The next morning, Amara arrived at her office early, fueled by caffeine and cautious optimism. Something had shifted with Jaden last night—something she wasn't ready to name. But the energy between them was undeniable. Still, she reminded herself, the pitch had become a project, not a romance. And she needed to keep it that way.
She was organizing her files when her phone vibrated.
Unknown Number: Hey stranger. Still building empires without me? — D
Her heart skipped.
D?
Only one person signed texts like that: Derrick, her ex. The one who had believed in her when no one else did—and the one who left the moment she outgrew the version of her he preferred.
She stared at the message, debating whether to respond. She didn't have time for emotional curveballs, especially not now.
Ten minutes later, her assistant Mia buzzed through the intercom.
"Amara, there's a Derrick Michaels here to see you. Says it's urgent."
Amara stiffened. "Send him in."
The door opened, and there he was—still effortlessly handsome, in that polished, investor-chic way. Same confident smile. Same slightly arrogant posture.
"Wow," he said, looking around. "You made it. This place is… impressive."
She crossed her arms. "What do you want, Derrick?"
"Straight to business. I always liked that about you." He sat without asking. "I've been following your work. You've got real heat right now. Clients, buzz, even press."
She said nothing.
"And I want to invest."
Amara blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You've hit your stride. But if you want to scale? Expand? You'll need backing. And I have partners who would be very interested in Bennett Creative."
Her pulse quickened—but not from excitement. "Why now?"
"Because I believe in you," he said. "Still."
Before she could answer, her phone buzzed again—an email this time. From Jaden.
Subject: Quick change.
Message: "Let's meet at my office this afternoon. Something's come up. Could affect the campaign."
She looked from her screen back to Derrick, suddenly aware of the delicate web she was now caught in.
"Let me think about it," she said carefully.
Derrick stood, smooth as ever. "I'll follow up in a few days. You'll see it's the right move."
As he left, Amara sat down slowly, her thoughts racing.
Jaden was her present. Derrick was her past. But both were about to collide in ways she couldn't control.