..THREE YEARS LATER
"Katrina!!!"
Someone calling her name in Rome was strange enough, she had just settled down about two weeks earlier after disappearing for three years.
But what was more shocking was the voice. She could never mistake it for another's.
Though it had been three years since the divorce, she still remembered his thick but melodious voice. And his special way of calling her name.
Her body stiffened, her muscles coiled, as if poised for flight.
Yet, she remained stagnant, unable to tear herself away from his gaze.
Those grey capturing eyeballs would always make her heart leave it's cage, no matter how long she saw them last.
But there's a truth she would always deny. She missed him. Seeing him after hating him for three years, she wanted to hug him but it was impossible.
It's all in the past.
"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness," Don said, his voice low but audible, his words came out with sincerity but her hatred for him blinded her to see them.
"But I need to tell you the truth about what happened. I need to make things right." His pleaded, and his heart bled.
Her gaze drifted over Don's pale face, the sharp angles and sunken galloping under his eyes a testament to his struggles.
Yet, despite the ravages of time, his eyes still have our the vibes of the man she once fell in love with. She knew if there was a thousand world, she would have fallen in love with him in every one of them.
Her heart twisted, a pang of longing she couldn't ignore. But she couldn't show him affection, in any form.
Katarina's breath caught, trying to process every word he mentioned. What did he mean by making things right'?
For years, she had meticulously constructed a facade of forgetting, layering her memories of him beneath a thick cover of a rock.
But now, it seemed that fragile foundation was nothing more than an illusion.
The slightest disturbance, his sudden reappearance, had unleashed a luggage of emotions, and the carefully buried past came flooding back, like a storm.
Katrina gazed at Don, a pang of sympathy struck her. Was it love or pity?
Whatever it was, she knew it was a weakness she couldn't afford. Taking a deep breath, she wanted to speak, but her voice deserted her.
It seems like locking his eyes with hers was his secret power, she started avoiding them. It was just bringing back unnecessary memories.
"I'm not asking for a handout or anything, Katrina. I'm asking for a partnership, my business is at the bridge of collapsing. Together, we could be unstoppable. My expertise, your vision...we could dominate the market."
Together they could be unstoppable? Katrina smiled it off.
But she stood firm, her heart still wary of Don's intentions. "I'm sorry, Don. My answer is NO."
"Your business is struggling?" Katrina asked, her facial expression faltering slightly, but she hid it.
"I'm sorry. I truly am. But I just can't risk my business. I've worked too hard to build it." Her words were concise, a gentle but firm rejection.
Don's eyes dropped, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "Do you even remember me?" he asked, his voice cracking.
Why that question? Why now?
She asked herself those questions because she now felt like bursting out.
But her heart hardened, a protective shield forming around her emotions.
But beneath the surface, memories of their past threatened to overwhelm her.
Don's eyes, filled with sadness, they were tempting her.
"Have you really forgotten me, Katrina? Is there no space for me in your heart?" Don's words came out bold, heavy with desperation.
Her eyes fluttered closed, she took her eyes away off him.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the ache in her chest. When she opened her eyes, her gaze was icy, her voice firm.
"I'm sorry, Don. I really am. But I've moved on. I have a business to run, a life to live. And you're not in the life I've set for myself." Her words came out as a polite rejection to her, but it was a sword that penetrated into Don's heart.
His face crumpled, his eyes welling up with tears.
Katrina's was now feeling for him, but she stood firm, her heart heavy with sorrow.
She turned to leave, but not before catching Don's gaze, her eyes locking onto his in a fleeting moment.
As she walked away, the sound of Don's whispered "Katrina" echoed through the way, a haunting reminder of what could never be again.
She turned away, her decision to ignore him a cold, hard decision.
As she walked back to her office, exhaustion washed over her, the emotional toll of seeing Don again hitting her like a tidal wave.
She sank into her chair, a deep sigh escaping her lips.
Selene, her secretary, hovered in the doorway, concern etched on her face. "Ma'am, are you okay?"
Katrina felt like a statue, cold and still on the outside, but inside, a storm raged.
