Chapter 3
Present day.
Her phone rang. It was Nella.
"How'd the date go?"
"As usual... it flopped."
"Girl, are you planning to stay single forever? You gotta pull yourself together and forget Kai! It's been over fifteen years, Brenda."
"I wish it were that easy."
"I'm coming over tomorrow. But right now, I gotta tend to my husband. Bye, girl!"
Brenda set the phone down and made her way to the painting room. Not much of a painter, she used it to drown out pain—a way to process stress no one ever saw.
In the corner stood a large portrait of Kai, painted the day she bought the house. She stared at it.
"What did you do to me? I'm angry... I don't want to see you again. But I want to, too."
Glancing at the clock, she realized it was late. An urgent meeting awaited her the next day, so she retired to bed.
---
At the office the next morning, Brenda sat behind her desk when Halle, her secretary, entered.
"Madam, your personal assistant has arrived. May I send him in?"
Brenda nodded.
A young man stepped inside and took a seat, eyes fixed on Brenda as if mesmerized.
"What's your name?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"You're beautiful," he blurted.
She raised her voice. "Excuse me?"
He blinked, coming back to himself. "Sorry, Ms. Belair..."
"No one calls me by my last name!" she cut him off sharply.
"Sorry, madam. Greg Perry, your new assistant."
"You start tomorrow. Be punctual. Always arrive thirty minutes before me—understood?"
He nodded, still clearly impressed. Brenda turned her chair to gaze out the window, while Greg quietly admired her from behind.
---
That evening, Brenda arrived home to find the door unlocked. Nella was inside, sipping Brenda's favorite wine.
"You know that wine's out of stock at Wine Culture? It's the only place that sells it!" Brenda grabbed the bottle, took a long sip, and sank into the couch.
"How was work?" Nella asked.
"Hectic. I have a new assistant. Quite young."
"He? Is he cute?"
"Compose yourself, married woman." Brenda shut her down with a smirk and went upstairs to drop her bag.
"I'm tired. Stressed. Single. And to top it all off—still single!"
Nella grinned. "I know just the place. Grab your keys—we're getting wasted."
---
They drove to a buzzing club surrounded by bodyguards.
"ID?" a guard asked Brenda.
She rolled her eyes. "Is my face not ID enough for you?"
Seeing Brenda ready to lose her temper, Nella pulled out their IDs on her phone. They were allowed in.
Inside, blue lights bathed the room. The crowd was overwhelming. It was masquerade night, and masks were handed out.
"Let's head to the VIP section—it's quieter," Brenda shouted to Nella.
"I came to party, girl! You go ahead—I'll be here."
Nella disappeared into the crowd. Brenda made her way to the VIP area, choosing a secluded couch and ordering a cosmo. Then another. Just as she was about to order a third, a bottle girl approached with a glass of scotch.
"Who's this from?" Brenda asked. No one here knew her well enough to buy her drinks.
"The club owner," the bottle girl said, then left.
Brenda pushed the glass away, refusing to drink. Another glass of tequila arrived—she declined again.
Removing her mask, Brenda scanned the room for the mystery sender but recognized no one.
Suddenly, a man sat across from her, face shadowed by a mask. She felt an odd familiarity.
"I bought you those drinks," he said. His voice was deep, hauntingly like Kai's—but different.
"I'm capable of buying my own drinks," she snapped.
"You haven't changed. Still stubborn... still feisty. I like it."
"So what do you mean, 'haven't changed'? Have we met before?"
The man dropped his glass and removed his mask. His green eyes met hers, stabbing at her heart.
"We meet again, Belair."
It was Kai. Older, bearded, but still striking.
"Kai?" Brenda whispered, stunned.
He called her Belair—no one else ever did.
Panic rose in her chest. She grabbed her purse, moving toward the door—but a strong hand yanked her back, pressing her against him.
"Let go!" she demanded, struggling.
Kai held firm.
Summoning strength she didn't know she had, she broke free and slapped him hard across the face.
"Don't you ever lay your hands on me again!" she hissed, then stormed out.
She forgot Nella entirely as she jumped in her car and sped away.
At home, her knees buckled. She collapsed onto the floor and crawled to the couch, overwhelmed.
Kai was back. The man she'd hoped for—but why did it hurt so much?