Chapter 177 Rekindling
The rain had stopped by evening, leaving the London streets glistening under the orange streetlights. Inside her hotel suite,
Anabelle sat by the wide window, a cup of warm tea resting on the table beside her laptop. The city stretched far below—busy, bright, and restless. But inside, the room was quiet.
Her phone buzzed softly on the table. She glanced at the screen and froze for a moment. The message was from Fred.
“I heard you’re in London. Still avoiding dinner with old friends?”
A faint smile tugged at her lips. She hadn’t spoken to him properly in months—not since their last short exchange about work. He always knew how to sound casual, even when his words carried a deeper meaning.
Her fingers hovered over the screen before she typed back, “Only avoiding bad company. But if you’re offering dinner, maybe I can make an exception.”
The reply came within seconds. “Tomorrow. Seven. Same place as before?”
Anabelle looked at the message for a long time. She could still remember the small restaurant tucked away in a quiet corner of the city—the place they once used to go when they wanted to escape the noise of their busy lives.
Finally, she wrote, “I’ll be there.”
She set the phone down and leaned back in her chair. A soft sigh escaped her lips. She wasn’t sure why she agreed so easily. Maybe it was curiosity. Or maybe it was the thought of hearing a familiar voice again.
–––
The next evening came faster than she expected. The restaurant was warm and softly lit, filled with the hum of quiet conversations and the clinking of glasses. The smell of roasted herbs and coffee lingered in the air.
Anabelle walked in, wearing a navy-blue dress that matched the calmness she wanted to feel. Her hair was loose this time, falling around her shoulders. She spotted Fred near the window, sitting at their old table.
He stood as soon as he saw her. “Anabelle.”
She smiled. “Fred.”
He looked almost the same—still tall, his dark hair touched faintly with gray, his eyes bright and calm. There was warmth in them, a familiarity that made her chest tighten just a little.
“You look exactly like I remember,” he said, smiling as he pulled out a chair for her.
“And you look exactly like someone who’s been working too hard,” she replied lightly.
He chuckled. “Guilty as charged. Old habits die hard.”
They sat, and the waiter came to take their order. Once the menus were gone, the silence between them felt comfortable, not heavy.
Fred leaned back slightly. “So, how’s the famous Ms. Hayes? Still conquering the world one deal at a time?”
Anabelle smiled faintly. “Something like that. But it’s not as glamorous as it sounds.”
“Still pretending you don’t enjoy it?” he teased.
“Maybe,” she said softly. “But success comes with a price, Fred. You know that.”
He nodded. “I do. But if anyone can handle it, it’s you.”
She looked at him, her eyes warm. “You always believed in me. Even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
Fred’s smile softened. “You gave me a reason to. I saw how hard you worked when no one was watching.”
Anabelle’s gaze dropped for a moment. “Sometimes I wonder if it was worth it. The sacrifices. The long nights.”
“It was,” he said firmly. “Because it made you who you are.”
The waiter returned with two glasses of wine and their dinner. The soft glow of candles danced across their faces as they began to eat. Conversation flowed easily between them, like it used to. They talked about their projects, the people they met, the places they’d seen.
At one point, Fred leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Do you ever miss it?”
“Miss what?”
“The simple days,” he said. “When success wasn’t everything.”
She paused. “Sometimes,” she admitted. “But I’ve built my life around progress. Slowing down feels strange now.”
He smiled gently. “Maybe you just need the right company to remind you how.”
Her eyes met his. There was something quiet but strong in his tone—something she hadn’t realized she missed until that moment.
After dinner, they stepped outside. The air was cool, and the pavement was still damp from the earlier rain. The city lights shimmered on the wet streets.
“Walk with me?” Fred asked.
Anabelle hesitated only for a second before nodding. “All right.”
They walked side by side down the quiet street, their footsteps echoing softly. The city noise faded behind them as they turned toward the river.
“I used to come here when I needed to think,” Fred said. “It’s peaceful, isn’t it?”
Anabelle nodded. “It is.”
He glanced at her. “You’ve changed, you know.”
“How so?”
“You’re stronger. Calmer. But there’s also something… distant.”
She smiled faintly. “That’s what time does to people.”
He stopped and faced her. “Maybe. Or maybe you’ve just learned to hide behind walls.”
She looked at him quietly, unsure how to respond.
Fred stepped closer, his voice gentle. “You don’t have to hide with me. You never did.”
The honesty in his tone made her heart stir. “I’m not hiding,” she said softly.
“Then what are you doing, Anabelle?” he asked. “Running from the past? Or waiting for something new?”
She met his gaze. “Maybe both.”
For a moment, neither spoke. The river glimmered under the bridge lights, and a faint wind brushed against them.
Fred smiled slowly. “Then maybe we can stop running for one evening.”
Anabelle’s lips curved. “And just… walk?”
“Exactly,” he said, his eyes warm.
They continued walking, their hands brushing now and then, neither of them pulling away. The silence between them was no longer awkward—it was peaceful. Familiar.
When they reached the bridge, Anabelle stopped and leaned on the railing, looking at the water below. “You know,” she said quietly, “I didn’t realize how much I missed this. Talking. Laughing. Just… being.”
Fred stood beside her. “You were always too busy being strong for everyone else.”
She turned to him. “And you were always the one reminding me to breathe.”
He chuckled softly. “Someone had to.”
The sound of his laughter made her smile, a genuine one this time.
As the city lights reflected in her eyes, Fred looked at her and said, “Maybe we should do this again. Not as the famous Anabelle Hayes and the overworked Fred, but just… us.”
She hesitated, then nodded. “I’d like that.”
They stood there for a while longer, side by side, watching the water flow quietly beneath them. The night felt lighter somehow, filled with something almost forgotten.
As they walked back toward the street, Anabelle felt warmth spreading through her chest—a kind of peace she hadn’t felt in years.
For the first time in a long while, she wasn’t thinking about the next deal or the next meeting. She was just there, walking with someone who reminded her that beneath all the power and success, she was still human.
And as Fred smiled at her before saying goodnight, Anabelle realized that some connections never truly fade—they just wait for the right moment to begin again.