She nodded, a small, tight smile on her lips. "I'm fine, Selene. Just...a long day. I should have let you grab the files earlier."
Her gaze met Selena's once again, and she knew her composure had crumbled. "I'm fine," she lied, her voice shaky.
But before Selena could respond, Emily burst in, concern etched on her face. "Kat, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Katrina nodded discreetly at Selena, who took the cue and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Katrina's eyes locked onto Emily's, and she whispered, "I saw Don."
Emily's eyes widened. "What happened?" she pressed, her voice trembling.
Katrina's tears spilled over. "He wants to merge our businesses...but I think he's just trying to get back into my life. You remember how he used a contract to get into my life back then." The thought was like a dagger to her heart.
"He's losing his business and still thinks he has a place in my heart?" Katrina thought, incredulous. "No way, not after everything he put me through."
Emily's voice was a soothing balm on Katrina's raw emotions. "You're not weak for feeling all this, Kat. You're strong. You've been through so much."
Katrina's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm torn, Emiy. Part of me is glad I said no, but another part feels like I should have helped him."
Emily squeezed her hand. "You did the right thing, Kat. You can't save him from himself."
Just then, Selena burst in, alarm etched on her face. "Miss Roberts, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but we've lost one of our biggest clients. It's a financial disaster for the company."
Selena's voice sank, her emotions already frayed. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of chaos.
The announcement felt like a significant blow, leaving Katrina speechless. She couldn't even think of anything to say.
A glance at Emily revealed a mirrored look of apprehension, her eyes clouded with concern.
Both women instinctively recognized the gravity of the situation, anticipating a challenging road ahead.
Why would a client step out from taking his shares in the company? One of the biggest client to be precise?
However, Selena's demeanor abruptly shifted, her voice covered with enthusiasm.
"Please, allow me to continue, Miss Roberts. I've discovered a way to avoid any crisis that maybe coming. A billionaire investor has expressed interest in collaborating with our company, seeking to fill the space left by our former client."
Katrina's interest was piqued, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"Why didn't you mention that before?" Emily asked, almost raising her voice at her.
Selena continued, "This investor is proposing a merger between our companies, with the added plan of appointing you, Miss Roberts, as the CEO of the newly formed entity. This partnership would undoubtedly yield a win-win outcome since you would still be the head."
Katrina's face broke into a wide smile, relief and excitement warring for dominance. "This is a truly turn of events, I thought it only occurs in movies!" she exclaimed. "Just a moment ago, our company was drowning. And now, we have the best offer in the world to make it stand again."
Emily nodded in agreement, her expression transforming from worry to hope. "Oh my God, you should have mentioned that first," she said, her voice tinged with enthusiasm.
"That's incredible news," Katrina said, her excitement barely contained. "I'm eager to learn more about this investor and the reason why the latter withdrew. Who is the individual behind this proposal?"
Selena smiled, reaching into her pocket to retrieve a folded piece of paper. "The investor's name is Donovan Santini," she announced, her tone neutral.
Katrina's reaction was immediate. Her stomach twisted into knots, no word in the world can describe how her head was turning.
Emily's voice trembled. "Kat, please tell me Don isn't Santini."
Katrina's eyes widened as she grabbed her phone, scrolling to Don's Instagram profile.
Her hand faltered, and the phone slipped from her grasp, as if the truth was too much to hold onto. She knew that was it, but she was not trying to believe.
Katrina's heart skipped a beat. "Don?" she whispered, seeking confirmation.
Selena nodded, her expression knowing. "I double-checked. It's definitely him."
The confirmation sent a chill down Katrina's spine. Her world was turned upside down. Don, her ex, was back, holding her company's fate in his hands.
Katrina sank into her chair, feeling winded.
A sickening realization struck her. What if this was all a ploy? Had Don orchestrated this to regain control over her?
But could she afford to prioritize her personal feelings over her company's survival? The thought of bankruptcy loomed, a consequence of her refusal because of emotional feelings.
Katrina's dilemma had just become more complicated.
The first rule of business: separate emotions from success.
Even if it means partnering with an enemy, progress comes first. No hesitation, no exceptions.