Chapter 5 Adrain's Return-- A Chance Encounter

After the text, Sophia kept thinking about it. Then, she started immersing herself in her work and continue with her normal life. She totally forgot about the texts she had with drain.

----Two years later----

Sophia adjusted the delicate strap of her navy evening gown, her fingers brushing against the cool fabric as she took a deep breath. The ballroom sparkled under the glow of grand chandeliers, their light bouncing off polished marble floors. She felt slightly out of place amid the sea of designer dresses and tailored suits, but as one of the lead architects for the charitable foundation's new project, her firm insisted she attend the gala.

As she made her way through the crowd, clutching a glass of sparkling water, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She dismissed the thought, assuming it was just her nerves. After all, this was her first time attending such a high-profile event, and she wasn't used to rubbing shoulders with CEOs and socialites.

Sophia found solace near the silent auction tables, admiring the selection of art pieces and vacation packages. She let her eyes wander, pretending to be absorbed in the items on display. That's when she saw him.

At first, she didn't believe it. Across the room, a tall man stood surrounded by a group of well-dressed individuals vying for his attention. His dark hair was neatly combed, his tailored suit a testament to his wealth and status. But it wasn't his polished exterior that caught her attention-it was his eyes.

Adrian.

Sophia's breath caught in her throat as memories of that rainy night five years ago flooded her mind. She remembered the blood on his forehead, his weak voice as he struggled to stay conscious, and the way he'd thanked her before being whisked away by paramedics.

Adrian turned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the room until it landed on her. His confident demeanor faltered for a moment, replaced by wide-eyed recognition. He muttered something to the people around him before excusing himself, his focus solely on Sophia.

Adrian (approaching her): "It's you."

Sophia blinked, unsure how to respond. Up close, he looked different-older, more self-assured, yet there was still a softness in his expression that she remembered.

Sophia (hesitant): "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Adrian: "You saved me. Five years ago, the car accident. I never forgot you."

Sophia's lips parted in surprise as the memories she had tucked away resurfaced. That night had been a fleeting moment in her life, but for him, it seemed to hold much more weight.

Sophia: "I didn't think you'd remember."

Adrian: "How could I forget? I've thought about you ever since. I always hoped I'd get the chance to thank you properly."

Adrian's sincerity caught her off guard. She wasn't sure what she had expected from this chance encounter, but it certainly wasn't this-his undivided attention, his genuine gratitude.

Sophia:" I just remembered you texted me two years ago."

Adrain: "Yeah.

Sophia (with a small smile): "Well, you seem to be doing well. Billionaire, I presume?"

Adrian (chuckling): "That's one way to put it. I've been fortunate in business, but meeting you again? That feels like a different kind of fortune."

Adrian's words were disarming, and Sophia found herself smiling despite the lingering wariness she carried around men. They began to talk, their conversation flowing effortlessly despite the years that had passed.

Adrian shared his journey-how the accident had been a turning point for him. He explained how it had forced him to reevaluate his life and prioritize what truly mattered.

Adrian: "I was reckless back then. Always pushing too hard, taking too many risks. That night... it changed everything. I started thinking about what I was doing with my life. And I have you to thank for that."

Sophia listened, captivated by his humility and the openness with which he spoke. It was a stark contrast to the arrogance she had grown accustomed to in her professional circles.

When he asked about her life, she hesitated at first. It wasn't often that she let people in, but something about Adrian made her want to share. She told him about her career, her move to the city, and the cultural center project that had catapulted her into the spotlight.

Adrian: "That's incredible, Sophia. You've built an amazing life for yourself."

Sophia: "It wasn't easy, but I needed to prove to myself that I could stand on my own. And I have."

As the night wore on, the world around them seemed to fade. Adrian's attention never wavered, and Sophia found herself laughing at his stories and sharing more than she had intended.

The gala eventually began to wind down, but neither of them seemed eager to leave.

