"I mean, like...on a date. Just you and me. No more 'hanging out' or anything. An real, official date."

He stopped, allowing me a minute to comprehend his remarks.

I swallowed hard, the knots in my gut twisting harder. "Ethan, I...I'm not sure I'm ready for that.”

Ethan's hand had slipped from my own, his fingers delicately tracing the curve of my jaw, his eyes riveted upon mine. His lips, so near to mine, were barely parted, his breath mixing with mine.

I could feel the heat of his body, the intensity of his stare.

"Soph, I...I know there's a link between us. I'm sure you feel it too."

His words hovered in the air, a subtle cry for understanding.

"Why don't we...why don't we try it?" He murmured, looking at me.

My heartbeat sped and thumped fiercely in my chest.

But the doorbell rang, its sound cutting over the heavy atmosphere before I could respond.

Ethan swiftly pulled back, the anger in his eyes dimming as he recovered his control.

I could feel my cheeks burning as I turned away, the air between us suddenly packed with unsaid tension.

"Oh, hey Maya!" Ethan yelled out when the front door opened, the sound of Maya's happy voice filling the room.

"Did I interrupt something?" she inquired, grinning at me as she went inside.

Ethan laughed, attempting to play it off. "Just a friendly chat," he added, his grin somewhat strained.

Maya lifted an eyebrow at Ethan's statement, her gaze moving between us. "Uh huh. A 'friendly' talk. Sure."

I rolled my eyes at Maya's mocking. "It's not what you think, Maya," I emphasized. "We were just talking."

Maya gave me a knowing glance. "Whatever you say, Soph. So, what's this about packing? You moving out or something?"

"No," I responded, motioning at the jumble of boxes. "It's about my dad's gala thing I told you yesterday”

"Well, I didn't realize you'd be leaving soon," Maya remarked, gazing at her watch. "I was just going to chill out here for a bit, maybe nap on your couch or something."

Ethan cleared his throat, pulling our attention back to him. "If Sophie's got a busy day ahead, maybe I can take you out for some lunch, Maya?" he offered, his gaze moving towards me.

Maya’s face brightened up. "Oh, I'm always up for a free meal. And hey, I'll even let you select the place.”

As Ethan and Maya rose up to depart, Maya flashed me a cheeky wink.

As the door closed behind them, the stillness in the flat seemed to accentuate the tangle of ideas pouring in my head.

Ethan’s comments remained, refusing to be put away.

A date. An actual date. It shouldn’t have been such a huge issue, but it was.

The reality was, I hadn’t gone on a proper date since Liam.

I wasn’t even sure I knew how to anymore. And as much as I admired Ethan..his generosity, his warmth..there was still a part of me that was caught in the past, chained to memories of a guy who had never truly been mine.

I groaned, running a hand through my hair as I slid back into the sofa.

What was I doing? Why was I still letting Liam rule so much of my life, even now?

I grabbed the closest article of clothes and shoved it into the luggage, fury rising up within me.

I wanted to break free of him, to go on, but every stride forward seemed to be greeted by an unseen barrier, a reminder of what I had lost.. or maybe, never truly had.

The sound of my phone vibrating again took me from my thoughts.

I grabbed for it, half-expecting another message from Ethan. Instead, it was a notice from my calendar..a reminder about the gala.

I moaned inwardly. The gala.

Another function where I’d have to put on a brave face, smile at people who knew nothing about the anguish within me, and pretend that everything was just perfect.

I arrived at the Imperial Towers.

The Gabsons owned this enormous, opulent building in the center of New York.

The structure was a shining example of contemporary design, its glass exterior reflecting the activity of the city below.

In essence, it was the type of location that was only affordable for the wealthy.

I had a sudden wave of fear as soon as I got out of my vehicle.

I was with Liam when I was last here, and we were both living in our own ignorant bubbles. Those were better days.

My pulse raced at the notion of entering that building and realizing he may be just a few floors away.

I took a minute to compose myself and remind myself of my purpose for being here.

Our past or Liam had no bearing on this. It was to support my father.

I straightened my shoulders, changed the strap on my handbag, then started for the door.

Holding the door open, the doorman politely nodded at me. He was wearing a neat uniform.

"Miss, good day. How may I help you right now?"

I tried to remain calm and said, "I'm here to see my father. He recently moved in, Mr. Greenwoods."

