Chapter 5: An Unexpected Encounter

At exactly nine o’clock the following morning, Ariana stood outside the entrance to the Riverside project site.

She had barely slept.

All night, one question had circled her mind.

Why did Damien want to meet her alone?

She adjusted her safety helmet and checked her phone.

8:59 a.m.

A sleek black car pulled up beside the construction site.

Damien stepped out.

Even dressed more casually than usual in black trousers and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, he carried the same commanding presence that made people straighten whenever he entered a room.

His eyes found hers immediately.

“You’re early.”

“So are you.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

“I like punctual people.”

“I like keeping my job.”

A quiet laugh escaped him.

Ariana stared before quickly looking away.

She had never heard him laugh before.

For one dangerous second, something inside her softened.

Then she remembered who he was.

The father of her children.

A man who had no idea that every evening, two six-year-olds waited for her at home.

“Why did you ask me to come alone?” she asked.

Damien’s expression became serious.

“Walk with me.”

They entered the construction site together.

For the next hour, they discussed the Riverside Towers project. Ariana explained her proposed changes while Damien listened carefully, asking questions and occasionally challenging her decisions.

It was almost disappointingly normal.

Perhaps she had worried for nothing.

“You disagree with me again.”

Ariana glanced at him.

“I’m sorry?”

“The eastern wing.”

Damien pointed toward the unfinished structure.

“Everyone else approved the original design.”

“Then perhaps everyone else is afraid of telling you when you’re wrong.”

He raised an eyebrow.

Ariana immediately regretted the words.

“I didn’t mean—”

“You did.”

To her surprise, he smiled.

“And I like that.”

She stared at him.

“You like being told you’re wrong?”

“No. I like people who aren’t afraid to tell me the truth.”

The words struck deeper than he could have known.

Ariana looked away.

If only you knew.

Before she could respond, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen.

Bright Minds Academy.

Her stomach tightened.

“Excuse me.”

She answered immediately.

“Hello?”

“Miss Cole? This is Mrs. Daniels from Bright Minds Academy.”

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s Ethan.”

Ariana’s blood ran cold.

“What happened?”

“He fainted during class.”

The folder slipped from Ariana’s hand.

“What?”

“He’s conscious now, but we’re taking him to the hospital as a precaution.”

Ariana barely heard the rest.

“I’ll be there.”

She ended the call and bent to gather the papers scattered around her.

Her hands were shaking.

Damien was beside her instantly.

“What happened?”

“My son. He fainted at school.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“No, I can take a taxi.”

“Ariana.”

The firmness in his voice stopped her.

“You’re shaking.”

She looked down at her hands.

He was right.

“I’ll take you.”

This time, she didn’t argue.

The drive to the hospital felt endless.

Ariana called the school twice, but no one could tell her anything beyond the fact that Ethan was awake.

“He’s going to be fine,” Damien said.

“You don’t know that.”

“No.”

His voice softened.

“But he’s conscious. Hold on to that.”

Ariana turned toward the window.

“I can’t lose him.”

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Damien glanced at her.

“You won’t.”

She closed her eyes.

He sounded so certain.

For one painful moment, Ariana wondered what kind of father Damien would have been if he had known.

Would he have stayed awake with her during the twins’ first fever?

Would he have taught Ethan how to ride a bicycle?

Would Emma have wrapped him around her little finger the way she did everyone else?

She pushed the thoughts away.

There was no point imagining a life that had never existed.

The moment the car stopped outside the hospital, Ariana rushed inside.

“Mommy!”

Emma sat beside Mrs. Harper in the waiting area.

Ariana hurried toward her.

“Where’s Ethan?”

“The doctor is with him,” Mrs. Harper explained. “The school called me too.”

Ariana hugged Emma tightly.

Only then did she realize Damien had followed her inside.

Emma noticed him.

Her eyes immediately brightened.

“Mr. Handsome!”

Ariana closed her eyes.

Not now.

Damien raised an eyebrow.

“Mr. Handsome?”

Emma nodded seriously.

“That’s what I call you because Mommy didn’t tell me your name.”

“Emma.”

“What?” the little girl asked innocently. “He is handsome.”

Mrs. Harper coughed to hide her laughter.

To Ariana’s surprise, Damien smiled.

