When Two Worlds Collide ( Chapter 5: The Return of the Past)
800 Words
Chapter 5: The Return of the Past
Two months had passed since that lunch on the rooftop.
Since then, everything had changed—quietly, cautiously, but deeply. Sheila and Drich still played their roles at the office: CEO and assistant. But beneath the surface, their connection had evolved. They spoke more, smiled more. Their conversations drifted into personal things. He asked about her childhood. She asked about his favorite books. There were still no labels, no declarations—just a slow unfolding of something that felt like more than friendship, but less than a relationship.
And Sheila had grown to care.
Truly.
Not because he was wealthy, not because of the position—but because she had seen behind the cold mask and found the wounded, thoughtful man underneath.
So when the past came knocking, she wasn’t ready.
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The Woman in Red
It was a rainy Wednesday when Lila returned.
Sheila had just delivered documents to the finance team and was returning to her desk when she saw her—a tall, striking woman dressed in a bold red coat and heels that echoed through the hall.
The air changed around her. Staff turned to whisper. Even the receptionist looked unsure whether to greet her or run.
Lila stepped out of the elevator as if she still owned the building.
And she walked straight into Drich's office without knocking.
Sheila’s heart dropped.
Fifteen minutes later, Drich stepped out and said only one thing:
“Sheila, reschedule my meetings for the rest of the day.”
He didn’t look her in the eyes.
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The Distance Begins
The days that followed were suffocating.
Drich withdrew. He stopped coming to lunch. He returned her reports with a cold “thank you.” His eyes stopped lingering. His smile disappeared.
And worse—Lila started showing up regularly.
Some said they were rekindling old flames. Others said Drich had never truly moved on.
Sheila didn’t believe it—she couldn’t—until she saw them together, leaving the office one evening. Lila’s hand lightly touching his arm. Drich… not pulling away.
That night, Sheila sat on her bed, staring at her phone.
No messages. No explanations.
Only silence.
________________________________________
The Goodbye That Never Happened
The following Monday, Drich called her into his office.
She entered, heart pounding. He was at his desk, his expression unreadable.
“Sheila,” he said, “Lila and I… are giving things another chance.”
The words hit like a slap.
“I see,” she said quietly.
“I think it would be best,” he added, “if we keep things strictly professional moving forward.”
She nodded, trying to keep her face calm, though her chest felt like it was caving in. “Of course, sir.”
He hesitated. “It wasn’t… a game. What happened between us.”
But that only made it worse.
She nodded again and left before he could see the tears in her eyes.
________________________________________
Unseen Goodbyes
That night, Sheila packed a bag. She typed a resignation email. And for the first time in years, she cried herself to sleep—not because of poverty, not because of exhaustion—but because of heartbreak.
She disappeared from the city the next morning.
No goodbyes.
No forwarding address.
What Drich didn’t know—what no one knew—was that Sheila wasn’t just running away from pain.
She was five months pregnant.
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The Mask Cracks Again
Back at Monteverde Group, the staff buzzed over the “CEO’s new romance.” But Drich wasn’t smiling. Even as Lila returned to his side, hosted dinners, and played the role of the perfect woman, he felt nothing but hollowness.
He missed the warmth of lunchtime chats.
The calm of rooftop conversations.
The silence of someone who didn’t want anything from him—just him.
And then came the night that changed everything.
At a high-profile charity gala, Drich stood next to Lila, smiling politely as he greeted guests. Everything was perfect—until a familiar doctor walked up, clapping him on the back.
“Congratulations, Mr. Monteverde!” the man beamed. “Five months, huh? You must be thrilled!”
Drich blinked. “Sorry… five months of what?”
“The pregnancy! I saw your girlfriend the other week. She's doing well. Strong heartbeat. Due in a few months.”
Lila laughed awkwardly. “I think you’ve made a mistake.”
But the doctor frowned. “Wait—Sheila’s not your girlfriend anymore?”
Drich felt the world tilt.
The glass in his hand slipped. Shattered.
He turned to Lila slowly. “You… said you weren’t pregnant.”
“Because I’m not,” she said, confused.
His hands trembled.
Sheila.
Sheila was pregnant. With his child.
And she had walked away.
Alone.
- Writer
