One Lucky Night

Chapter 2

Zachary Anderson was now a successful businessman. He had fully taken over his father’s empire, a company he had once only dreamed of leading. Five years ago, he had been nothing more than an apprentice, sharpening his skills, starting from the bottom. His father had trained him patiently, and Zach had thought it wise to follow the same path. By working from the ground up, he came to know the company inside and out: its people, its culture, and its every operation.

Now, he was respected for his wisdom, a wisdom that perfectly matched his handsome face. Women adored him, drawn either to his wealth, his looks, or both. Yet, for all the attention he received, there was only one woman he could never forget.

Scylla Grace.

She had once been his intern secretary.

Life had been simpler back then. For Zach, she was all he needed. Dedicated, reliable, hardworking, beautiful, and kind, she was the complete package. More than her looks or her work ethic, she gave him peace. At a time when he was struggling under the weight of expectations, her mere presence was enough to make his most challenging days bearable.

Unlike the other women who competed for his attention, Scylla never tried to stand out or flirt. It was Zach who found himself seeking her, drawn to her quiet strength. He was content to admire her in silence, holding back his feelings for fear of jeopardizing her future. His father had been strict, warning him that dating during his training was unacceptable. The business had to come first.

So Zach hid his secret carefully. He had countless chances to confess, to turn their friendship into something more, but he held himself back. Each day, the restraint ached inside him, like a fire he could not extinguish. And yet, the more he kept it hidden, the more his feelings grew.

He wanted to be the reason for her laughter. He wanted to be the shoulder she leaned on when he caught her wiping away tears and quickly pretending they were nothing. He wished she would share her personal struggles with him, to let him carry some of her burdens.

Then came the day when Scylla reminded him that she had only one month left of her internship.

The thought of losing her shook him deeply. He realized that she was worth every risk. Gathering all his courage, Zach confessed his feelings. To his overwhelming joy, Scylla loved him too.

The days that followed were filled with sunshine. In her remaining weeks at the company, she became not just his world, but his happiness. They laughed, shared stolen moments, and held onto each other as if nothing could tear them apart.

Of course, secrets never last. Their love did not escape his father’s notice. Yet to Zach’s surprise, his father did not scold him. Instead, he approved of their relationship.

Zach had everything: the company, the woman he loved, and his father’s blessing. For a time, life was perfect.

But perfection does not last. Scylla vanished without a word, gone from his life like ashes scattered in the wind. She left no trace, no explanation, nothing.

Zach’s father tried to help him find her, but every effort failed. She was simply gone. Zach was left devastated, crushed with the thought that perhaps he was not worth staying for. The betrayal pierced him like a dagger.

At first came heartbreak. Then sadness. Then anger. And that anger lingered. For years, Scylla remained in his heart like a blade he could never pull free.

He moved on, at least outwardly. He became the man everyone admired, the one women longed to be with. But deep down, no one ever replaced Scylla. His bitterness made him wary of love. To him, every woman became a reflection of her, a reminder of the hurt she had caused.

Five years passed. Zach told himself she had long forgotten him. He tried to believe he had done the same.

Then came Erin.

Erin was one of his employees. He had not paid much attention to her before, but when she mentioned her cousin, a name resurfaced like a ghost from the past.

Scylla was back.

After five years in hiding, she had returned to the city.

Zach’s first instinct was to demand answers from Erin, but no. He wanted them from Scylla herself. Only she could explain why she had left him broken.

“Sir, Scylla is already here,” the admin said over the phone.

The sound of her name sent Zach’s heart racing. His chest tightened, his breath caught. How could one woman still have this effect on him?

He told himself it was hate. It had to be. He reminded himself again and again that Scylla was a dagger he needed to remove, once and for all.

Yet, deep inside, he knew the truth. He still longed for her.

Unable to focus, Zach stepped out of his office to clear his head. Regret instantly hit him. Why had he invited her tonight? He wasn’t ready. He wasn’t prepared for the confrontation, for the questions, for the pain that would resurface.

But it was too late.

The glass door slid open. And there she was.

Scylla.

Even with her back turned, he knew it was her. He would never forget that familiar figure. The urge to rush forward and hold her was overwhelming, a longing that clawed at him. For a moment, it was as if no time had passed at all.

Foolish heart.

He scolded himself, forcing a deep frown to mask the ache inside.

“Scylla.” His voice betrayed him, speaking her name without his permission. The sound of it left him raw.

She froze, startled. Slowly, she turned.

“Zachary Anderson.”

God, how he missed that voice.

But Zach hardened his expression. He could not allow himself to crumble. This night had to bring him answers. He needed closure, no matter how much it hurt.

The woman who once held his heart stood before him again. Tonight, he would finally demand to know why she had left.

Would he be the one to break her this time? Or would she crush him all over again?