When Fates Collide Once More
Starling's POV
The exhibition hall buzzed with quiet excitement that morning.
Painters, sculptors, and designers moved around the room — some adjusting their displays, others nervously awaiting feedback from the committee.
Starling stood beside Rin, her hands folded neatly before her.
It had been two days since the selection began, and she had kept her focus sharp — avoiding any unnecessary interaction with him.
But today, as the judges gathered near Starling's section, he couldn't help but glance in her direction.
Her artwork stood tall at the center — a powerful piece that seemed to draw the room's attention without demanding it.
The judges whispered among themselves, their faces lit with admiration.
The director scanned the entries, stopping at one particular painting — Starling's.
Her piece: 'When Silence Loved the Storm.'
"This one… this is beyond anything we've seen," one of the directors murmured. "The depth, the emotion— it's breathtaking."
Elijah smiled faintly, quietly proud — even if he didn't want to be.
Because that was Starling. She always poured her soul into what he did.
Then the head of the committee spoke again.
"I think we've found our lead artist for the main showcase."
Everyone turned.
Elijah simply stood still, hands in his pockets, offering a polite nod — composed, confident, but his eyes, for just a moment, met Starling's.
And before she could look away, the director continued:
"However, for this particular vision… we have someone who understands the same emotional wavelength. Someone whose art matches this depth."
The entire hall went quiet.
The director said finally. "Let's have Starl Hayes and Mr. Elijah Ashford work together for the exhibition's main showcase."
Starling's heart skipped.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Her breath caught as she forced a calm smile, nodding politely — while inside, her heart screamed no.
Fate had played its trick again.
Few minutes after the event....
Elijah's POV
He hadn't expected it either.
The moment the committee made the announcement, Elijah's chest tightened in ways he couldn't explain.
Starling — or Starl, as everyone here knew her — turned to him briefly, her face serene, unreadable.
He knew that look. The mask she wore when she didn't want anyone to see her heart breaking.
"Looks like we'll be working together," he said quietly, his tone professional, but his voice softer than he meant it to be.
She smiled faintly. "Yes, Mr. Ashford. I look forward to it."
Formality. Distance.
It was all there, and yet… the air between them was anything but empty.
Later that afternoon in Rin's shop
Rin's POV
The bell above the bakery door chimed softly.
Rin looked up from behind the counter — and her heart stumbled again.
Matthew Ashford.
He was here again.
She quickly masked her surprise, slipping into her practiced smile.
"Good morning. What would you like today?"
He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "You already know what I'll order."
Rin pretended to think. "Hmm… coffee and two vanilla cupcakes?"
Matthew chuckled quietly. "You still remember."
Her hands froze for a second before she continued preparing his order. "You come here often. It's easy to remember."
But inside, her heartbeat raced.
Every time he spoke, it pulled something old and familiar from deep within her.
He leaned slightly against the counter, eyes watching her hands move. "You seem… different, Rin."
She smiled without looking up. "People change."
"Maybe," he said softly. "But you still avoid eye contact when you lie."
Rin paused — just long enough for him to notice — then handed him his coffee.
"Enjoy your drink, sir."
And just like that, she turned away.
Matthew sighed quietly, staring at her retreating figure.
He wasn't sure what hurt more — the distance she kept, or the fact that she looked like she'd built a life that no longer had space for him.
That afternoon, as the sun began to set, both pairs found themselves lost in thought — hearts tangled between what was gone and what fate had quietly brought back.
None of them said it aloud, but deep down they all knew:
The past wasn't finished with them yet.
Elijah's POV
The committee had long left the hall, leaving behind only a few remaining artists tidying their spaces.
Elijah lingered near his section, reviewing sketches and noting down the exhibition's timeline.
He sensed her before he even looked up.
Starling stood a few feet away, her gaze fixed on the large board that listed the showcase partners.
Her name, right beside his.
For a moment, she didn't speak.
Then, in that soft, familiar tone that still haunted him, she said,
"So… we're partners again."
He turned slightly, lips curving in a faint smile.
"Seems like fate has a sense of humor."
Starling folded her arms, pretending not to look at him. "Or maybe it's just cruel."
He chuckled lightly. "You've changed, Starling."
Her eyes flicked to his. "And you haven't."
The air between them tightened, full of unsaid things — three years of distance, of choices that neither could undo.
"I didn't know you were here… in Country Q," Elijah said after a pause.
"You weren't supposed to," she replied quietly. "I came here to start over."
He nodded slowly, his gaze softening. "Looks like we both did."
For a moment, silence filled the space — not awkward, but fragile, like a thread neither of them dared to pull.
Then she picked up her sketchbook. "Let's keep this professional, Mr. Ashford. I'll send in my drafts by tomorrow."
He smiled faintly. "Of course, Ms. Hayes."
As she turned to leave, Elijah found himself staring after her — the way she walked, the familiar calm in her steps.
He'd spent three years trying to forget her, and yet, in one quiet meeting, every piece of her came rushing back.
The next day morning...
Rin's POV
The next morning, the bakery smelled of fresh bread and caramel glaze.
Rin wiped her hands clean just as the door chimed again.
Her heart skipped.
Matthew.
This time, he wasn't in his usual casual shirt — he wore a light grey suit, hair slightly tousled, as if he'd rushed to get here.
