Chloe inhaled the ocean's salty tang and the zest of sun-kissed oranges when she stepped into Cinderella Punk. The trendy seaside vegan bar buzzed with lively conversations and the distant whoosh of surfers carving through the azure waves. The decor, a medley of recycled wood and vibrant greenery, cast an earthy glow.

Her eyes settled on the alfresco area where Damian sat alone, gazing at the ocean, his posture a silhouette of melancholy and contemplation. The sight of him—a mix of vulnerability and familiar strength—struck her deeply, reigniting old feelings.

His golden hair fluttered in the ocean breeze, catching the sunlight, making him almost ethereal, like a dream she once held dear. His features, reminiscent of a Norse god carved from myth, held a stoic grace. Yet, his eyes had a new softness that hadn't existed before. It hinted at battles fought and perhaps lost, revealing a depth of guarded feelings.

Chloe's mind raced with questions about his life. Was he married now? Engaged, perhaps? She noticed the absence of a ring and wondered about the mysterious Gemma she'd overheard from his phone conversation. Her stomach twisted with anxiety while her heart fluttered with hope.

A tan Doberman Pinscher by his side perked up, its demeanor as reserved and protective as its owner.

"Down, Diva," Damian ordered, holding the leash tight. He turned to Chloe, his eyes sparkling as he grinned. "Hey, stranger."

Returning his smile, Chloe felt a rush of old emotions. "Hey, yourself. Mind if I greet your dog?"

"Sure, Diva's friendly once she knows you're okay," he reassured, his voice still carrying that calming effect it always had on her.

Chloe extended a tentative hand, letting Diva sniff it. "Hey, sweetie. Aren't you beautiful?" she whispered, her touch gentle. The dog's warm tongue brushed her palm in acceptance, a simple act of trust that felt significant.

"Want a drink? Maybe something light to eat?" Damian asked, his eyes never leaving hers.

Chloe placed one hand on her stomach. "I had a good breakfast an hour ago, but the spinach and ginger juice here is delish and great for my energy levels. Do you want to try it?"

He chuckled—a sound that used to light up her world. "Yeah, that sounds good. I could use a pick-me-up after the week I've had."

As they ordered, Chloe couldn't help but scoot her chair closer, an involuntary gravitation toward his presence. She regretted the impulsive move when her foot accidentally brushed his under the table. She laughed it off with a hint of sarcasm, "Sorry, my bad. And, at least, you have a job to wear you out."

His smile was tinged with sadness. "It's a job, sure. But I've learned there are more important things in life."

"The hard way?" she queried, her tone softening.

"The hardest," he admitted, then hesitated before adding, "Actually, speaking of jobs, there might be an opportunity for you. I've acquired a firm and it's undergoing restructuring. My team has removed the deadwood, and we're now bringing on talented people."

Her heart raced with a mix of hope and suspicion. "Which firm?"

"Simmons," he said casually, not realizing the weight of his words.

Chloe's eyes widened as the waiter placed two big juice glasses on the table before returning to the bar. "Simmons? They just let me go."

Damian's expression furrowed, his hand reaching out toward hers in a bid for solace.

She recoiled. "Did you know? Is that why you conveniently bumped into me the other day? To watch me crumble? Was your goal to break me completely, to strip away everything I have?"

"I didn't know, I swear."

"Where am I supposed to go from here, Damian? Where?" Chloe's voice was thick with fury, a storm brewing within her despite the serene day.

"I don't want you to go anywhere. I want you here, with me." His fingers twitched slightly, a silent plea for the warmth of their past connection to rekindle.

"Underneath that saintly halo of yours, you're just as cruel as your mother and as manipulative as your father. You all tear through lives for power and profit, even if it means destroying those who loved you!" Chloe stood abruptly, her juice in hand.

"I promise, I had no idea you were working there," he refuted.

Chloe's eyes narrowed skeptically. "Liar. You knew. This is what you do—manipulate people, use them, and discard them when they're no longer convenient."

Damian's jaw clenched. "If I had known you were at Simmons, I would have never let you go. As for what happened seven years ago, that was a mistake—I'm still paying for it. I never stopped loving you, Chloe."

