Chapter 20
940 Words
Stephen was deep in conversation with some of their family business partners. Some were older men who had worked with his father before, while others were his contemporaries—young, ambitious, and eager to leave their mark in the industry.
“How’s life treating you, Stephen?” asked Mr. Thomson, a senior partner who had seen Stephen grow up.
“Fine, Mr. Thomson. Busy as always,” Stephen answered politely, a small smile on his lips.
One of the younger men nodded toward Hope, who was sitting just a few steps away at their table, looking around quietly. “Your wife looks lovely tonight.”
Stephen followed his gaze and saw Hope adjusting the strap of her maroon gown. Her eyes met his briefly, and she smiled.
“Yes, she is,” Stephen replied without hesitation.
“You must be lucky to marry someone so beautiful,” another chimed in, chuckling.
Stephen smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying it. He kept the conversation light and professional, deflecting questions that hinted too closely at his personal life. But something in the back of his mind nagged at him. He glanced toward their table again—and frowned.
Hope wasn’t there.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, excusing himself from the group.
He scanned the room and found her standing alone by the tall windows, staring out into the city night. Her arms were wrapped around herself, and her posture was tense.
“Hope,” he said gently as he approached. “Are you okay?”
She turned, forcing a small smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
He looked at her for a moment, wanting to push, to ask what was wrong. But she was holding herself back, and he didn’t want to press her in public. “Alright,” he said softly. “Come find me if you need anything.”
She nodded, and he returned to the group.
“Where have you been, Kingsley?” one of the guys teased.
“Just checking on my wife,” Stephen replied smoothly, his tone giving nothing away.
Eventually, he moved from the business partners to join the groom and his circle of close friends, some of whom he hadn’t seen in years.
“Oh, it’s Stephen!” one of them cheered. “Look who finally made it!”
They welcomed him with wide grins and handshakes. Timothy handed him a drink. “You should give me some marriage advice, man. You’re the first of us to tie the knot!”
Stephen chuckled, accepting the glass.
“Wait—you're married?” Ralph, one of their old college friends, asked in surprise. He had been abroad for years and was clearly out of the loop.
“Yeah,” Stephen replied simply.
“That’s great, man! I didn’t know,” Ralph said. “I always thought you’d marry Daia. You two were so sweet back then. How long have you two been married now?”
The air shifted instantly. The mood dropped.
Ralph paused, confused, then looked around. “Did I say something wrong?”
Timothy gave him a slight shake of the head. “Ralph, man, you really don’t know how to read the room, do you?”
Stephen set his drink down. He looked straight at Ralph and finally said, “Daia and I didn’t end up together.”
“Oh.” Ralph blinked. “Sorry, man. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay,” Stephen said, though his tone was distant. “A lot of people still get the wrong idea.”
“But why didn’t you two end up together?” Ralph pressed, curiosity getting the better of him. “I just met Daia last week when I flew in. She didn’t mention anything, so I assumed…”
Stephen froze.
His heart felt like it skipped a beat—or maybe ten.
“She’s back?” he asked, trying to keep his voice even.
Ralph looked at him, puzzled. “Yeah. Why? Is that a big deal? You’re married now, right? What’s it matter?”
Stephen didn’t answer.
He just stared at Ralph, his mind spinning. **Daia is back.**
“Where did you see her?” he asked again, more urgently this time.
Ralph raised an eyebrow. “Chill, man. We bumped into each other at the airport café. She was with someone, I think—her sister or cousin? I didn’t talk to her much. Just said hi, caught up for a minute.”
Stephen’s jaw clenched. “When exactly was this?”
“About a week ago.”
Stephen nodded slowly, trying to keep himself grounded. He didn’t want to draw attention, but inside, his thoughts were unraveling fast.
Why is she back now?
He caught Timothy watching him closely.
“You okay?” Timothy asked under his breath.
Stephen looked away. “Yeah. Just surprised.”
“Don’t let it mess with your head,” Timothy warned. “You have Hope now.”
Stephen gave no response.
Later that night, as they left the wedding venue, Hope remained quiet beside him in the car. She had sensed something was off ever since he returned from talking with his friends. But she didn’t ask. She was used to silence—used to swallowing her thoughts when it came to Stephen.
Stephen, on the other hand, was caught between his past and present. The name he thought he buried had resurfaced like a ghost, knocking on the walls he had carefully built around his new life.
And somewhere deep inside, he was afraid of what would happen if that ghost decided to come back through the door.
- Writer
