The Meeting

Evelyn’s POV

I had barely slept.

The line in the note had been spinning in my head for hours.

You refused the wrong man.

Who could write something like that? And more importantly, what did it mean?

At six in the morning, I finally gave up on sleep. I got out of bed and walked over to the window. The city was just beginning to wake up.

In my first life, I would have woken up at this hour to rush to a film set, only to spend the rest of the day managing Ethan’s affairs. Today, my schedule belonged entirely to me.

That single thought brought a smile to my face.

I picked up my phone. No messages from Ethan. Strangely, that brought a wave of relief.

On the other hand, I had several texts from Victoria.

Victoria: Are you serious?

Victoria: Why did you refuse Ethan?

Victoria: He’s heartbroken.

I stared at the last message.

Heartbroken.

Right. Of course.

In my first life, when I discovered their affair, Victoria claimed that Ethan had fallen in love with her despite himself. She cried. She played the victim. Today, I knew she was fully aware of what she was doing.

I didn't reply. I put my phone down and got ready for the day.

At nine o'clock, I met Emma at a small downtown café.

When I saw her walk in, my chest tightened. She hadn't changed a bit. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her glasses rested right on the bridge of her nose.

She spotted me immediately.

"Evelyn!"

She practically ran toward me. I stood up to wrap her in a tight hug. For a few seconds, I didn't say a word. I just soaked in her presence.

In my first life, I hadn't realized how deeply I had missed her.

"You're going to make me cry," she whispered.

I smiled. "Sorry."

She sat down across from me. "Alright. Now tell me everything."

I took a sip of my coffee. "I turned down Ethan."

She froze. Then she set her cup down very slowly.

"You really did it?"

"Yes."

"You're not going to take him back tomorrow?"

"No."

"Next week?"

"No."

"In six months?"

I smiled. "Emma."

"Just double-checking!"

I laughed. She looked at me intently, her expression softening.

"You've changed."

I lowered my eyes. "I know."

"No, I'm not just talking about your decision," she said, tilting her head slightly. "The look in your eyes is different."

I didn't answer.

She continued, "Before, whenever you spoke about Ethan, you smiled as if the whole world revolved around him."

I looked down at my cup. "I realized the world doesn't revolve around him."

"What happened?"

I met her eyes again. I couldn't tell her the truth. Not yet.

"I simply realized I had lost myself."

Emma fell silent. Then she reached across the table and took my hand. "Then don't ever do it again."

My eyes stung with tears. I squeezed her fingers softly. "I won't."

After lunch, I headed to the studio. My director was already waiting for me.

The role I had accepted the day before was far bigger than I had remembered. The script was brilliant. Above all, I already knew this movie was going to be a massive box-office hit.

In my first life, this production had launched the career of a young actress who became one of the biggest stars in the country. This time, it would be my film.

I signed the contract. My agent beamed.

"Welcome back, Evelyn."

I looked at him calmly. "I never left."

He went quiet. I smiled.

I had finally understood something. I didn't need to go back to being who I was. I could become someone far better.

At six in the evening, I left the studio.

My meeting with Nathaniel Hayes was approaching. I looked at the address on the card. The restaurant was located in one of the city's most prestigious districts.

I still wasn't completely sure if I should go, but my curiosity had won.

At ten to seven, I walked into the establishment. A waiter greeted me instantly.

"Miss Sterling?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Hayes is expecting you."

Of course he was.

I followed him to a private dining room. The door swung open, and I saw him.

Nathaniel Hayes.

He was sitting near the window. Dark suit. Crisp white shirt. No tie. An elegant watch gleamed on his wrist.

His expression was composed. Unreadable. But his eyes...

When he looked up at me, something shifted in his gaze for a fraction of a second. An emotion. A genuine one.

Then it was gone. He stood up.

"Evelyn Sterling."

His voice was identical to how it sounded over the phone—deep and unwavering.

"Mr. Hayes."

He gestured toward the chair opposite his. "Please, sit."

I took a seat, and he sat down as well.

For a few seconds, we simply studied each other. I didn't know what to think.

In my first life, I had cross paths with Nathaniel Hayes only once, at a business gala. He had walked right past me without giving me a second glance. Or at least, that was what I had assumed back then. Today, I wondered if I had just been too blind to notice him.

"Why am I here?" I asked.

Nathaniel set his glass down on the table. "Because you just made a decision that is going to change a lot of things."