"Bullshit!" Chloe exploded in a burst of anger, flinging her juice at Damian. The liquid splattered across his pristine white T-shirt, leaving a sticky, colorful mess obscuring some upscale brand's logo—Armani or Gucci—beneath vibrant juice streaks.

***

Chloe fled, hearing Diva's distant barking after paying for her juice and apologizing to the bar staff for the mess. She sprinted down the beach until she was breathless. Gasping for air, she squatted, placing her hands on both knees. She stared at the rolling waves and the distant blue horizon.

Never before had she encountered such calculated manipulation—not just from Damian but from his entire family. Their organizational tactics killed her father's business years ago, she had learned after Damian's breakup. A distributor hired by Scott-Quinn Enterprises imported much cheaper foreign fish for restaurants and supermarkets in the entire region. It monopolized the market, suffocating local suppliers like her dad. Damian's family won a dirty price war.

Her father, Glenn, landed a managerial position with the same distributor after her relationship ended—she couldn't help but suspect Damian orchestrated the gambit move. Forfeit Chloe for the promise of power and pay her father to keep her away from him.

As she wrestled with these suspicions, Damian appeared in the distance, Diva by his side, their figures sprinting toward her, leaving a trail of footprints in the soft sand.

"Chloe, let me explain." Damian panted as he caught up, Diva circling her with keen interest. He managed a weary chuckle. "She's quite taken with you. I can't blame her."

"Save it for later. Right now, there's one thing I need to know. Did you get Dad his job?"

"I may have."

"Why? To keep me away? To use him as leverage?" she demanded, her voice tight with emotion. "Did you know that Dad talked me out of contacting you ever again?"

Damian frowned. "Firstly, I wanted to help Glenn to get back on his feet. Secondly, I'm sorry for messing everything up. I was in between a rock and a hard place."

"You? What about me? Did you know I also visited your home only to be escorted away by security? I'll tell you why, you insensitive jerk." Chloe's eyes bore into him with a razor-sharp intensity. "I was pregnant."

"You were—was it mine?" Damian blinked rapidly.

"No, you asshole. I was gang-banging the whole campus. Of course, it was yours!" Chloe snapped, then softened her tone. "But I lost it ten weeks in."

Damian's face drained of color as his fingers slipped from Diva's leash. Chloe caught it, holding the dog close, grounding herself as much as Diva.

"Do you need water?" she asked, watching him slide down to his knees.

He shook his head, staring at the sand. "How could I have done this to us?"

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he stared at the ocean, placing one hand over his chest. "A life. Ours."

"I still think about it, but I had counseling, Damian. I got stronger, harder."

"I should've been there with you. You should never have been alone."

"It is what it is." A lone tear ran down Chloe's left cheek, her gaze fixed on the ocean. "By the way, who's Gemma? I overheard you say her name on the phone the other day."

Damian sighed. "She's part of a deal, a forced alliance by my mother. I ended things with you to protect my sister. It was all supposed to be business, but I regret it every single day."

Chloe bent down, sitting next to Diva and Damian. "We can't undo the past."

They sat in silence, the sound of the surf mingling with the murmur of passersby. Damian broke the quiet. "I tried to forget you. Everything—the pressure, my sister's crisis—broke me. I owe you more than explanations. You deserve the truth."

Chloe scoffed, her heart hardened by the solitary years of absence. "Save it. To me, you were just another chapter from my college days."

Damian's eyes welled with tears, regret etched across his face. "Please, Chloe, just listen. Let's go somewhere private, and I'll tell you everything. Isn't the truth worth one last shot?"

"Somewhere private, like your bedroom?" Chloe rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't you be saving that for Gemma?"

"Chloe, come on," he pleaded.

"Did you sleep with her?"

"We don't need to talk about that now."

"You did, didn't you? To seal the deal?"

Damian fell silent, his gaze shifting away, his face a mask of pain.

"I rest my case. If you're sleeping with her, what future can we possibly have?"

"A hopeful one," Damian insisted, clasping her hand tightly. "It's over with Gemma."

Chloe smoothed down her skirt with her other hand, feeling the sand against her legs. Her ex-lover's pleading eyes triggered memories, casting her mind to seven years ago. What if old secrets could reshape her future?

***

A/N: Welp, Damian made a big boo-boo. :( I'm curious to see what Chloe remembers. Are you?