Adrian: "I've been to a hundred of these events, but I've never enjoyed one as much as tonight. I'd love to see you again, Sophia. If you're open to it."

Sophia hesitated, her walls creeping back up. She had spent years protecting herself from the pain of relationships, and the thought of letting someone in again terrified her.

Sophia (carefully): "I don't know, Adrian. My life is... complicated."

Adrian: "I'm not asking for anything complicated. Just dinner. No expectations, no pressure."

( Adrain had investigated about her, and what has happened to her in the past few years he was away.)

His words were gentle, almost as if he understood the battle she was fighting within herself. Sophia looked into his eyes and saw no trace of deceit or hidden motives.

Sophia: "Okay. Dinner. But only because you still owe me a proper thank-you."

Adrian (grinning): "Deal. I'll text you the details."

When Adrian walked her to the exit, she felt a warmth she hadn't experienced in years. As she stepped into her car, she glanced back and saw him watching her, his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face.

On the drive home, Sophia couldn't stop thinking about him-the way he had looked at her, the sincerity in his voice, and the way he had made her feel seen.

----A Call to Maya----

The first thing she did when she got home was call Maya.

Maya (excitedly): "Sophia! How was the gala? Did you meet anyone interesting?"

Sophia (laughing): "You're not going to believe this. Remember Adrian? The guy from the car accident?"

Maya: "The one you saved? Of course, I remember! What about him?"

Sophia: "He was at the gala. We talked. A lot."

Maya: "No way! This is like something out of a movie. What did he say?"

Sophia: "He thanked me. And then he asked me to dinner."

Maya (squealing): "Sophia! This is huge! Please tell me you said yes."

Sophia: "I did, but it's just dinner. Nothing more."

Maya: "Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that. But seriously, Soph, you deserve to be happy. Give him a chance. Who knows? This could be the start of something amazing."

As she hung up, Sophia's heart was still racing. She couldn't predict where this newfound connection with Adrian might lead, but for the first time in a long time, she felt the faintest spark of hope.

After the text, Sophia kept thinking about it. Then, she started immersing herself in her work and continue with her normal life. She totally forgot about the texts she had with drain.

----Two years later----

Sophia adjusted the delicate strap of her navy evening gown, her fingers brushing against the cool fabric as she took a deep breath. The ballroom sparkled under the glow of grand chandeliers, their light bouncing off polished marble floors. She felt slightly out of place amid the sea of designer dresses and tailored suits, but as one of the lead architects for the charitable foundation's new project, her firm insisted she attend the gala.

As she made her way through the crowd, clutching a glass of sparkling water, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She dismissed the thought, assuming it was just her nerves. After all, this was her first time attending such a high-profile event, and she wasn't used to rubbing shoulders with CEOs and socialites.

Sophia found solace near the silent auction tables, admiring the selection of art pieces and vacation packages. She let her eyes wander, pretending to be absorbed in the items on display. That's when she saw him.

At first, she didn't believe it. Across the room, a tall man stood surrounded by a group of well-dressed individuals vying for his attention. His dark hair was neatly combed, his tailored suit a testament to his wealth and status. But it wasn't his polished exterior that caught her attention-it was his eyes.

Adrian.

Sophia's breath caught in her throat as memories of that rainy night five years ago flooded her mind. She remembered the blood on his forehead, his weak voice as he struggled to stay conscious, and the way he'd thanked her before being whisked away by paramedics.

Adrian turned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the room until it landed on her. His confident demeanor faltered for a moment, replaced by wide-eyed recognition. He muttered something to the people around him before excusing himself, his focus solely on Sophia.

Adrian (approaching her): "It's you."

Sophia blinked, unsure how to respond. Up close, he looked different-older, more self-assured, yet there was still a softness in his expression that she remembered.

Sophia (hesitant): "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Adrian: "You saved me. Five years ago, the car accident. I never forgot you."