I knit my brows. "Are you referring to my rejection of Ethan?"

"Yes."

"Do you usually keep tabs on your rivals' marriage proposals?"

A faint glint of amusement touched his eyes. "Only when they involve an interesting woman."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you always this direct?"

"I dislike wasting time."

"Then tell me what you want."

He looked at me for a long moment. "I want to offer you a deal."

I went still. "A business deal?"

"Yes."

"What kind?"

He slid a leather folder toward me. I opened it, and my breath hitched.

It was a production company—a company that Ethan had acquired in my first life. I knew its current valuation, and I knew for a fact it was about to experience explosive growth.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"Because I want to invest in your career."

I looked up. "You don't know me."

"I know your work."

"That's not the same thing."

"No," he paused, his gaze softening almost imperceptibly. "Which is precisely why I wanted to meet you."

I closed the folder. "Why me?"

He remained silent. This time, his look changed. He stared at me in a strange, intense way—as if searching for something on my face.

"Because you're different from what I thought."

I frowned. "And what did you think of me?"

He didn't answer right away. Then he said, "I thought you were too kind."

My heart gave a sudden twist. Those words were terrifyingly familiar. In my first life, someone had said that exact sentence to me. But I couldn't remember who.

"And now?"

"Now, I think you've finally realized that boundless kindness eventually becomes a weakness."

I sat frozen. He knew. Not everything, but he knew something.

"You speak as though you've known me for a long time."

Nathaniel glanced slightly to the side. "Perhaps I've been watching you for longer than you think."

My heart began to race. "Why?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he picked up his phone, tapped the screen, and placed it in front of me.

"I have something to show you."

I looked down at the display, and my throat went completely dry.

It was a photograph of me—younger, smiling, taken at an awards ceremony five years ago. I recognized it immediately.

But what chilled my blood wasn't my own image. It was the background.

Standing just a few feet behind me in the crowd... was Nathaniel Hayes.

I raised my eyes slowly. "You were there that night?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He looked straight into my eyes. "Because I wanted to talk to you."

I swallowed hard. "You never did."

"No."

"Why not?"

His gaze flicked down to the photo. "Because you were with Ethan."

I stayed silent.

"And because I knew he wouldn't let you go easily," he added.

My pulse was hammering in my ears. "How did you know that?"

Nathaniel met my gaze again. "Because I knew Ethan better than you did."

I almost stood up right then. "You knew he would cheat on me?"

"Not at that time."

"Then you knew he was dangerous?"

He didn't answer. And in that moment, I understood. There was something between them—something far deeper than a simple corporate rivalry.

I sank back into my chair slowly. "Why didn't you ever warn me?"

Nathaniel’s jaw tightened slightly. "Because you wouldn't have believed me."

I couldn't argue with that. Because he was right. In my first life, I would never have believed a stranger over Ethan. I would have defended my husband. I probably would have even accused Nathaniel of trying to sabotage my relationship.

I looked down. "So you already knew me."

"Yes."

"For how long?"

He looked at me, and his response sent a sharp chill running straight down my spine.

"Since long before you ever knew my name."

A heavy silence settled over the table. My mind was spinning.

Then he stood up. "I'm not asking you to trust me."

"Then what do you want?"

He stepped around the table, stopping right beside my chair. He placed one hand lightly on the back of my seat.

"I want to give you the chance to build something that belongs entirely to you." He paused, his voice dropping an octave. "Without Ethan."

I looked up at him. "And without you?"

A faint, unreadable flicker crossed his dark eyes.

"That, Evelyn..." he murmured, "...is something I cannot promise you."

My heart skipped a beat. I quickly averted my eyes.

This man was dangerous. Not just because he was powerful, and not just because he was wrapped in mystery—but because a part of me already desperately wanted to unlock his secrets.

I stood up. "I'll think about your offer."

"Take all the time you need."

I turned toward the exit.

"Evelyn."

I stopped and looked back. Nathaniel was still watching me.

"Don't go back to Ethan."

I knit my brows. "Why?"

His tone turned dead serious. "Because this time, he won't just ask you to marry him."

A cold shudder traveled down my spine. "What do you mean by that?"

Nathaniel didn't answer.

I walked out of the room with a single question echoing in my mind.

What did he know about my future?

And above all... why did I feel like Nathaniel Hayes had been trying to protect me for far longer than I could ever imagine?