WHISPER OF DESIRE

Chapter 1 - Reunion

The moment I arrived, Jerome noticed me first. He whispered something to Louise Xandra before she turned, smiling. She didn’t come closer yet, probably still finishing what she was doing. I gave a small, polite smile and slid onto the chair beside Jerome, trying to ignore the familiar flutter in my chest.

Seeing them both again after five long years felt strange, almost unreal.

Louise glanced at me again and raised her glass. “Glad you’re finally back. It’s been years, hasn’t it?”

I nodded and accepted the drink she handed me. I sipped too quickly and immediately coughed. My throat burned. Damn. They hadn’t warned me—it was strong. Maybe I should have asked for something lighter. I made a mental note to avoid drinking too fast in front of them.

“I’m really happy you’re back. Five long years! You’ve changed a lot,” Jerome said warmly.

I forced a faint smile.

“The last time I saw you in America, you seemed down. But I understood your uncle’s situation,” he added gently. I shrugged. Some part of me hated that he remembered, that he still cared enough to comment. But his smile grew a little wider, softening the awkwardness.

“Veterinarian?” he asked.

“Veterinarian,” I said, trying to sound proud. It sounded… hollow, even to me. I had spent years studying, training, sacrificing, but the words felt heavier than I expected.

He chuckled. “Axtel’s over there, walking around. You remember him, right?”

Of course I did. Some things never change. But did they know what really happened before I left? I doubted it. I swallowed hard, remembering nights I had spent thinking of him, wondering if he even cared. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to face the answers.

“Hey, Clemmie!” Louise shouted suddenly. I turned and hugged her tightly, feeling the warmth of her excitement seep into me. It felt comforting and overwhelming all at once. Behind her was Esthere, my best friend, and a few steps behind them stood Leander. I met his gaze for a moment. He raised his glass in a small toast. The man beside him glanced at me too.

“I still have jet lag,” I said softly. “I need sleep. My head hurts.”

“Maybe you need another kind of head,” Esthere teased, covering her mouth. “Oh my! Sorry.”

Louise laughed loudly. “You really have no manners!”

I shook my head. Typical. Their laughter always had this way of pulling me in, making me feel like I never really left.

Louise turned back to me. “Don’t go yet! After all these years, this is the first time we’re all together again!”

I groaned. “You just missed me, Louise Xandra.”

“Please. Just admit you feel awkward around Evander!”

I rolled my eyes. She was probably tipsy—explaining everything with that careless loudness I had always known. One of her friends called her, and she went over, still laughing and waving.

“She’s drunk,” Esthere muttered, a little amused.

“No doubt,” I said. We both looked toward the beach, watching the waves shimmer under the moonlight. The air was cooler than I remembered, and the faint scent of salt reminded me of summers past. I could almost feel the memories pressing against me, vivid and uninvited.

“Did you come from the coconut trees earlier?” she asked quietly.

I nodded. “Just wandering. I missed this place.”

She went quiet, and for a moment I thought we would let the silence settle, comfortable and shared. Then she said softly, “You know, we never came back here after your… confrontation with Evander.”

I let my lips curve slightly. That memory had never left me. The fight, the tension, the sharp words and unspoken feelings. I could still feel the sting of it all, even after years. The cold wind brushed my skin, sharp against my cheeks, almost as if reminding me: everything had a reason—a reason I couldn’t explain, not even to my closest friends.

“It’s too late now,” Esthere said. “We didn’t know there was really something between you and Evander. Not until Alexander told us.”

I looked toward the other side of the beach. Evander was there, laughing with his friends. Calm. Collected. Untouchable. My chest tightened. At least he looked happy. I wondered if he even remembered the way things had ended—or if I had been erased from his memory entirely.

“It’s fine,” I whispered. “He’s successful now, and I’m doing fine too. At least we’re both here.”

“But—”

“Esthere, it’s over. He’s engaged.” I cut her off, a little sharply. I already knew what she would say. Closure, conversations, explanations. What would it change? Nothing. It would only reopen the wound I had worked so hard to seal.

He never liked me the way I liked him. That should be enough.

“It’s been a long time, Esthere. We were never together.” I let out a small, bitter laugh. “Maybe I’m just meant to be a rich aunt someday, watching everyone else get the happiness I didn’t.”

She frowned. “But you two are still awkward. Maybe you just need closure.”

“Closure? What would it fix?” I asked. “He didn’t care for me. We made that clear years ago. I’ve moved on.”

Really, Clementine? Have you? I hated the doubt that crept into my mind even as I said it. I hated that my heart still recognized him, even when my brain screamed I had no claim to him.

She sighed. “I don’t believe that. I can still sense something between you two.”

I smirked, though it felt heavy. “He’s getting married, remember? Don’t make things complicated.”

Before she could reply, Louise laughed again, loud and careless. Jerome shook his head beside her. I smiled faintly, trying to push down the ache creeping back into my chest. The ache that refused to be quiet, no matter how many years had passed.

Evander was still there, calm and untouchable. Only this time, his eyes found me. That small, deliberate glance made my stomach twist in a way I hadn’t felt for years. I wanted to look away, to pretend it didn’t matter, but I couldn’t.

Everything I thought I had buried—the longing, the hurt, the years of unanswered questions—ignited again. Raw. Unstoppable. My chest ached. My throat tightened. My hands trembled slightly, gripping the glass I had barely touched. For the first time in years, I realized how much I still wanted him, even if I could never have him.

I looked away, forcing my gaze to the waves, letting the moonlight cover the tightness in my chest. But even as I tried to calm myself, I knew the truth. Evander wasn’t just a memory. He was a spark that refused to die, a shadow that followed me wherever I went, and no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I told myself it was over, my heart still remembered what it felt like to love him.

And maybe, just maybe, that was the cruelest part of all.