Chapter 3 – The First Crack in Her Walls

Three days had passed since the café encounter, but Mia still found herself replaying the moment in her head. She didn’t want to admit it, but seeing Ethan again had unsettled her.

He looked… different. Not just older or sharper in his tailored suits. There was something in his eyes—a weight that wasn’t there before. Guilt? Regret? She wasn’t sure. And she wasn’t interested in finding out.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

She was seated in her office that Friday morning, reviewing a presentation for one of her biggest clients. Her assistant, Liza, poked her head in.

“Ma’am, there’s someone here to see you. He says he’s from Stellan & Co. Investments.”

Mia frowned. “I don’t remember scheduling a meeting with them.”

Liza hesitated. “Well… he said it’s urgent. And… he’s already in the lobby.”

Mia sighed, closing her laptop. “Fine. Give me five minutes.”

When she stepped into the lobby of her firm, she froze.

Ethan.

He stood there in a charcoal suit, hands in his pockets, looking like he owned the building. A small, knowing smile curved his lips when their eyes met.

“What are you doing here?” she asked flatly.

“Business,” he replied smoothly. “My company is interested in partnering with yours. I thought I’d bring the proposal myself.”

Mia’s eyes narrowed. “Convenient.”

“Effective,” Ethan countered. “You’re a busy woman. I figured the only way to see you again was to make it worth your time.”

She crossed her arms. “You really think I’ll mix personal history with business?”

“I’m counting on the fact that you’re too professional not to hear me out,” he said, a faint challenge in his tone.

Mia wanted to argue, to tell him to leave. But Stellan & Co. was one of the most powerful investment firms in the country. Rejecting a meeting could cost her firm a golden opportunity and she knew Ethan knew that.

“Fine,” she said at last. “Conference room. Ten minutes.”

They sat across from each other, a polished oak table between them. Ethan slid a sleek folder toward her.

“Our proposal,” he said. “Your firm handles the marketing and public relations for our new real estate project. We handle the investment and expansion. It’s a high-profile job. I trust you can deliver.”

Mia flipped through the pages, her brow furrowing. “This is… a massive contract.”

Ethan leaned forward. “And it’s yours if you want it.”

She looked up sharply. “And if I say no?”

His jaw tightened slightly. “Then I’ll find another firm. But I’d rather work with you. I know what you’re capable of, Mia.”

The way he said her name low, certain made her pulse skip in irritation. She hated that her body still remembered the sound of his voice.

She closed the folder. “I’ll review it and get back to you.”

He smiled faintly. “That’s all I ask.”

For the rest of the day, Mia tried to focus on her work, but the proposal sat on her desk like an uninvited guest. Every time she glanced at it, she heard Ethan’s voice again. She hated that part of her was tempted—not just by the contract, but by the possibility of… something.

No. She shut the thought down.

The following week

Mia’s firm signed the deal. Ethan didn’t push her, didn’t show up unannounced again. But his presence lingered—in the form of emails, scheduled meetings, and phone calls about the project.

The first on-site visit was at a luxury property in Makati. Mia arrived early, her clipboard in hand, ready to lead her team. She wasn’t surprised when Ethan appeared minutes later, effortlessly commanding the room.

Their eyes met briefly, and for a moment, the air felt heavier.

“Shall we?” he said, gesturing toward the glass elevator.

The ride to the penthouse was silent at first. The city skyline unfolded around them, the late afternoon sun painting everything in gold.

“You’ve done well for yourself,” Ethan said suddenly.

Mia kept her gaze on the city. “I didn’t have a choice.”

He studied her profile. “You always had a choice, Mia. You chose to fight for yourself. I respect that.”

She glanced at him, skeptical. “Is that supposed to make me forget everything?”

“No,” he said quietly. “It’s supposed to make you see that I’m not here to take credit for who you’ve become. I just… want to be part of your life again. Even if it’s just as someone who cheers you on.”

Something in his tone almost disarmed her—but she steeled herself. “Cheer from a distance, Ethan. That’s safer for both of us.”

The elevator doors opened, ending the conversation.

Two weeks later

The project was progressing well, and Mia found herself in more meetings with Ethan than she had anticipated. He wasn’t pushy—at least not overtly. He was… present. Always prepared, always professional, but with an undercurrent of something else.

One late evening, after a particularly long meeting, she found him waiting outside the building as she left.

“You’re working too hard,” he said casually.

She rolled her eyes. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

“I know,” he admitted. “And I’m sorry for the times I made you feel like work mattered more than you.”

The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard. She opened her mouth to reply but stopped when a sudden downpour began, drenching them both.

Without thinking, Ethan shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

“It’s just rain,” she said, though her voice was softer now.

“I know,” he said, meeting her eyes. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t protect you from it.”

For the first time in years, Mia felt a crack in the wall she had built around her heart. It was small, but it was there—and Ethan saw it too.

That night, as she lay in bed, Mia told herself it was just a jacket. Just a gesture. Nothing more.

But deep down, she knew… things were shifting.

To Be Continued…