Caleb chuckled, shaking his head. "The sandals are long gone, I promise."
"Good," Elara said, still smiling. "For a moment there, I was worried."
They both laughed, and the tension that had clung to Elara since the meeting began to fade.
"So," Caleb said, finishing his coffee, "what now? You go back to that office and stare at blueprints until your eyes hurt?"
"Something like that." She sighed. "Or I go home and stare at my ceiling instead."
He studied her for a moment, then glanced out the window. The afternoon sun was beginning to lower.
"It's getting late," he said. "And you look like you haven't eaten a proper meal today."
Elara opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand.
"I'm not saying anything. Just... let me at least walk you to your car. Or back to the office. Whatever direction you're headed."
She hesitated. Then nodded.
"Alright. Thank you."
Caleb stood, pulled out his wallet to pay for both their orders despite her protests, and held the door open for her.
They stepped out into the cooling evening air.
"Which way?" he asked.
She pointed left. "Office. My car's in the garage."
He fell into step beside her, not too close, not too far. Just... present.
They walked in comfortable silence.
They reached the entrance of Phoenix Architects.
Elara stopped and turned to face him. "Well, this is me."
Caleb nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Okay. See you later."
But he didn't leave.
He shifted on his feet, then pulled out his phone. "Actually... can I get your number? Just in case I have questions about the project."
Elara raised an eyebrow but smiled. She took his phone, typed in her number, and handed it back.
"Thanks," he said, glancing at the screen. Then he looked up at her, a soft smile on his lips. "See you later, Lara."
The nickname caught her off guard. A small, unexpected warmth spread through her chest.
She smiled and turned toward the office doors.
"See you, Caleb."
She walked inside, and the door closed behind her. Through the glass, she saw him turn and walk away, hands still in his pockets.
For a moment, she just stood there, the smile still lingering on her face.
Then she shook her head and headed back to work.
The black sedan pulled away from the Grand Pacific Hotel.
Jonas sat in the back seat, his laptop open on his knee, but his eyes weren't focused on the screen. He stared out the tinted window, watching the city glide past.
In the front passenger seat, his chief secretary—Derrick, a sharp-eyed man in his forties with the black-rimmed glasses—glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
"Sir," Derrick said carefully. "Are you alright?"
Jonas didn't look up. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Derrick hesitated. "I think... your ex-wife. In that room. You didn't expect her to be the lead architect, did you?"
Jonas's jaw tightened. He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It's only the first meeting," he said, his voice flat. "For now, she's Miss May. No one else knows. And that's how it stays."
Derrick nodded slowly. "Of course, sir. But she recognized you. And you—"
"I said that's how it stays." Jonas cut him off, his tone sharp.
The car fell silent for a moment. Derrick turned back to face the road.
Jonas exhaled and leaned his head against the seat. He picked up a document from the pile beside him—Elara's proposal. The one she had presented. The one with her name on every page.
Elara May. Lead Architect.
He ran his thumb over her name.
"You knew," Jonas said quietly, not looking at Derrick. "Before we came here. You knew she worked at Phoenix."
Derrick didn't deny it. "I did my research, sir. I thought you should be prepared."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"Would you have come if I had?"
Jonas didn't answer.
He slipped his glasses back on and returned to the document. The numbers blurred. The words swam.
In the front seat, Derrick pulled out his phone and typed a quick note. Meeting one complete. No incidents. But tension noted.
The car drove on.
Jonas kept his eyes on the page, but his mind was still in that conference room. Still watching her drop the laser pointer. Still hearing her say Mr. Stoddard like she had never said his name before.
Miss May.
He closed the folder.
"Derrick."
"Yes, sir?"
"Send a message to Phoenix. Tell them we'd like to schedule a site visit for the hotel location. I want to see the land myself."
"And the lead architect? Should she be present?"
Jonas was quiet for a long moment.
"Yes," he said finally. "She should."
Derrick nodded and began typing.
Jonas turned back to the window.
The city blurred again.
The sedan pulled up to the hotel entrance.
Jonas stepped out, nodded at the doorman, and walked through the lobby. The elevator carried him up to the 28th floor in silence. Derrick had stayed behind to handle some paperwork, so Jonas was alone.
He entered his suite, loosened his tie, and walked to the window. The city stretched out beneath him—the same city where Elara lived. Where his daughter lived.
His daughter.
He hadn't seen Lucy in years. Not since the divorce. Not since Elara had made it clear that his visits did more harm than good.
He pressed his forehead against the cold glass.
His phone buzzed.
He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. A saved contact: Grandma.
A small smile tugged at his lips. He answered.
"Grandma."
"Jonas, my boy." Her voice was warm, accented, familiar. "How is the trip? How is Fordland City?"
"Busy," he said, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "Meetings. Paperwork. The usual."
"Hmm." She was quiet for a moment. "And how are you really?"
He hesitated. "I'm fine, Grandma."
"Jonas Stoddard, I changed your diapers. Do not lie to me."
He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "It's... complicated."
"I knew it," she said. "That's why I'm calling. I had a dream about you last night. About her."
He went still. "Grandma—"
"Elara," she said firmly. "That girl. You let her go too easily, Jonas. I told you then, and I'm telling you now."
He stood up and walked to the window again. "It's been seven years."
"I know how long it's been. I also know you still have her number saved in that phone. And I know you still think about her."
He didn't deny it.
"Have you seen her?" his grandmother asked.
"Yes," he admitted quietly. "Today. At a meeting. She's the lead architect on the project."
Silence on the line. Then a soft laugh. "Fate," she said. "That's what that is."
"It's coincidence."
"There's no such thing." Her voice softened. "And what about the little one? Lucy? Have you seen her?"
Jonas closed his eyes. "No. Not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because Elara didn't want me to. Because I signed papers. Because I—"
"Because you're stubborn and proud," his grandmother cut in. "That girl gave you a daughter. That daughter needs her father. And you..." She paused. "You need them."
Jonas said nothing.
"Don't just sit in that hotel room feeling sorry for yourself," she continued. "Check on them. Not for me. For you. Because one day, it will be too late. And you will regret it for the rest of your life."
"Regret tsk" Jonas huffed , "you know what she did to me grandma, so why.."
The other line went silent for a while "Jonas you can't keep dwelling on the past , maybe you should just talk it out , nothing could go wrong,right?" Grandma continued.
"Goodnight Grandma, "talk to you later" , Jonas said and ended the call.