That night, Elara lay awake, staring at the faint light that spilled through the curtains. Sleep refused to come. Every time she closed her eyes, Rowen's words replayed in her mind, each one sharper than the last.
"Maybe you're the only one who can bring him back to life."
She turned onto her side, clutching the edge of her blanket. The quiet of her apartment felt heavier than usual, pressing down on her chest until she could hardly breathe.
For so long, she had convinced herself that disappearing had been an act of love and that leaving Adrian would spare him confusion and pain. She had wanted him to live freely, without being tied to a past filled with blindness, hospitals, and her mistakes.
But now, knowing he was still lost, still angry, the certainty she had once clung to began to crumble.
Her chest tightened. Had she done the right thing? Or had she only made things worse?
If Adrian ever regained those missing memories, if he ever realized she had walked away while he was helpless and hurting, would he hate her for it?
The thought pierced through her, and she pressed her hand to her heart as if to ease the ache.
"I just wanted you to be happy," she whispered into the dark. "Why does it still hurt like this?"
The silence that followed offered no comfort.
*****
The following week, Elara accompanied Caleb Reid to Vale Corporation for the proposal presentation and contract signing.
Even though she tried to stay composed, her palms were damp, and her heartbeat refused to steady. Seeing Adrian again, this time across a polished conference table, surrounded by executives made her nerves coil tight.
Caleb was confident as ever, explaining the technical aspects of their system while Elara sat quietly beside him, taking careful notes. Every now and then, she caught herself glancing at Adrian, the way he listened, sharp and unreadable, his presence commanding without effort.
When Caleb finished outlining their proposal, there was a brief pause. Then Adrian spoke.
"From our end," he began, his tone steady and decisive, "we'd like to buy over Reid Tech."
The room went still.
Caleb blinked, caught off guard. "I'm sorry — did you say buy over?"
"Yes," Adrian replied smoothly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "We believe this is the best offer you could receive. Reid Tech's system shows great potential, and with Vale's resources, we can take it further. I've done my research and there aren't many startups that have achieved what your team has. We'd like that innovation to become part of us."
Elara's breath caught. She turned toward Caleb, waiting for his reaction, but he only stared for a moment before breaking into a grin.
"I'm honored my work caught your attention," Caleb said. "We're still a small company. If joining Vale means we can grow faster and go further, then I'd be happy to merge."
Elara blinked in disbelief. "Are you sure?" she whispered under her breath.
"Of course!" Caleb said brightly. "Do you know how long it would take for us to reach this scale on our own? This is an opportunity."
Before she could protest, he reached for the pen and signed the preliminary contract.
"I look forward to working with you," Adrian said, his tone polite but impersonal. "I'll have HR coordinate with you directly, Mr. Reid, and arrange appropriate positions for you and your staff under Vale Corporation."
Caleb shook his hand enthusiastically, thrilled by the deal.
Elara managed a polite smile, though her stomach had tightened into knots. She hadn't expected this outcome and certainly not that she would end up working under Adrian again.
*****
A month later, the restructuring after the merger was complete and with it came a new assignment that Elara hadn't dared to imagine.
She was to report directly to Adrian Vale.
The morning she received the memo, her hands went cold. For a full minute, she just stared at the email on her screen, rereading the words as if they might somehow change. But they didn't. Fate, it seemed, had a cruel sense of humor.
That afternoon, she found herself standing outside his office, file folder in hand. She took a quiet breath before knocking.
A firm voice answered from within. "Come in."
She stepped inside, her pulse quickening despite her best effort to stay composed.
"Good morning, Mr. Vale," she greeted, her tone steady but formal and it was the first time she had ever addressed him that way.
Adrian looked up from his papers, his expression cool, professional. If he recognized her voice, he gave no sign. "Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk.
Elara sat down, carefully smoothing her skirt, forcing her hands to stay still on her lap. The air between them felt almost too still, like something fragile waiting to break.
Adrian leaned back slightly. "As you know, we've completed the merger with Reid Tech. We're redeploying all staff according to performance and specialization." He paused, his gaze shifting briefly toward her before returning to the document in his hand. "Since Caleb Reid is now head of IT, you'll no longer be reporting to him."
He set the papers down and looked at her fully. "Based on your background and experience, you'll be reassigned as my personal assistant."
Elara's breath caught. For a heartbeat, she couldn't speak. The world felt as though it had tilted under her.
She had worked so hard to avoid this, to stay out of his orbit, to keep their paths from crossing again and yet here she was, sitting across from him once more.
"Any objections?" Adrian asked when her silence stretched too long.
She blinked, forcing herself to meet his gaze, even though her pulse thundered in her ears. "No," she said quietly. "No objections."
"Good," he said simply, and returned his attention to the documents on his desk.
Elara nodded faintly, though her heart was far from calm.
She couldn't tell whether fate was giving her another chance or punishing her for walking away.
*****
Elara began her first day as Adrian's assistant the next morning.
She arrived early, long before most of the staff, hoping the calm would help her steady her nerves. The office was quiet, filled with the faint hum of computers and the morning light spilling through the tall windows. She organized his schedule, reviewed emails, and laid out the necessary documents for his meetings. Everything had to be perfect.
At precisely nine o'clock, the sound of his footsteps broke the silence.
"Good morning," Adrian said as he entered.
"Good morning, Mr. Vale," she replied, standing quickly.
He paused briefly by his desk, as if studying her but not directly, but in the small tilt of his head, the quiet awareness of her presence. "You're early," he noted.
"I thought I should review your schedule and prepare the reports before your meeting," she said, keeping her tone polite and professional.
"Efficient," he said. "I like that."
He took his seat and began reviewing the documents she had arranged. She watched him discreetly from the corner of her eye, the calm precision of his movements, the quiet authority that filled the room. It felt both familiar and distant, like seeing a part of her past through glass.
When she handed him his coffee, their fingers brushed. The faint contact sent a rush of warmth up her arm before she quickly stepped back.
Adrian glanced up, his expression unreadable. "You've done this before," he said.
"I've assisted managers like Caleb Reid before, yes," Elara said quickly, her heart thudding too fast.
He nodded, eyes drifting briefly to her hands.
"You're steady. Most people would be nervous their first day reporting to me."
She smiled faintly. "Maybe I'm just used to demanding bosses."
Something in her voice made him pause. It wasn't the words but it was the tone, low and familiar, carrying a quiet calm that stirred something at the edge of his memory.
For a moment, his gaze lingered on her face, searching. Then he shook it off. "I see. Let's get started."
The rest of the day passed in a blur of meetings and reports. Elara kept her distance, careful to remain professional, even when the ache of recognition pressed at her chest. Every time he spoke, every quiet thank you or that'll be all, she had to remind herself that to him, she was just another employee now.