Chapter 4 The road to Willowridge, my hometown.

Daniel's POV

The sun filtered through the glass windows of the boardroom, casting long, golden rays over the polished table. The meeting was in full swing, voices discussing quarterly projections and strategic expansions. My executives sat around me, their confident tones filling the room. Normally, I'd be fully engaged, but today my thoughts were scattered.

As I tried to focus, my phone vibrated on the table. Glancing down, I saw an unfamiliar number. I frowned. Normally, I'd let it go to voicemail, but something compelled me to step out.

I excused myself and answered. "This is Daniel Carter."

"Mr. Carter," a deep, authoritative voice said on the other end. "Arnold Hargrove here. I trust you're familiar with me."

I stiffened. Arnold Hargrove was a legend in the industry, a man whose name carried immense weight.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Hargrove," I replied, my tone measured despite the excitement surging through me. "It's an honor to hear from you."

"I've been watching your company's rise," he said. "You're competent, precise, and driven. I've got a project, and I believe you're the best man for the job."

"Thank you, sir," I said, heart pounding. "I'm honored. Could you share more about the project?"

"You'll find the details in an email my secretary sent to you. Review it. It's time-sensitive and crucial to my interests. I trust you'll give it the attention it deserves."

"I won't disappoint you," I assured him.

The call ended, and I strode back to my office, barely acknowledging anyone along the way. This opportunity could change everything.

I opened my laptop and scanned my inbox, quickly finding Hargrove's email. As I clicked on the attached project brief, I skimmed through the details. A sharp jolt of recognition struck me like a thunderbolt.

Willowridge. My hometown.

My breath caught, and I leaned back in my chair, staring at the screen as the memories came flooding back. The sleepy little town I had left behind, its winding streets, its old stone bridge-and her.

Amelia.

The image of her filled my mind with painful clarity. Her laughter, the way her dark eyes lit up when she smiled, the soft sound of her voice. The promises I'd made to her and broken without explanation.

I clenched my jaw, torn between the instinct to reject the project and the undeniable lure of what it could mean for my business. This wasn't just a contract. It was Hargrove's endorsement, a golden key to the kind of success I'd worked my entire life to achieve.

But returning to Willowridge meant facing my past-a past I'd spent six years trying to bury.

Later that evening, I sat in my office, lost in thought. The city skyline glowed behind me, but it felt distant, disconnected from the storm raging inside me.

The sound of the door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. Elena stepped inside, her heels clicking against the floor. She looked effortlessly chic in a sleek black dress, her blonde hair swept over one shoulder.

"Still brooding over that new project?" she asked, arching an eyebrow as she approached me.

"It's more complicated than that," I replied.

She smirked, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she slid onto my lap. "Complicated or not, I'm proud of you. Hargrove doesn't just hand out contracts like candy. This is huge and I trust you".

I wrapped an arm around her waist, trying to push aside the turmoil inside me. "It is. But it's in Willowridge."

Her brow furrowed briefly. "Your hometown?"

I nodded.

"Interesting," she said, tilting her head. "I've never heard you talk much about it."

"There's not much to say," I lied.

"Well, I'm coming with you," she announced with a bright smile.

"Elena, you don't have to-"

"I want to," she interrupted, placing a finger on my lips. "Besides, I don't have much going on here, and I'd rather be close to you. Who knows? Maybe I'll even learn something new about my mysterious boyfriend."

I couldn't help but chuckle despite the weight on my chest. "You're relentless, you know that?"

"It's why you love me," she teased, leaning in to kiss me.

For a moment, I let myself forget. But as her lips touched mine, Amelia's face flashed in my mind, unbidden and inescapable.

The next day, the drive to Willowridge felt surreal. The urban sprawl gave way to open fields and dense woods, the kind of scenery I hadn't seen in years. Elena dozed in the passenger seat, oblivious to my internal turmoil.

Every mile closer to the town felt like peeling back layers of an old wound. The memories were vivid-the sound of rushing water at the stream, the way the summer sun felt on our skin, the whispered secrets and stolen kisses.

I shook my head, trying to focus on the road.

By mid-afternoon, I realized I'd taken a wrong turn. Frustrated, I pulled over near a field where an older man was tending to a fence. Rolling down the window, I called out to him.

"Excuse me, sir. Can you point me toward the main road?"

The man wiped his brow and nodded. "Head up that way and take the second left. There's a little café just ahead if you need a break."

Grateful, I thanked him and followed his directions.

The café was small and charming, with a rustic wooden sign that read The Willow Stop. I parked the car and told Elena I'd grab something for us inside.

As I stepped into the café, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods filled the air. I scanned the room, my gaze landing on a woman who was cleaning the table at the counter.

For a moment, my heart stopped.

It was her.

Amelia.

She stood with a napkin in her hand, her hair cascading over her shoulders, looking more beautiful than I remembered. Time had only deepened her grace, but her expression held a weariness I hadn't seen before.

A surge of emotions hit me-guilt, longing, regret. My pulse raced as I stood frozen in the doorway.

Her eyes lifted, and they locked with mine.

For a moment, everything else faded away. It was as if the years apart hadn't existed. As if we were still the same people who had whispered dreams beneath the stars. But reality crept in, harsh and unrelenting.

Then her lips parted, and the expression on her face shifted-shock, disbelief, and something unspoken.

"Daniel," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the café.

And just like that, the world I'd carefully built came crashing down around me.