It was her chance to prove she could build a life without depending on anyone. She took a deep breath and smiled at the people around the table. "Good morning, everyone. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to present my proposal." For the first ten minutes, everything went smoothly. Her manager nodded approvingly, and one of the directors scribbled notes beside her proposal. Then the door opened. "Sorry for the interruption." The deep male voice made Serena's fingers freeze around the remote. She knew that voice. Slowly, she turned. Alexander Sterling stood in the doorway, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his expression was calm. He looked older than she remembered, more powerful, and even more handsome. But his eyes were exactly the same. For one humiliating second, Serena forgot how to breathe. Five years ago, those eyes had looked at her with so much love that she believed nothing could ever separate them. He had held her hands beneath the stars and promised he would never leave her. Then one night, he disappeared. No explanation. No goodbye. No answer to her endless calls. Now he was standing in front of her as if nothing had happened. "Mr. Sterling," her manager said, rising from her chair. "We weren't expecting you." "I had some free time, so I decided to see how the marketing team was progressing." His gaze moved around the room before settling on Serena. Something flickered across his face. Surprise, perhaps. Or regret. Whatever it was, it disappeared almost immediately. "Please continue," he said. Serena turned back to the screen. "Of course." Her hands trembled, but she forced herself to finish the presentation. She explained her ideas, answered questions, and smiled when the directors complimented her work. She refused to let Alexander see how deeply his presence affected her. When the meeting ended, everyone began leaving. Serena gathered her papers and hurried toward the door. "Miss Hayes." She stopped reluctantly. "Yes, Mr. Sterling?" "Do you have a moment?" "I'm afraid I'm busy." His jaw tightened slightly. "I wasn't asking whether you were busy." There it was. The arrogance she remembered. Serena looked him directly in the eyes. "And I'm telling you I have work to do." She walked away before he could respond. Inside the elevator, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. "Oh, God," she whispered. Her phone vibrated. It was Chloe, her best friend. CHLOE: How did the presentation go? Serena stared at the message before replying. SERENA: I saw Alexander. Her phone rang almost immediately. "Please tell me you're joking!" Chloe exclaimed. "I'm not." "What did he say?" "He asked to talk." "And what did you say?" "I walked away." "Good. After what he did to you, that's the least he deserves." Serena swallowed. "I thought I was over him." Chloe's voice softened. "Maybe you are. But healing doesn't mean you'll feel nothing when you see someone who hurt you." Serena ended the call a few minutes later, but Chloe's words stayed with her. She wasn't sure she had ever truly stopped loving Alexander. And that frightened her more than she wanted to admit. --- Alexander stood alone in his office, staring at the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He had expected Serena to be angry. He had even imagined her slapping him. But he hadn't expected the coldness in her eyes. Five years ago, she had been the only person who could make him smile without trying. She used to steal his ties, drink his coffee, and fall asleep against his shoulder while insisting she wasn't tired. He remembered everything. The sound of her laughter. The warmth of her hands. The way she called him Alex when she wanted something. He remembered the night he lost her, too. His phone vibrated, interrupting his thoughts. A message from an unknown number appeared. UNKNOWN: I heard Serena is back in your life. Alexander frowned. Another message followed. UNKNOWN: You promised the past would stay buried. His expression hardened. He typed a reply. ALEXANDER: Who is this? No answer came. He called the number, but it was switched off. Alexander slowly lowered his phone. Someone knew. And if that person was contacting him now, Serena's return might not be a coincidence. He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and removed a small black box. Inside was a silver necklace with a tiny crescent moon pendant. Serena had given it to him during their second year at university. It had been inexpensive, and she had laughed when he complained that the chain was too thin. "I'll buy you a better one when I'm rich," she'd promised. He had laughed and kissed her forehead. He hadn't known then that one day he would become wealthy enough to buy her anything she wanted, except the one thing she had needed from him. The truth. "I never stopped loving you," he whispered. But love had never been the problem. The truth was. --- By lunchtime, Serena had almost convinced herself that seeing Alexander was an unfortunate coincidence. Then Human Resources sent her an email requesting that she report to the executive office at two o'clock. She arrived on time and knocked. "Come in," Alexander called. He stood behind his desk, his jacket removed and his sleeves rolled to his elbows. For a moment, she remembered the young man who used to cook terrible meals for her in their university apartment. The memory vanished as quickly as it had come. "You wanted to see me, sir?" "Your presentation was excellent." "Thank you." "The board wants you to lead the new campaign. You'll be working directly with me and the executive team." Serena stared at him. "Did you recommend me?" "Your work speaks for itself." "That wasn't my question." He held her gaze. "Yes, I recommended you." Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment and anger. "I don't want special treatment." "Then don't accept it as special treatment. Accept it as an opportunity you've earned." She hated how reasonable he sounded. "What exactly do you want from me, Alexander?" For the first time, his professional expression slipped. "Nothing you don't want to give." She laughed bitterly. "That's new." He looked down briefly. "I know I don't deserve a conversation with you, but I'd like to explain what happened five years ago." "Then explain it." His silence answered her. Serena's eyes stung. "That's what I thought." "Serena, please." "No. Do you know what hurt the most? It wasn't just that you left. It was that you made me spend months wondering what was wrong with me. I thought I wasn't good enough for you to even say goodbye." His face tightened. "There was never anything wrong with you." "Then why did you leave?" He opened his mouth, but no words came. Serena shook her head. "Whatever your reasons were, I survived. I built a life without you. Please don't make me regret coming here." She walked out before he could stop her. --- That evening, Serena stood outside the office building, waiting for a taxi. Her phone vibrated. An unknown number. UNKNOWN: You saw him today. She frowned and replied. SERENA: Who is this? UNKNOWN: Someone who knows what really happened five years ago. Before Serena could respond, a photograph appeared. She opened it. The picture showed her and Alexander standing outside a hotel. She was wearing the blue dress he had bought her for her twenty-fourth birthday, smiling as he held her around the waist. But someone else stood in the background. Chloe. Serena zoomed in. Her best friend was standing near the hotel entrance, holding a small envelope and looking directly at the camera. Serena's heart began to pound. Why had Chloe never mentioned being there that night? Another message arrived. UNKNOWN: You've spent five years blaming the wrong person. Serena's fingers trembled as she typed. SERENA: What are you talking about? The reply came immediately. UNKNOWN: Ask your best friend what happened that night. Serena stared at the screen, desperately searching for a reason not to believe it. Chloe had comforted her when Alexander disappeared. She had stayed up with her through sleepless nights and reminded her that she deserved better. Surely, she wouldn't have lied about something so important. A final message appeared. UNKNOWN: Don't tell Alexander you've seen this photograph. You don't know what he's capable of protecting. Serena slowly lowered her phone. For five years, she had believed Alexander had abandoned her because he no longer loved her. Now she was beginning to wonder whether someone had deliberately destroyed their relationship. And if Chloe had been involved, Serena didn't know whom she could trust anymore. She looked toward the darkening sky as the first drops of rain began to fall. She had spent five years trying to forget Alexander Sterling. Now she was going to find out why he had left. Even if the truth broke her heart all over again. Because sometimes, the person who breaks your heart isn't the only one hiding a secret.