Pov Author
Anna was still holding her glass when she heard that voice behind her. "Anna," William said, the sound of her name rolling off his tongue slowly, like he was testing how it felt after years.
She turned, startled, the faint smile she'd been forcing for hours fading instantly. He looked… different. Not the teenage boy she remembered, but a man. His brown hair neatly combed back, those same dark brown eyes, and a sharp jawline that made him look older, more dangerous. His black suit looked expensive, the kind rich men wear to look effortless.
"Hello," she said finally, polite but stiff. "What are you doing here?"
William smiled faintly, like he'd been waiting for her to ask that. "Well I have two reasons for being here tonight," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "One is professional… the other's personal."
Anna raised her brows. "And the personal one?"
He hesitated, eyes holding hers. "You."
She blinked. "Me?"
"Yes," he said quietly. "I came because of you."
For a moment neither of them spoke. The music from the hall sounded far away, like they were both standing outside of it, in another world .
"William, whatever this is, I don't think—" she started, but he interrupted.
"I love you, Anna."
His words cuaght her off guard. Her breath C caught in her throat . "What?"
"I said I love you," he repeated, slower this time, voice steady. His eyes softened
Anna just stared at him, trying to process what she'd heard. Then she gave a small, humorless laugh. "You love me? You…how..I.., William. You mocked me every single day in high school. You humiliated me in front of people for fun. And now, after all these years, you're saying you did that because you loved me?"
He flinched slightly, looking down for a second. "It wasn't like that."
"Then what was it?" she asked sharply. "Because from where I stood, it was hell."
"I was stupid," he said after a long pause. "I didn't know how to deal with how I felt. You were different, Anna. Kind. Smarter than anyone I knew. You made me feel small, and I hated it. I didn't know how to show what I felt, so I pushed you away. I hurt you because I hated myself for wanting you."
Anna let out a breath, her eyes burning. "That's not love, William. That's cruelty. You destroyed my confidence. You made me feel worthless."
"I know," he said quietly. "And I regret it. Every single day since school ended, I've thought about you. You were there in my head, no matter what I did. I tried to forget, but I couldn't."
She shook her head, crossing her arms. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to say sorry and act like everything's fine. I moved on. I have a life now, William."
"I can see that," he said softly, glancing at the ring on her finger. "But I still needed to tell you."
"Why now?" she asked, frowning. "Why come here?"
He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Because I'm your husband's new investor."
The words hit her like ice. "You're what?"
A smirk flickered on his face, brief and sharp. "Fate has a funny way of making people meet again."
Before Anna could say anything, a familiar voice spoke behind her. "Anna," Alex called, his tone warm and casual.
Her heart jumped. She turned and saw him walking toward them, looking as effortlessly confident as ever in his dark tuxedo. He came to stand beside her, wrapping an arm gently around her waist.
"I see you've met William," he said, smiling. "He's the new investor I told you about."
Anna swallowed hard, forcing a small smile. "Yes, we were just talking."
William instantly switched to his business persona, reaching out to shake Alex's hand. "It's good to finally meet you, Mr. Knight."
"Likewise," Alex said cheerfully. "I've heard great things about your company. I think this partnership will work beautifully."
William smiled politely, his eyes briefly flicking back to Anna before turning again to Alex. "I'm sure it will."
They talked for a few minutes — business, numbers, future deals — while Anna stood silently beside them, trying to keep her expression neutral. Her stomach twisted.
After a while, Alex excused himself to greet a few guests across the hall. "Enjoy the party, both of you," he said before walking away.
William gave her one last look, half-smiling, before disappearing into the crowd.
Anna exhaled shakily, her hands slightly trembling. The room suddenly felt smaller, the air thicker. She could still feel his words echoing in her head: I love you.
She moved to a quiet corner, away from the lights and noise. Her reflection in the tall glass window caught her attention. She looked perfect — like a woman who had everything. The diamond earrings, the beautiful dark blue gown, the delicate necklace Alex had given her last night. But inside, she felt torn apart.
She'd buried that part of her life long ago — the part that William had ruined. And now, standing in a room full of smiling people, it had come rushing back.
She had never told Alex about William, or anything from high school. Not because she didn't trust him, but because it hurt too much to talk about. And because she didn't want him to look at her differently — like she was fragile.
Her chest tightened as old memories flashed — the day the police stopped looking for her father. She had been only six, holding her mother's hand while the officer said, "We're sorry, but there's nothing more we can do."
When she told Alex years later that she believed her father was still alive, he didn't believe her. "Anna," he'd said, calm but cold, "you need to accept it. He's gone." They'd fought that night, for hours, until she gave up trying to convince him.
She blinked away the memory and sighed. Somewhere across the room, she felt William's stare — heavy, watching. It made her skin crawl.
Her thoughts spiraled — What if Alex finds out? What if William says something? Will Alex think I'm weak? Will he see me differently?
No. She couldn't let that happen. She needed to tell him first, in her own way.
Anna scanned the crowd, searching for Alex. He wasn't near the bar, not by the balcony either. The crowd felt endless. She turned, catching one of Alex's business partners.
"Have you seen Alex?" she asked quickly.
The man blinked, thinking. "Hmm… I think he went that way," he said, pointing toward a quiet hallway on the side. "Probably taking a call."
"Thank you," she said and started walking.
The sound of music and laughter faded as she moved away from the main hall. The light grew dimmer, softer. She passed by a few rooms — one filled with loud, drunken laughter, another where a couple whispered and kissed. She looked away awkwardly, heart beating fast for no reason she could explain.
Her heels clicked lightly against the marble floor, echoing in the silence. She reached the end of the hallway and was about to turn back when she froze.
A voice.
Alex's voice.
Her pulse jumped instantly. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but she knew it was him — the tone, the calmness.
It came from a room slightly ahead. The door was ajar, warm golden light spilling through the small gap.
Anna hesitated for a second, her heart pounding in her chest. Maybe he was on a call, maybe he was busy — but something inside her told her to check.
She stepped closer, slowly, her fingers brushing the wall for balance. The faint scent of cologne drifted out of the ajar-open door. And then she saw him. Her husband sitting on a couch .
She takes a deep breath and pace toward the room but stopped at a known voice . She saw her sister there . Her sister walked toward the couch which alex was sitting on and handed him a glass of red wine before she slide her hand on his thigh delicately and playfully . Her heart skip a beat and an ache rose in her chest as tears form in her Brown eyes . Her world shattered when her sister kissed her husband, Anna's feet automatically step back on its own.
End of this chapter