"You again?" Rin teased, forcing a smile.
He returned it, softer. "Guess I like your coffee too much."
"Or you're just bored," she said, turning to prepare his order.
Matthew leaned on the counter, studying her face — the same eyes, the same voice, but there was something different.
She wasn't the shy, warm Rin he used to know. This Rin had learned to guard her heart.
"You really don't remember me?" he asked quietly.
Her hand paused. "What makes you think I should?"
Matthew exhaled a small laugh, shaking his head. "Right. You've moved on."
"I didn't say that," Rin murmured, glancing at him briefly. "I just said I don't remember."
But her eyes told a different story — they softened, flickering with guilt and memory.
Matthew took the cup from her hand, their fingers brushing for half a second.
That was all it took.
A memory — the two of them laughing on a rainy evening in Country R, coffee steaming between them — flashed through both their minds.
"Thank you," he said quietly, his voice rougher than before.
Rin forced a smile. "Anytime."
As he left the shop, she stood frozen behind the counter, her heart refusing to calm down.
She leaned against the counter and whispered to herself,
"Why now, Matthew?"
Elijah's POV (Later That Night)
Back in his apartment, Elijah stared at the unfinished concept sketches spread across his table.
Starling's style was different now — freer, bolder — but he could still see her in every brushstroke.
He smiled faintly.
"Still stubborn," he whispered. "Still impossible to forget."
Meanwhile, across the city, Starling lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
No matter how many times she turned, his voice echoed in her head.
That soft, steady tone she once swore she'd never miss.
Neither could sleep that night.
Neither wanted to admit why.
And somewhere in between the silence of two hearts that still remembered,
the story that fate once paused quietly began to play again.
The Things We Don't Say[1]
Elijah's POV
The night air in the Ashford estate carried the scent of rain.
Elijah sat in the living room, nursing a glass of water, staring at nothing in particular.
He'd gone through the entire day pretending to be fine — pretending that seeing her hadn't stirred something he thought was long buried.
Matthew walked in, dropping onto the couch beside him with a tired sigh.
"You've been quiet since the meeting," he said, glancing at Elijah. "That's not like you."
Elijah gave a faint smirk. "You say that like you're any better."
Matthew chuckled lightly. "Touché. But seriously — something's off. You've had that I'm thinking too much face all day."
Elijah didn't reply immediately. He swirled the water in his glass, watching the ripples.
Then, in a low voice, he said, "Do you ever wonder if the past is really gone, or if it just waits for you to trip over it again?"
Matthew leaned back, folding his arms. "You're talking about her."
Elijah didn't deny it. "She looked… different. Stronger. But when I saw her eyes — it was the same Starling. The one I left behind."
Matthew was quiet for a moment.
Then he sighed. "Funny. I ran into Rin again."
Elijah's brows lifted slightly. "You're kidding."
"I wish I was," Matthew muttered. "She pretended not to remember me. But I know she did. You can't forget someone who once made you believe in something real."
Elijah smiled faintly. "Sounds familiar."
The room grew quiet again, both brothers lost in their thoughts.
Matthew finally broke the silence. "Do you think they've moved on?"
Elijah looked out the window, eyes distant. "They tried to. Just like we did."
"And yet here we are," Matthew said softly, "still talking about them."
A dry laugh escaped Elijah's lips. "Maybe fate doesn't know how to let go either."
They sat there, the sound of rain starting to tap gently against the glass — two brothers, both haunted by the same kind of ache.
That same night
Starling's POV
Across the city, in their small rented apartment, Starling sat on the floor, surrounded by half-finished sketches.
Rin leaned against the couch, sipping tea, watching her friend's silence stretch too long.
"You've been staring at that canvas for twenty minutes," Rin said, breaking the quiet.
"Trying to paint him?"
Starling shot her a look. "What? No."
Rin grinned. "Liar."
Starling sighed, setting her brush down. "It's not what you think, Rin. I just… didn't expect to see him again."
"After three years?" Rin tilted her head. "You think fate just forgot to schedule it?"
Starling groaned softly. "Don't start."
Rin smirked but her tone softened. "You still love him."
Starling's hands froze.
She didn't answer right away. "I don't know what I feel," she whispered. "Seeing him again—it hurt, but it also… felt like breathing after holding it for too long."
Rin smiled knowingly. "That's love, Star."
Starling shot her a playful glare. "And what about you? You saw Matthew."
Rin's expression faltered for a second. "Yeah… I did."
"And?"
Rin took a deep breath, looking away. "He looked good. Older. Calmer. But when he smiled—" She paused, her voice dropping. "It felt like no time had passed."
Starling's lips curved slightly. "You pretended not to remember him."
"I had to," Rin replied softly. "If I didn't, I'd probably have cried right there behind the counter."
They both laughed quietly — the kind of laugh that came from shared pain and deep understanding.
Then, for a moment, silence fell again. Not heavy. Just real.
Starling leaned her head against Rin's shoulder. "Do you think people like us ever get second chances?"
Rin looked out the window, where raindrops trailed down the glass.
"Maybe," she said. "If we're brave enough to take them when they come."
That night, four hearts beat under the same sky —
two brothers remembering,
two women pretending not to,
and fate smiling quietly, knowing the story was far from over.
[1] Extra chapter