Sophia's lips parted in surprise as the memories she had tucked away resurfaced. That night had been a fleeting moment in her life, but for him, it seemed to hold much more weight.

Sophia: "I didn't think you'd remember."

Adrian: "How could I forget? I've thought about you ever since. I always hoped I'd get the chance to thank you properly."

Adrian's sincerity caught her off guard. She wasn't sure what she had expected from this chance encounter, but it certainly wasn't this-his undivided attention, his genuine gratitude.

Sophia:" I just remembered you texted me two years ago."

Adrain: "Yeah.

Sophia (with a small smile): "Well, you seem to be doing well. Billionaire, I presume?"

Adrian (chuckling): "That's one way to put it. I've been fortunate in business, but meeting you again? That feels like a different kind of fortune."

Adrian's words were disarming, and Sophia found herself smiling despite the lingering wariness she carried around men. They began to talk, their conversation flowing effortlessly despite the years that had passed.

Adrian shared his journey-how the accident had been a turning point for him. He explained how it had forced him to reevaluate his life and prioritize what truly mattered.

Adrian: "I was reckless back then. Always pushing too hard, taking too many risks. That night... it changed everything. I started thinking about what I was doing with my life. And I have you to thank for that."

Sophia listened, captivated by his humility and the openness with which he spoke. It was a stark contrast to the arrogance she had grown accustomed to in her professional circles.

When he asked about her life, she hesitated at first. It wasn't often that she let people in, but something about Adrian made her want to share. She told him about her career, her move to the city, and the cultural center project that had catapulted her into the spotlight.

Adrian: "That's incredible, Sophia. You've built an amazing life for yourself."

Sophia: "It wasn't easy, but I needed to prove to myself that I could stand on my own. And I have."

As the night wore on, the world around them seemed to fade. Adrian's attention never wavered, and Sophia found herself laughing at his stories and sharing more than she had intended.

The gala eventually began to wind down, but neither of them seemed eager to leave.

Adrian: "I've been to a hundred of these events, but I've never enjoyed one as much as tonight. I'd love to see you again, Sophia. If you're open to it."

Sophia hesitated, her walls creeping back up. She had spent years protecting herself from the pain of relationships, and the thought of letting someone in again terrified her.

Sophia (carefully): "I don't know, Adrian. My life is... complicated."

Adrian: "I'm not asking for anything complicated. Just dinner. No expectations, no pressure."

( Adrain had investigated about her, and what has happened to her in the past few years he was away.)

His words were gentle, almost as if he understood the battle she was fighting within herself. Sophia looked into his eyes and saw no trace of deceit or hidden motives.

Sophia: "Okay. Dinner. But only because you still owe me a proper thank-you."

Adrian (grinning): "Deal. I'll text you the details."

When Adrian walked her to the exit, she felt a warmth she hadn't experienced in years. As she stepped into her car, she glanced back and saw him watching her, his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face.

On the drive home, Sophia couldn't stop thinking about him-the way he had looked at her, the sincerity in his voice, and the way he had made her feel seen.

----A Call to Maya----

The first thing she did when she got home was call Maya.

Maya (excitedly): "Sophia! How was the gala? Did you meet anyone interesting?"

Sophia (laughing): "You're not going to believe this. Remember Adrian? The guy from the car accident?"

Maya: "The one you saved? Of course, I remember! What about him?"

Sophia: "He was at the gala. We talked. A lot."

Maya: "No way! This is like something out of a movie. What did he say?"

Sophia: "He thanked me. And then he asked me to dinner."

Maya (squealing): "Sophia! This is huge! Please tell me you said yes."

Sophia: "I did, but it's just dinner. Nothing more."

Maya: "Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that. But seriously, Soph, you deserve to be happy. Give him a chance. Who knows? This could be the start of something amazing."

As she hung up, Sophia's heart was still racing. She couldn't predict where this newfound connection with Adrian might lead, but for the first time in a long time, she felt the faintest spark of hope.