The doorman recognized me, and his eyes brightened. "Yes, Mr. Greenwoods, I see now. Miss Greenwoods, welcome. Allow me to call his flat."

I nodded and observed as the doorman communicated my arrival to someone above by speaking into a little gadget attached to his collar.

As I stood there, the slick, contemporary lobby reminding me of my former life, my thoughts drifted. Everything seemed both very close and quite far away at the same time.

The doorman smiled and turned back to me after a few period. Mr. Greenwood anticipates your arrival. Kindly go over to the apartment in the penthouse. There, the elevator will carry you right away.

Penthouse.

My father would naturally be in the most opulent area possible. My footfall echoed on the marble flooring as I greeted the doorman and headed for the lift.

As soon as the doors slid open, I went inside the elevator and was quickly taken to another planet with the lavish décor and soft lighting.

I tried to calm myself down by pressing the penthouse button and leaning back against the wall.

The trip up seemed endless, as each level passed with a soft ding.

Following everything that had happened, I kept wondering about what it would be like to meet Liam once again and share a room with him.

Would he even find my presence relevant? Would he try to talk to me, or would he dismiss me as like I didn't exist?

The doors opened to expose a large, spacious hallway as the elevator at last reached the top floor.

I walked outside and moved toward the lone entrance on the floor, my footsteps muffled by the thick carpet.

I took a deep breath, knocked quickly, and waited.

Almost instantly, the door opened, revealing my father in all the glory of a prosperous businessman.

It was a relaxed day at home, yet he was dressed neatly in a suit and had his silver hair groomed.

"Sophia, sweetheart!" He drew me into an embrace and said, a warm grin spreading over his face. "I'm very happy you came."

Even though our relationship had sometimes been tense..especially when he coerced me into marriage against my will.. I reciprocated the embrace, overcome with love for the man who had always been my rock.

"Hello, Dad. It's good to see you.”

He withdrew, putting me at arm's length and examining me. "You look amazing, Sophie. Please come on in."

As soon as I entered, the penthouse's sight took my breath away.

Everything I could have expected and more, it was lavish, cutting edge, and very beautiful.

The floor to ceiling windows gave an amazing perspective of the city, and the inside design was the perfect mix of comfort and flair.

As I considered the large living space, opulent furniture, and elegant details that gave the room a cozy feel, I said, "Wow, Dad, this place is amazing."

"Only the finest," he winked in response. "Come with me as I give you a tour."

I was only partially paying attention to what he was saying as he showed me around the penthouse and pointed out all of its features and conveniences.

The other half could not stop thinking about Liam, wondering whether he cared at all, if he was even here, and if he knew I was in the building.

My father looked at me as we passed past the living room, his face softening. "Sophie, I understand that being here may be challenging for you.

I turned to face him, taken aback by his insight. "Dad, I'm okay. Really. I'm here for you”

He grinned, but his eyes held a trace of worry.

"Talking about which, we have a lot on our plate. Why don't you settle in first, though? The last door on the left is your room, which is down the hall."

I nodded, appreciative of the opportunity to gather myself before getting started on the arrangements.

I couldn't get rid of the sense I had as I moved down the hallway, my father's footsteps trailing behind me, that I was approaching an unavoidable situation that I wasn't sure I was prepared for.

I arrived at the door, pulled it open, and entered a well furnished guest room.

The bed was draped in soft sheets, and the large windows gave a magnificent perspective of the downtown skyline.

Even if everything about it appeared perfect, I couldn't get rid of the unpleasant sensation I had as I dropped my bags and glanced around.

I was once again in the world I had left behind, at a location that was filled with a wealth of pleasant and unpleasant memories.

And Liam, the guy who had been everything to me but was now just a bitter reminder of what might have been, was somewhere in this building.

I sighed and perched on the side of the bed running a hand through my hair.

It would be harder than I had expected.

But now that I was here, there was no going back.

The following morning, as I was getting a charge out of breakfast with my dad, a knock on the door startled us both.

Dad, who was busy taking a nibble, froze with his fork suspended most of the way to his lips.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I asked, putting down my coffee.

He shook his head, seeming just as perplexed as I felt. “Not really.”

Curiosity won me, so I got up and walked to the door, the soft carpet muffling my footfall.

A strange feeling of pain swept over me as I grabbed for the handle, but I ignored it. It was probably just one of the neighbors.

I opened the door, and there he was.

