Chapter 5

MELISSA'S POV

****SEVEN YEARS LATER****

“Congratulations Miss Mugins, you've been selected to participate in the Silver Edition of the Legal Hour Conference! See you at Aphrodite City Soon!”

That's how the message read when it came through the mail that morning. I couldn't hide the excitement I felt as I saw my name boldly embedded in the list of eligibles.

My dream has finally come true. It is indeed happening. My dream of becoming a lawyer is finally here.

Seven years have passed, yet it feels like a lifetime. It feels like yesterday when I promised myself, to come back to Aphrodite City as the best version of myself.

I left this place as a broken woman, a woman whose heart had been shattered into a million pieces. I didn't know where to go neither did I know my next move. It was as if the world was moving while I stood still. Everyone and everything was progressing while I stood still, hiding in my shell.

I spent years of my life caring for that one person to the extent of forgetting my own dream. But today, here I am, fierce and more determined than I ever thought possible.

I felt accomplished as I walked through the grand halls of the International Corporate Law Conference. It’s my first time speaking at such a prestigious event, and the reality of it all is almost overwhelming.

I paused for a moment, scrutinizing everything around me— the hall is elegantly decorated to suit the legal world, the buzz of conversation from some of the most powerful figures in the legal industry, the expensive fragrance from the city’s most influential men filled the air.

Seven years of hard work, dedication, and relentless ambition have led me here. Seven years of rebuilding myself from the ground up, of finding my voice, of becoming someone who commands respect— and that was new goal. I wanted to be someone who not be looked down upon.

As I gracefully adjusted the collar of my suit, I caught a glimpse of myself in one of the glass windows. The woman I saw in there is poised, and confident, her eyes sharp with strength.

Gone is the flimsy girl who once cried herself to sleep, who once felt like her world was ending.

In her place stands a corporate lawyer, whom people look up to, while her opponents shiver in fear at the sight of her. I smiled softly at my reflection, pride swelling in my chest. I’ve come a long way.

But as I stepped out of the hall, examining my surroundings, and admiring how far Aphrodite City has progressed, memories of the past began to sneak back in. This city holds so many ghosts for me—so many moments of pain and loss. I left this place swearing I’d never return, yet here I am, on my terms. I thought I was ready for this, but now, being back, I realize just how much this city still haunts me.

Shaking off the anxiety, I focus on the here and now. This is my moment. I’ve earned my place among these people, and I won’t let anything ruin it.

As I made my way through the crowd, my mind drifted back to that fateful day when I left. I remember how I felt, clutching my suitcase in one hand and the signed divorce papers in the other. The pain was unbearable, but I knew I had to leave. Staying here would have destroyed me, I would have crawled back into his arms. Listowell’s arms.

As I made my way toward the hall, I accidentally bumped into someone, my heel catching on the edge of a carpet. Time seems to slow down as I stumbled forward, the glass of water I was holding, slipping from my hand. The water splashes onto the person in front of me, soaking the front of their suit. I gasped, embarrassed by my carelessness. Without looking up, I instinctively reached out for my handkerchief and started drying it up for him.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

My voice catches in my throat as I raised my gaze and met his. His cold dreadful gaze instantly melted away as soon as he recognized me.

The world suddenly disappeared into a blur, the voices of the crowd vanishing into the distance. All I could see were those blue familiar eyes.

Listowel.

He looks almost the same, his sharp features and piercing gaze unchanged by the years, but there’s something different in his eyes, something softer, more vulnerable.

“Lisa?” he called out softly, blinking hard as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

I froze in place, trying so hard to process the fact that he’s standing here, in front of me, after all these years. I wanted to move, to say something, but I couldn't. All I could do was lock gazes with him, as my heart heavily raced against my ribcage.

“Melissa Mugins?” he repeats, calling out my full name.

Before I could utter a word, he stepped forward and pulled me into a tight hug. His huge arms instantly wrapped around me, holding me close as if he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go.

I didn't hug him back, but I didn't push him away either. I could feel anger, confusion, sorrow, and warmth all rising within me. For a minute, I wanted to be like this with him forever. The feeling I thought I had long buried, resurfaced and I could feel the warmth of his body against mine. I inhaled his ever-alluring smell and it was as if time had stopped.

The rising whispering from the crowd instantly pulled me out of the reverie and I immediately became conscious of the reality.

This is Listowell, the man who broke me, the man who left me without a second thought. The man who moved on with his life while I was left to pick up the pieces of mine. The man who, despite everything, still has the power to make my heart ache.