Chapter 5 Memories Of The Past

Fred Maluma.

Back in high school, Fred Maluma was the boy who could light up a room with his charm. He was charismatic, popular, and utterly obsessed with Emelia. From the moment they met, Fred was drawn to her, but his affection for her quickly spiraled into something deeper - something darker.

Flashback

Fred and Emelia started off as friends. They shared lunches in the cafeteria, studied together in the library, and spent countless afternoons talking about their dreams. But for Fred, those moments were everything. Each smile from Emelia was a glimmer of hope, a chance that maybe, just maybe, she would one day feel the same way he did.

Then tragedy struck. Fred lost his parents in a plane crash, and his world shattered. The emptiness was overwhelming, and he sought comfort in Emelia. He convinced himself that she could fill the void left by his parents. If he could just win her heart, maybe the ache in his chest would subside.

But Emelia's heart already belonged to someone else.

One afternoon, Fred found Emelia laughing in the hallway, her hand clasped in Marcus's. The sight was a dagger to his heart. How could she choose Marcus over him? Marcus, who never tried as hard as he did, who never loved her the way he did.

The frustration boiled over, and he confronted her after school.

"Emelia," he said, blocking her path. "What haven't I done for you? Why don't you see me? Why can't you just give me a chance?"

Emelia's eyes softened with pity, and that look crushed him. "Fred, you're a great guy. You're my friend. But that's all we'll ever be. My heart belongs to someone else."

Fred swallowed, his throat thick. "Why him? Why Marcus? What does he have that I don't?"

Emelia sighed, her gaze shifting away. "It's not about what he has or doesn't have. I love him. I'm sorry."

With those words, Emelia walked away, leaving Fred standing alone in the empty hallway. The rejection echoed in his mind, louder and louder until it was all he could hear. That day, Fred vowed to never be weak again. He would bury his heart beneath a fortress of ice and steel, and no one would ever hurt him like that again.

---

Present Day

The sun was barely up when Marcus and Emelia set out for Maluma Enterprises. Emelia couldn't shake the unease that had settled in her chest. The name Maluma brought back too many memories, memories she wished she could forget.

They took the bus, a slow, silent ride through the city. Marcus stared out the window, his jaw clenched, his hands fidgeting in his lap. Emelia sat beside him, her hands wrapped tightly around her purse. Each passing street sign made her heart pound faster.

They finally arrived. Maluma Enterprises loomed over them, a towering structure of glass and steel. Emelia stared up at it, her breath catching. How could Fred, the boy she once knew, own something so grand, so imposing?

She shook her head, trying to focus. "Remember, you can do this," she said, forcing a smile as they entered the lobby. "You're going to do great, baby."

Marcus nodded, but the haunted look in his eyes remained. Emelia watched as he disappeared behind the glass doors of the interview room. Her heart clenched. This wasn't just another interview. This was their last shot at turning things around.

---

Upstairs, behind a wall of glass, Fred Maluma watched them.

He leaned back in his leather chair, his eyes narrowed as he observed the couple. Emelia hadn't changed much. Older, yes. Tired. Defeated. But still the same girl who had shattered his heart years ago.

The old pain resurfaced, clawing at his insides. How dare she step foot in his building? Did she even remember what she had done to him?

Fred pressed a button on his intercom. "Get me Thomas, the interviewer," he said, his voice low and cold. "Tell him to promise Marcus the job. But make it clear - he has to earn it."

A wicked smile curved Fred's lips. Emelia was in his world now. And this time, he was the one in control.

---

Downstairs, Emelia sat in the company café, nursing a cup of coffee. Her nerves were frayed. The interview had ended, and Marcus was still inside. She couldn't help but feel that something was wrong, that someone was watching her.

A few minutes later, Marcus emerged from the interview room. There was a spark in his eyes that Emelia hadn't seen in months.

"They said they'd call me if I got the job," he said, his smile shaky but genuine.

Emelia's heart soared. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either. "That's great," she said, pulling him into a tight hug. "I knew you could do it."

For a moment, hope bloomed between them. Maybe things were finally starting to turn around.

Marcus's phone buzzed, and he pulled away from Emelia to answer it. The voice on the other end was loud enough for Emelia to hear. It was one of his old friends, asking him for a favor. Marcus's smile widened.

"I'll meet you at home," he said, kissing Emelia on the cheek before hurrying out of the building. "This could be something good."

Emelia watched him go, her chest tightening. It had been so long since she'd seen him smile like that. But as she turned to leave, the feeling of being watched crept up her spine again.

---

Fred had seen it all. From the moment Emelia and Marcus stepped into the building, his eyes had been on them. The sight of Emelia standing there, looking so small and vulnerable, sent a fresh surge of anger coursing through him.

"Sir," his PA said, walking into the office. "You asked me to find out why she was here. Apparently, she came to support her husband during the interview."

Fred's jaw clenched. Husband. The word stung like a slap to the face. So, she was still with Marcus.

"What do you want me to do, sir?" the PA asked.

Fred drummed his fingers against the polished surface of his desk. "I want to know everything about them. Their financial situation, where they live, everything. And instruct Thomas to keep Marcus on the hook. Dangle the job in front of him. I want to see just how desperate they are."

"Understood, sir."

Fred leaned back, his eyes dark and stormy. This was just the beginning.

---

Emelia wandered toward the exit, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. Just as she was about to step out, a firm hand gripped her shoulder.

She spun around, her breath catching in her throat. A tall man in a sleek black suit loomed over her, his expression cold and unreadable.

"Miss," he said, his voice clipped and professional. "Someone would like to speak to you."

Emelia's heart dropped.