Liam.

Our eyes met instantly, and I stopped, my breath seizing in my throat.

My heart hammered in my chest, each pulse louder than the previous. The world appeared to shrink down to just the two of us, the rest of the apartment vanishing into the background.

Standing before me was my ex-husband, Liam Gabson.. my first love, the guy who had once meant everything to me.

For a minute, none of us spoke.

He seemed just as astonished as I was, his typically strong visage tinted with something softer, something almost vulnerable.

Finally, he broke the silence. “Soph.”

His voice was the same, deep and silky, exactly as at the Art Exhibition and it sent a chill down my spine.

I swallowed hard, trying to calm myself, but the memories came flooding back.. our wedding day, the laughing, the disputes, the way he had destroyed my heart on our anniversary.

“Liam,” I managed to utter, my voice barely above a whisper.

He shuffled slightly, as if undecided whether to walk inside or remain where he was.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just… checking on Mr. Greenwoods. Wanted to see how he’s settling in.”

It took a while for his comments to take in. Mr. Greenwoods. My dad. Of course, he was here for him.

I tried to arrange my thought, but my head felt as if it was slow motion.

"He's doing great," I replied at last, my voice sounding far even to my own ears.

As my dad stood up, I heard his chair scrape across the floor behind me.

“Is that Liam?” he yelled out, his tone warm and friendly.

I stood aside, allowing Liam to enter.

My dad emerged at the doorway to the kitchen, a grin lighting across his face as he spotted Liam.

“There you are!” my dad cried, coming up to welcome him. “Good to see you, son. You’ve been such a great assistance since I arrived back to New York.”

Liam returned the grin, but I noted the way his glance flashed toward me before he reacted.

“It’s nothing, Mr. Greenwoods. Just wanted to make sure you were settling in alright.”

I stood there, feeling like an alien in my own father’s house.

“You’ve been taking care of him?” I asked, trying to keep the astonishment out of my voice.

Liam nodded, his look serious now. “I’ve been checking in on him since he moved in last week. I know how much it matters to him to have someone around.”

A tremendous flood of feeling poured through me.. wrath, perplexity, but also something that seemed dangerously near to thankfulness.

Why hadn’t my dad informed me any of this?

“Why didn’t you mention it?” I questioned, looking to my dad.

He shrugged, a bit too nonchalantly. “Didn’t think it was a big deal. Liam’s simply been helping out. And furthermore, I thought you two may.. you know, talk things out.”

My dad wanted us to reconcile, he's always desired that, to somehow find our way back to one other after all that had transpired.

The concept sent a cold shudder down my spine.

I flashed my father a glare that could have melted ice. "Talk things out?" I repeated incredulously. "Is that why you didn't mention Liam would be here?"

Dad shrugged again, but I could see the uneasiness seeping into his countenance. "I just figured, you know, since he's here anyway, he might as well say hi."

I looked back to Liam, my lips twisting into a frown. "Thanks for the visit, Liam, but I believe we've both spoken what we needed to say. Isn't that right?”

Liam cleared his throat, breaking the tension. “I didn’t want to cause any trouble, Sophie. I simply wanted to help.”

I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to reply to the abrupt emergence of this guy before me. All I knew was that standing there, with my dad’s optimistic eyes on us and Liam’s presence so near, I felt like I was drowning.

“Thank you, Liam,” I eventually murmured, pushing the words out. “For looking after him.”

Liam’s stare softened, and for a short moment, I caught a flicker of the guy I had fallen in love with all those years before.

“It’s the least I could do.”

My dad clasped his hands together, apparently happy with how things were going. “Why don’t you join us for breakfast, Liam? There’s enough to go around.”

Liam halted, staring at me as if asking for permission.

I offered a slight nod, not trusting myself to speak.

He moved deeper inside the flat, and I closed the door behind him, feeling a weird combination of comfort and dread.

like we sat down at the table, I couldn’t help but note how natural Liam looked in my dad’s place, like if he belonged there.

The ease with which they chatted, the way my dad chuckled at something Liam said.. it all seemed too familiar, too natural.

But for me, it was everything but.

Throughout the lunch, I was hyper-aware of Liam’s every move, every look he shot in my way.

My thoughts kept spinning, wondering what his goals were, why he was suddenly so engaged in my dad’s well-being.

Was this merely his method of making apologies, or was there anything more to it?