Chapter Five: Echoes of Yesterday
1366 Words
Richard Edward remained motionless long after Nicole had left his office.
The old photograph lay on the polished walnut desk before him, its corners curled with age. Two young men stared back at him, their smiles wide and unguarded, their arms slung around each other’s shoulders as if nothing in the world could ever come between them.
He remembered that day.
It had been the spring of 1993.
Neither of them owned tailored suits or private jets. They had been two ambitious university students surviving on instant noodles, cheap coffee, and impossible dreams. Marcus had insisted they pose for the picture after passing their final business law exam.
“One day,” Marcus had laughed, “we’ll look back at this when we’re running the biggest entertainment company in America.”
Richard had laughed just as hard.
Back then, it hadn’t sounded impossible.
Now, the memory felt like it belonged to someone else.
His office phone buzzed.
“Mr. Edward?”
It was his assistant.
“Your ten o’clock meeting has arrived.”
Richard looked once more at the photograph before sliding it back into the envelope.
“Reschedule.”
“Sir, it’s an important investor—”
“I said, reschedule.”
His tone left no room for argument.
When the line went dead, Richard leaned back in his chair and rubbed a hand across his face.
Someone was reminding him of a past he had spent decades trying to forget.
The question was…
Why now?
Nicole left the executive floor with more questions than answers.
Her father had been unusually restrained.
Normally, if something threatened the Edward family’s reputation, he dealt with it immediately.
Today, he had simply warned her to be careful.
That wasn’t like him.
She stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the underground parking garage.
As the doors closed, her phone vibrated.
Jayden
A smile appeared before she could stop it.
She answered.
“Shouldn’t you be pretending to work?”
“I’m excellent at pretending.”
She laughed softly.
“I heard about the photo.”
“So did I.”
A brief silence settled between them.
Finally, Jayden asked, “How bad was it?”
“My father called me into his office.”
“Ouch.”
“He didn’t accuse me of anything.”
“But?”
Nicole rested her head against the elevator wall.
“I think he’s suspicious.”
Jayden exhaled slowly.
“My uncle called this morning.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked if I’d met you at the awards.”
Nicole’s stomach tightened.
“And?”
“I told him we exchanged a few words.”
“Which wasn’t a lie.”
“No.”
“It just wasn’t the whole truth.”
The elevator doors opened.
Nicole walked into the parking garage, her heels echoing against the concrete floor.
“When can I see you?”
Jayden hesitated.
“I’ve got meetings all afternoon.”
“So do I.”
“Tomorrow?”
Nicole smiled.
“Tomorrow.”
Before hanging up, Jayden lowered his voice.
“Nicole?”
“Hm?”
“I miss ordinary.”
She closed her eyes.
“So do I.”
On the opposite side of Manhattan, Hunter Global Media buzzed with its usual energy.
Employees hurried through the lobby carrying tablets and coffee cups. Large digital screens displayed trailers for upcoming films and concert tours.
Jayden crossed the lobby with Ethan beside him.
“You know,” Ethan said, “most people spend Monday mornings worrying about quarterly reports.”
Jayden glanced sideways.
“And?”
“You’re worrying about whether your girlfriend’s father is suspicious.”
Jayden gave him a look.
“Keep your voice down.”
Ethan chuckled.
“I didn’t say her name.”
Before Jayden could reply, a familiar voice interrupted.
“Mr. Hunter.”
Both men turned.
A woman in her early thirties approached, dressed in a charcoal-gray pantsuit with a visitor’s badge clipped to her lapel.
“I’m Rachel Bennett,” she said, extending her hand. “From Sterling Public Relations.”
Jayden shook it politely.
“I thought today’s meeting was with your director.”
“It was.”
She offered a professional smile.
“He had a family emergency.”
Jayden nodded.
“No problem. Let’s head upstairs.”
As they walked toward the elevators, Rachel casually glanced around the lobby.
Her expression remained pleasant.
But hidden inside her handbag…
A tiny digital recorder had already begun capturing every conversation within range.
That evening…
Emily insisted Nicole leave work before sunset.
“You’ve been staring at spreadsheets for nine hours.”
“I have deadlines.”
“You also have a life.”
Nicole looked up from her laptop.
“Do I?”
Emily grinned.
“We’re about to find out.”
Half an hour later, they found themselves wandering through a small Christmas market in Bryant Park.
Strings of warm lights hung above rows of wooden stalls selling handmade ornaments, hot chocolate, and fresh pastries.
Children laughed as they skated across the nearby ice rink.
For the first time in days, Nicole felt herself relax.
Emily handed her a paper cup of hot chocolate.
“You needed this.”
“I’ll admit…”
Nicole smiled.
“…it’s nice.”
As they continued walking, Emily stopped suddenly.
“What?”
Emily nodded toward a nearby jewelry stall.
“No way.”
Nicole followed her gaze.
Standing less than twenty feet away…
Jayden.
He was laughing at something Ethan had said while examining a handcrafted silver bracelet.
Nicole couldn’t help smiling.
“What are the odds?”
Emily looked from Nicole to Jayden and back again.
“In New York?”
“Practically impossible.”
Almost as if sensing her presence, Jayden looked up.
Their eyes met.
His smile widened.
He excused himself from Ethan and walked toward them.
“What a coincidence,” he said.
Nicole folded her arms.
“Is it?”
“I’ll never tell.”
Emily rolled her eyes dramatically.
“I suddenly remembered I promised to help Ethan find coffee.”
Ethan blinked.
“I didn’t—”
Emily grabbed his sleeve.
“You do now.”
Before either Nicole or Jayden could protest, the two disappeared into the crowd.
Jayden laughed.
“I think we’ve been abandoned.”
“Deliberately.”
“Definitely.”
They strolled between the decorated stalls, talking about everything except work.
Movies they wanted to watch.
Books they’d been meaning to read.
The ridiculous prices of Christmas decorations.
For one precious hour…
They weren’t heirs to powerful companies.
They weren’t executives.
They weren’t people with expectations hanging over every decision.
They were simply Nicole and Jayden.
At one stall, an elderly woman sold hand-carved wooden ornaments.
She looked at them with a knowing smile.
“You make a lovely couple.”
Nicole froze.
Jayden opened his mouth, then closed it again.
The woman chuckled.
“Oh, don’t look so frightened.”
She wrapped a small carved snowflake in tissue paper and handed it to Nicole.
“A gift.”
Nicole blinked.
“We can’t—”
“You can.”
The woman smiled gently.
“Some people are lucky enough to find the right person.”
She glanced between them.
“Don’t let fear convince you otherwise.”
Nicole thanked her quietly.
As they walked away, neither spoke for several moments.
Finally, Jayden said softly,
“I like her.”
Nicole looked down at the little wooden snowflake in her hands.
“So do I.”
Neither of them noticed the black SUV parked across the street.
Inside, a man lowered a pair of binoculars.
He wasn’t taking photographs this time.
He simply watched.
When Jayden reached for Nicole’s hand—just for a second, hidden by the crowd—the man picked up his phone.
“They met again,” he said.
A pause.
Then he listened.
His expression turned serious.
“I understand.”
He ended the call, started the engine, and drove away without turning on the headlights.
Whoever was on the other end of that call had been waiting for confirmation.
And now…
They were ready to make their next move.
- Writer