“My name is Damien.”

“I’m Emma.”

“I remember.”

“You remember me?”

“Of course.”

Emma looked pleased.

Before Ariana could rescue herself from further embarrassment, a doctor entered the waiting area.

“Miss Cole?”

She jumped to her feet.

“How is my son?”

“He’s awake and doing well. His blood sugar dropped significantly, which caused him to faint. We’re running some routine tests, but at the moment, there’s no reason to panic.”

Ariana nearly collapsed with relief.

“Can I see him?”

“Of course.”

She turned to Emma.

“I want to come too!”

“One visitor at a time for now,” the doctor said gently.

“I’ll stay with her,” Mrs. Harper offered.

Damien checked his watch.

“I can leave if you need privacy.”

Ariana looked at him.

He had abandoned an important project meeting, driven her across the city, and waited without complaining.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

“For what?”

“For bringing me here.”

His gaze softened.

“You don’t have to thank me.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Ariana followed the doctor down the corridor.

Ethan looked impossibly small in the hospital bed.

“Mom.”

Ariana rushed to him.

“You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.”

She kissed his forehead.

“How do you feel?”

“Hungry.”

Ariana laughed through her tears.

“That’s a good sign.”

A few minutes later, the doctor confirmed that Ethan could go home once his test results came back.

When Ariana returned to the waiting room, she stopped.

Emma was sitting beside Damien.

And talking.

A lot.

“My brother likes chess,” Emma explained.

“I see.”

“He thinks he’s smarter than everybody.”

“I do not.”

Ariana turned.

Ethan had appeared behind her with a nurse.

Emma grinned.

“You’re alive!”

Ethan frowned.

“Obviously.”

Damien laughed.

Ariana watched them together.

Something painful tightened in her chest.

They looked comfortable.

Too comfortable.

She needed to remember that Damien was her boss.

Nothing more.

“Are you ready to go home?” she asked.

Ethan nodded.

Before anyone could move, a familiar voice echoed through the waiting area.

“Ariana?”

Her entire body went rigid.

No.

She knew that voice.

Slowly, she turned.

Ryan Williams stood several feet away.

Six years had changed him. He looked older, broader, more polished.

But she would recognize him anywhere.

The man she had once planned to marry.

The man who had betrayed her with her own sister.

Ryan’s eyes moved from Ariana to the twins.

Then to Damien.

His expression darkened.

“What are you doing here?”

Ariana’s face hardened.

“That’s none of your business.”

Ryan stepped closer.

“I heard Ethan was brought to the hospital.”

“How?”

He hesitated.

That was all the answer she needed.

Victoria.

Of course.

“I came to make sure he was okay.”

“You’ve never cared whether my children were okay.”

“Ariana—”

“No.”

Her voice was cold.

“You don’t get to appear after six years and pretend we’re family.”

Damien remained silent, but his expression had changed.

Ryan finally noticed him properly.

“And who are you?”

Before Damien could answer, Ariana spoke.

“My boss.”

Ryan looked between them.

“Your boss comes to the hospital with you?”

Ariana’s eyes narrowed.

“Again, none of your business.”

Something ugly flashed across Ryan’s face.

Jealousy.

After everything he had done, he had the audacity to be jealous.

Damien stepped forward.

“I believe the lady asked you to leave.”

Ryan stared at him.

“And I believe this is a family matter.”

Ariana laughed bitterly.

“You stopped being my family the day you married my sister.”

The waiting room fell silent.

Ryan’s face tightened.

Damien’s gaze sharpened.

Emma reached for Ariana’s hand.

“Mommy, can we go home?”

Ariana looked down at her daughter.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

She took Ethan’s other hand.

As she walked past Ryan, he spoke quietly.

“I made a mistake, Ariana.”

She stopped.

For one second, the world seemed to freeze.

Then she looked over her shoulder.

“You didn’t make a mistake, Ryan.”

Her voice was calm.

“You made a choice.”

She walked away without looking back.

Damien followed.

But Ryan remained in the hospital corridor, staring after them.

His gaze settled on Damien walking beside the woman he had once planned to marry.

And for the first time in six years, Ryan Williams realized something that terrified him.

Ariana had truly moved on.

And suddenly…

He wanted her back.