Chapter 84: Different Person

“It’s getting boring seeing his face plastered all over the news,” Carson sighed as he crossed his feet. He glanced over at Sarah and found her leisurely flipping through the airline magazine.

“Stop looking, then,” Sarah said nonchalantly.

“Tell me honestly, don’t you miss him?” Carson questioned with wild curiosity.

Sarah pretended like she didn’t hear. Since she'd left Colton Group and William, she spent some quiet time at a hill station, simply trying to find a way in life. Who would have known that Carson would knock on her door one fine morning and refuse to leave? He told her he knew she was his cousin and then pretty much forced her to be associated with the Cavanaughs.

“I see. You do,” Carson answered himself.

Sarah sighed and snapped the magazine shut. She turned to Carson. “I am going back for the first time in two years. The last thing I need is to be reminded of him,” she informed him.

“I am only preparing you for the inevitable. You will meet him and he will try something.”

Sarah shook her head. “He will not.” He put his pride over everything. His position in the company… how he looked in front of the world were at the forefront of his mind. So, he wouldn’t stoop down for a girl who dumped him years ago.

Carson turned the volume of the interview up and made sure Sarah could hear it all. Sarah paid close attention to the progress of the government project. Yes, she had made a clean break with Colton Group and the Stones, but she had poured her love and energy into the project before that. How could she not worry about her baby?

A small smile tugged on her lips when she realized the results of the project had far exceeded her expectations.

- - - - -

William walked out of the changing room to find Luca pacing around the room. “What’s wrong?” he asked immediately.

“I found Sarah,” Luca rushed the words out.

“In the span of an hour?” William questioned with his brow raised.

“Yes, she just boarded an international flight.”

“Where is she headed?” William asked. “Book the first flight out for me. Right now,” he continued before listening to her answer.

“No. She is coming back to the city. She was living abroad for some time, it seems. I just can’t figure out how she got out of the country without her name being registered in an airport.”

Luca wondered if she had illegally sneaked into another country before shaking that thought away.

William looked at his watch. “When does she land?” When he heard the response, he nodded. “Push back my work for the day. We are going to the airport.”

Luca’s eyes widened in horror. “You’re going to confront her in front of so many people? Boss, you were just on the news, everyone will recognize you.” Luca’s advice fell on deaf ears.

William hastened out of the green room and went to the lobby. People flocked to him for a conversation, but he brushed them away without a single glance. The producer and host were also part of the group, but they too were treated like air.

Luca shook his head and sprinted after him. He forgot about being respectable and held the others back. He spoke to them politely, promising to call them back and treat them to lunch on another day.

By the time he was done, the elevator William had disappeared into had already reached the parking lot floor. Luca waited for the next elevator and followed. William was already seated in the car by the time he arrived.

There was a look of urgency on his face that Luca had not expected. “Sir, there is no use going this early. Her flight lands after five hours,” he informed.

“It is safer to be early. I can’t allow her to slip away this time because I got caught in traffic.” He paused and remembered something. “Make sure she doesn’t find out in advance and that we know the exact exit she will be taking.”

He didn’t want to leave anything to chance. If someone else found out and stirred the pot, William would lose his chance again.

Luca hummed and started the engine. True to what William had said, it was as if the whole city was headed to the airport. Traffic was heavy and William looked dreadful as more time passed. Moreover, there was a huge accident up ahead which took a lot of time.

Still, they arrived with time to spare.

When Sarah walked out of customs and headed to the exit, she saw a flashy car waiting in the front. She appraised it carefully, wondering which of the rich brats in the city owned it. Carson paid more interest to it.

He was about to say something about it when the door opened and a long leg emerged. Sarah stiffened for a moment, recognizing William immediately. She didn’t even need to see his face.

“He has changed his car,” she mumbled under her breath. She turned to the next exit so that William didn’t see her. There was no way he would find out she had come back so soon, so he was there to pick someone else up.

“Is that our ex-boss?” Carson asked.

Sarah sped up and exited through the exit on the farthest. She didn’t worry about William recognizing her from the distance. Her dress and accessories were not ones he had seen her wear. Her whole demeanor had changed over the years as she experienced the world.

She casually walked out and helped load her luggage into the cab Carson had hailed. Carson slid in first and Sarah was about to get in when a hand pressed over hers on the door. She jumped back, almost falling over in surprise.

A warm hand broke the fall. William pulled her close and refused to let go. Sarah wriggled in his grasp, trying to get out.

“Are you two going or not?” the cab driver asked hesitantly.

“Yes,” Sarah responded.

“No,” William said at the same time.

The driver looked more confused and turned to Carson, who was baffled but enjoying the drama unfolding outside.

“You said he wouldn’t create a scene,” Carson grumbled.

Neither Sarah nor William heard his commentary.

“It’s been a long time, Sarah Mitch. You look like a different person,” William said with a hint of resentment.

“I am a different person,” she admitted outright.