Jesse's voice darted through the apartment like a thrown pebble skipping across water.
"Hurry up, you promised Rebecca you'd be there!" he shouted while weaving between scattered luggage and half-zipped suitcases. He looked like a man in a one-person race against time.
MK stood by the bed, her fingers pressed against the zipper of her bag but not pulling it. The quiet tremble in her shoulders gave her away.
"I'm scared, Jesse," she said, voice barely above a whisper.
"Scared? Scared of what? It's been two years." Jesse planted his hands on his hips. "You've moved on… right?"
MK offered a weak smile, one that didn't touch her eyes.
"Yeah… right."
Jesse didn't push. He simply grabbed the last suitcase and dragged it toward the door.
"Oh—Ashley said she'll meet us at the airport," he added casually.
MK's head shot up. "She's coming?"
Jesse raised an eyebrow so high it might float away. "You don't want your girlfriend to come with you to your friend's wedding?"
"I was just asking… isn't she busy?"
"Why are you asking me?" Jesse scoffed. "She's your girlfriend, not mine."
"Right…" MK murmured, unsure of her own truth.
---
Airport – Late Morning
The airport buzzed like a hive—announcements echoing across glass walls, wheels clattering, families reuniting with bursts of joy. And standing at the entrance, like a scene painstakingly crafted for a spotlight, was Ashley.
A breathtaking figure in a flowing blue dress that kissed the floor with every breeze that swept in from the automatic doors. Her hair was tied neatly back, baring the elegant lines of her face. She didn't just stand out—she commanded the space around her.
"Thanks for inviting me," Ashley said, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to MK's cheek.
MK froze for half a second.
Jesse looked anywhere but at the two of them, pretending the arrivals board held some deep secret.
"Glad you could join us," MK finally said, adjusting her bag strap as they headed toward security.
---
Hours Later
When the pilot announced their descent, MK's lungs tightened. Buildings she had once known like the back of her hand appeared below—familiar rooftops, old highways, a skyline that once held memories she had buried.
She didn't mean to exhale so loudly, but the moment the breath escaped, both Jesse and Ashley looked at her.
"Nervous?" Jesse asked softly, though he already knew the answer.
MK swallowed.
It was time to face her past.
Two years.
---
They arrived in the afternoon,Rebecca had insisted on picking them up. She waved frantically from the airport exit, her smile as bright as MK remembered. Jesse rushed to hug her, and the two immediately began catching up as they walked to the car.
"So, who's the lucky guy?" Jesse asked, buckling up.
"His name is Brian! We met at this charity tech gala last year…" Rebecca began, launching into the story of how she and Brian met, how he proposed, what he was like. Her voice was warm and excited, a stark contrast to the quiet figure looking out the window beside her.
MK stayed silent the entire ride, forehead resting against the glass, watching her old city blur past. Every street carried a memory—some warm, some burning.
The moment they reached their rooms, exhaustion hit them like a tide. The wedding was tomorrow; today was for rest.
MK lay on her back, staring at the ceiling's soft glow. Her head turned. Ashley was beside her, already half asleep, the soft curve of her cheek framed by the delicate wisps of her hair.
Ashley White.
They had met four months after MK moved abroad—a time when MK felt like a ghost haunting her own life.
The conference hall had been grand, filled with powerful figures in the business and entertainment world. Ashley, a rising star and second runner-up at Miss International, glided through the room like she belonged in every spotlight.
MK, on the other hand, blended into the event—businesslike, calm, unreadable. Her beauty was subtle, not the loud kind that demanded attention but the quiet type that rewarded a second look.
Ashley had noticed her instantly.
A CEO who didn't even glance her way.
Interesting, Ashley had thought.
After the speeches, Ashley approached MK and Jesse.
But MK simply greeted her, answered a few polite questions, and moved on to greet other executives without a flicker of excitement.
Jesse, meanwhile, stood frozen.
"Ashley… Ashley White? I'm your biggest fan," Jesse blurted, practically glowing.
Ashley smiled kindly. "Really? Who's your friend?"
"Oh—that's MK. CEO of Starlight Company," Jesse said proudly.
Ashley's attention returned to MK. She watched the way MK moved—graceful, controlled, elegant, yet distant. Like someone who had built walls so high even she didn't realize she was still inside them.
"Does she have a boyfriend? Or girlfriend?" Ashley asked quietly.
Jesse leaned closer, whispering, "Her heart is broken… at the moment."
Ashley heard it all.
After that, she agreed—almost too eagerly—to Jesse's proposal to collaborate with Starlight. And that became the beginning of her pursuit.
----
Moving abroad had changed MK in ways she hadn't expected. Out of nowhere, she started attracting attention—men, women, colleagues, strangers, even a married man once confessed to liking her after seeing her a few times.
"Maybe before, your hormones were dormant," Jesse had joked. " we met a few wrong people before meeting the right one"
But MK wasn't ready.
"Why don't you give Ashley a chance?" Jesse asked one night. "She's been chasing you for five months."
"It's not that I don't want to," MK admitted slowly. "I just… don't feel her. I don't want to use her. She's been too kind. I can't give her false hope."
Jesse softened. "You're still stuck on Shriya."
MK looked down. "Noo…"
"One date. Just one date. If it doesn't work out, I won't push anymore."
MK gave in. "Fine. One date."
---
The First Date,Ashley followed all of Jesse's advice that evening—no pressure, no flirting, just gentle conversation. And slowly, MK opened up. Her defenses lowered piece by piece.
When Ashley walked MK to her door, she asked, "Can I take you for coffee tomorrow? After work?"
MK hesitated for a fraction of a second.
"Okay," she said.
Coffee became habit.
Conversations became comfort.
And then MK asked Ashley for a favor.
A model had rejected a project that was vital for Starlight's survival. Losing it would crush them. Ashley didn't hesitate—she accepted instantly, despite her already overwhelming schedule.
That act… moved MK more than she expected.