Chapter 2 Noah's Regret

The office window framed Noah Callahan as he gazed at the city skyline against shimmering lights like an ocean. Inside, the quiet solitude stood in stark contrast to the lively activity occurring outside in New York City during the late hours. The automobiles darted through the dark streets below while their headlights illuminated paths like streaks of fire, but his thoughts weighed upon him heavily.

A full twelve months elapsed since Eliza exited his life. His carelessness and conceit along with his false belief that he could have everything caused their marriage to end a year ago. His mind kept replaying images of her absence and the emptiness in their bed while the quiet surroundings replaced the warmth and happiness she brought him.

Noah whispered "God" while gripping the glass's edge as if that action could pull him back to reality. The driving forces behind his actions were his desires for control and power alongside his pursuit of success. The true nature of losing something more precious than wealth became clear to him only after Eliza departed.

He finally understood the extent of his failure in managing everything.

He had forced himself into a work and diversion fog for several months, trying unsuccessfully to forget about her. He found himself unable to dismiss or neglect the continuous sensation that he had permitted her to escape him. The idea ate away from within as it developed and worsened.

The long workdays had left him disorganized while inner stress had mounted within him for months which led him to run a hand through his dark hair. He felt defeated in every business negotiation while rivals tightened their grip and the board pressured him to grow the company. Nothing compared to the empty void in his heart where Eliza used to exist.

A subtle murmur and occasional rumours marked the start of this situation. The whispers about Eliza had recently escalated into loud cries. The story of Eliza's rise to dominance in the fashion world reached him, including how she forged her business empire from her failed marriage and how her namesymbolisedd both style and success. The storm started small but had become undeniable. Eliza's amazing creation, without his help and resources brought him to the brink of death.

As Noah's eyes fell upon the stack of documents before him, his focus began to slip. Noah just finalised an important business contract designed to grow his company's European operations while generating significant profits. Noah handed his assistant the documents, but found Eliza constantly occupying his thoughts.

Throughout his life, she served as the illuminating spark that lit up every space they entered together. However, he had assumed that. He believed that her devotion to him would last indefinitely and her love would survive all things. He had been mistaken.

He swept his hand across his face and grumbled "Damn it."

Now, her name was screaming in the headlines: self-made fashion tycoon Eliza Callahan. She built her empire and brand from nothing, which surprised both her critics and competitors. Noah knew about the photographs, the conversations, and the written reports. They all described her as a lady who emerged from devastation with increased power and strength and greater radiance.

Seeing her name in the headlines filled him with an inescapable sense of pride. It was something far worse than jealousy. I'm sorry. He regretted wasting so much time with her before realising her worth. He mourned the nights he spent working late and his broken promises as he watched the distance between them grow like a stealthy assassin.

The business honours represented just one of the painful realities he faced. The reality of Eliza's absence weighed heavily on him. She had established her separate existence without him. The transformation of her life had taken hold and burned him because she had emerged from their failed marriage like a phoenix from ashes.

Noah knew about the rumours circulating about her new life. He had caught whispers about her new relationships and mentions of powerful men who offered her career opportunities, which he had never secured. Although he questioned how much of this was true, he felt sick thinking of another man standing next to her and touching her while she looked up at him with adoration.

Noah could identify who entered his office without needing to raise his gaze because his door opened slightly. His assistant Emily came through the door carrying a slim file in her grasp.

She announced tersely that they had someone waiting to see him. Noah maintained his focus on the sprawling cityscape beneath him without acknowledging her presence.

In a tired voice, Noah said to Emil,y "I don't want to attend any meetings tonight."

Emily told Noah with a worried tone that the person at his door was not here for a meeting. "It's her."

A wave of emotion hit Noah with the force of a chest blow when he heard her name spoken. A moment of pause enveloped him while his heart thumped vigorously in his chest. Eliza. The mere mention of that word caused anger and regret to burst through him alongside intense longing.

His face displayed an intense mixture of bewilderment and surprise as he spun around. "Eliza?" A slight crack appeared in his voice which exposed his desperate efforts to maintain composure.

Emily nodded slightly to him. "She is present. Despite my notification that you were busy, she continued to stay.

An adrenaline rush rushed through Noah's chest. What was it she desired? Was she there to make a point? Had she come to show him her progress? He didn't know.

Despite his mind considering countless potential scenarios, he faced when meeting her again without any preparation.

Emily stepped aside to let Eliza enter the room while his heart hammered in his ears. Noah was momentarily unable to breathe. She stood before him, surrounded by the doorway, which made her presence burst into his quiet life as if a storm had broken through. Her black hair cascaded in undulating waves past her shoulders while her expression remained both mysterious and calm. Her beauty surpassed his memory.

She had changed her appearance. More powerful. More assured. That element hit him hardest, damn it.

He spoke her name, "Eliza", with a barely audible whisper.

She took a while to reply. She scanned the room with her jaw clenched as she took in the opulence of his office which represented the world she once belonged to but had abandoned and the existence he had built.

They shared a fleeting look when her eyes met his before her lips began to part. Her voice had a chilly detachment as she stated, "I heard you were in town, Noah." "I wanted to come visit you."

Noah felt frozen in place when she entered and his memories flooded back. She had transformed into someone different from the person Noah had once known. Someone who had lived through him. Noah had never felt such intense agony from a single realisation before that moment.

But Eliza had more to do.

Her heels made a rhythmic clicking sound as she stepped into the room and announced, "I'm here for a reason." He no longer frightened her. She felt she had nothing left to sacrifice.

A dry sensation spread through Noah's throat as his heart rate sped up. Why had she come here? His response carries the potential to either save him or destroy him.

The confined space felt increasingly tight with each passing second. When their eyes locked, he understood one thing:

This was more than a simple visit. It was time to face up.