Chapter 4: An Unexpected Reunion

Shirley’s POV:

I gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to push away the gnawing thoughts that had been eating away at me all day. Steven's behavior had been... off. His late nights, those strange, hushed phone calls, and today—the scent of perfume on his shirt. My stomach churned with unease. My marriage had felt like a fortress just months ago, but now it was crumbling, brick by brick. I couldn't ignore it anymore.

I tried to focus on the road, to force my mind away from these thoughts. But the silence in the car only seemed to amplify the chaos swirling inside me. I felt like I was losing control over everything, my carefully constructed world slipping further from my grasp.

Then, without warning, the car ahead of me slammed on the brakes.

I didn't have time to react. My car collided with the back bumper, the impact jolting me forward. My head smacked hard against the steering wheel. Pain exploded across my skull, and for a moment, everything blurred.

I took a deep breath, trying to clear the dizziness from my mind. My head throbbed, but I couldn't focus on that. I had to handle this. Quickly, I grabbed my phone, planning to call the insurance, but before I could dial, the driver of the other car was already storming toward me.

"Are you crazy?" he yelled. "How could you not see me stop? Are you blind?!"

I winced at his harsh words, but forced myself to stay calm. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I knew I couldn't let panic take over. "I'm really sorry. I didn't see you stop. Are you okay?" My voice came out steady, but inside, I was a mess.

The man gave me a sharp look, his annoyance clear. "I'm fine, but you need to pay attention! You're lucky I'm not calling the police," he snapped, glancing over at his car.

"I understand," I said quickly. "I'll report it to insurance. Can I have your contact information? I'll make sure to cover everything."

He sighed, clearly frustrated, but nodded. "Fine. Just don't waste any more time."

Then, I saw him—another figure stepping out of the car. Tall, with broad shoulders, sharp features... it only took one glance for me to recognize him.

William.

I froze.

My heart skipped a beat. We hadn't seen each other in years. Not since university. Back then, we had been fierce competitors—always fighting for the top spot, always trying to outdo each other. William was brilliant, arrogant, and always a step ahead. He had always been someone I both admired and despised. And now, here he was, standing in front of me like some twisted version of fate.

My mind went blank for a second, and when I looked at him again, he was studying me with that same cold, detached gaze I remembered so well.

"Well, well," he said, his lips curling into a small, mocking smile. "If it isn't Shirley. The ‘perfect' student, now a... reckless driver?"

The way he said it—so casual, yet dripping with condescension—struck a nerve. I had to bite my lip to keep from snapping back. "William," I said, forcing myself to sound calm. "I didn't expect to run into you like this."

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "I'm not sure what's more surprising—seeing you cause an accident, or seeing you after all these years," he replied, his voice laced with that all-too-familiar edge. "You used to be so careful. What happened?"

I felt a lump form in my throat. His words were sharp, like he was cutting into something deep inside me. I used to be careful, didn't I? I used to be in control. But now... now I was just a shadow of who I used to be. The life I had chosen—becoming a wife and mother—had taken so much from me. And standing here, facing William, I realized how much I had lost.

"What happened?" His question lingered in the air, piercing me like a needle.

"Life," I said quietly, almost to myself. My voice felt distant, as if I wasn't even speaking to him but to the past I had buried so deep inside me.

William's gaze softened, just for a moment, and I felt something shift between us. Was that sympathy in his eyes? Or was I just imagining things?

"Life happens," he repeated, his voice softer now, but still distant. "Everyone changes."

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking into me. I had changed, hadn't I? I used to be the Shirley who could take on the world, the Shirley who won awards, who excelled in everything. Now... I was just trying to hold my marriage together, trying to make sure my daughter was happy. But none of it felt like enough anymore.

"You look different," he said, his eyes scanning my face with a cool, calculating intensity. "Not just in your appearance... but something about you. It's like you've... settled."

I felt a cold shiver run through me. "I suppose I've grown up," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes never left mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw something deeper, something almost... regretful in them. But then, just as quickly, the moment passed, and he turned away.

"I suppose so," he said, his voice neutral. "Anyway, I'll let you deal with this mess. No need for me to stick around."

He walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding in my chest, the pain in my head now a dull throb in the background.

The air felt thick, heavy, as if something unspoken had just passed between us. Something I couldn't name.

I wanted to shout after him, to demand answers, to ask why he seemed so different, why he looked at me like he knew something I didn't. But I didn't.

Instead, I watched him leave, feeling as if the weight of my past was catching up with me in a way I wasn't prepared for.

What had happened to me? What had happened to the girl who could take on anything, who had everything ahead of her?

And why did seeing William again make me question it all?