Chapter 5: HER

William's POV

Since graduation, I had made a choice that many found hard to understand—I turned down my family's offer to return and inherit the family business. I didn't need it. I had something far more compelling: the world of internet technology. I wanted to build a smarter, more efficient world, where everyone could experience convenience and possibility like never before. It wasn't an easy road. There were long nights and sleepless days, but slowly, my efforts started paying off. Now, I run a publicly listed company, and my life revolves around an endless whirlwind of meetings and business trips.

The past few days had been particularly hectic—constant travel, back-to-back meetings, and barely enough time to catch my breath. I'd just landed from a flight and was on my way to yet another conference. The car was speeding down the road, the engine's hum offering a brief moment of peace. I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping to catch some rest before the next round of work began.

But as I drifted off, my mind wandered back to university. The rush of memories hit me unexpectedly—the long nights spent studying, the rivalry that defined my every move. And, of course, there was her. The girl who had always been there, pushing me, challenging me. Shirley.

I couldn't quite remember the last time I'd thought about her—maybe it was when we had both been competing for the top spot in every class, trying to outdo each other. She had always been sharp, poised, and brilliant, but there was something about her that had always irritated me. I didn't like losing, especially to someone like her.

My phone buzzed, snapping me back to reality. I glanced at the screen, distracted, when I suddenly felt the car lurch forward. A quick, jarring bump.

"What the hell?" I muttered under my breath, sitting up straighter.

The car slowed to a stop. I heard the driver muttering something to himself as he stepped out. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. Couldn't a man get a moment's peace on his way to another meeting?

But then… I heard it.

A familiar voice. Soft, calm, but unmistakably hers.

"William…"

Shirley.

I turned sharply, my pulse unexpectedly quickening. My brain registered the words before my body could react. She was here.

I couldn't believe it at first. The years had passed—so many years, in fact, that I had almost convinced myself I'd forgotten her. But hearing her voice, it was like no time had passed at all. The memories, the rivalry, the long-forgotten tension... they all rushed back.

I stepped out of the car, trying to maintain my composure, though the surprise was still lingering. When my eyes landed on her, I felt a strange knot tighten in my chest.

She looked different—older, yes, but there was still that same elegance about her, that same quiet strength. The kind of strength that had always frustrated me, made me want to challenge her more, push her harder. But now… now, there was something more fragile in her eyes.

She was standing there, a little shaken from the accident, but still, in her usual calm way, managing to smile. She was trying to be composed, but I could see the tension in her shoulders, the subtle signs of distress.

"What happened to you?" I blurted before I could stop myself. The words came out sharper than I intended.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling slightly. "Life," she said softly, but her voice was laced with something I couldn't place. Maybe resignation? Or was it just exhaustion? She didn't seem like the same girl I remembered.

I crossed my arms, studying her closely. "You really have changed, haven't you?"

She frowned slightly, clearly caught off guard by my bluntness. But that didn't stop the question from slipping out. Was I just being curious, or was there something more to it? Why was I so fixated on the way she had changed?

The Shirley I remembered had always been fiercely independent, smart, and driven. She didn't let anything get in her way. But now, it seemed like something had softened in her. Or perhaps life had simply caught up with her.

"You used to be so careful, so... controlled," I added, my tone light but layered with something deeper. Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe it was something else—something I wasn't quite ready to admit.

She met my gaze with surprising calmness. "Life happens," she said again, her words quiet but resonant.

I felt a flicker of something in me, something I hadn't felt in years. It was a strange, unsettling mixture—regret, maybe? Or the sense that I had misjudged her all those years ago. She wasn't the same, but then again, neither was I.

For a moment, there was silence between us. The kind of silence that felt heavy with all the things unsaid.

I studied her face, trying to read her. What was she thinking? Did she feel the same strange pull, the same mix of nostalgia and something else? Or was I just imagining it?

"I didn't expect this," I said finally, breaking the silence. It wasn't just the accident I was referring to. It was more than that.

She offered a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Neither did I."

I wanted to say more, to ask her where her life had taken her, what had happened since we last crossed paths. But I didn't. Something in the air between us told me that it wasn't the right time.

I turned away, the moment passing as quickly as it had arrived. "I'll let you handle the details here. I've got a meeting to get to."

And with that, I walked back toward my car, the sounds of the city filling the air once more.

But as I slid into the back seat, I couldn't shake the feeling that meeting her again had stirred something inside me—something I wasn't ready to confront.