Zoe

I stared out of the car window, watching the buildings blur past in a gray and glassy haze. My mind raced, like a giant salad mixer spinning furiously.

Max, ever the focused driver, kept us moving. While Jackie sat beside me, tapping away on her tablet, mumbling names of shipping companies like she was reciting a grocery list.

"Blue Ocean Shipping...Century Line... Omega Marine..."

I nodded, but my mind was elsewhere. My thoughts were stuck in the conference meeting—John's words echoing in my head like a fire alarm I couldn't turn off.

"All of our distribution...will be handled exclusively by Petrakis Shipping."

Exclusively.

Petrakis.

Zeus.

I felt the blood drain from my face all over again.

Of all the shipping companies in the world...it had to be his? The one name I never wanted to hear again.

My ex, my first love, the boy who shattered my heart on a night I still couldn't talk about without feeling like I couldn't breathe.

My chest tightened, and I pressed my hand just below my collarbone, trying to calm the ache that had been buried there for years. But it was no use. That pain had deep roots, a wound that never healed properly.

I curled my fingers into fists in my lap, fighting the memories that threatened to overwhelm me.

I knew Zeus. I knew how his mind worked—always two steps ahead, calculated, ruthless when it came to winning. He knew I was close to sealing this distribution deal with John, and it would be just like him to swoop in and ensure his company handled the shipments.

That was Zeus—clever, dangerous, and maddeningly irresistible.

I shook my head, trying to push aside the thoughts. No, Zoe. Don't go there. Not now. This wasn't about the past. It was about keeping Vital Harvest afloat. It was business, survival.

But the thought lingered in my mind.

Was this personal? Was this his way of getting back at me? Or was it just business for him—like I never even mattered?

Either way, I had to confront him. If I wanted to secure a deal with John, I had to speak to Zeus. We needed to be civil. Professional. Maybe even partners.

And deep down...I knew I needed something else too.

Closure.

Because if we were really going to work together—even just for business—I couldn't keep pretending that the past didn't matter.

Because it did.

It always had.

Maybe I wouldn't be able to move forward until I looked him in the eye and finally asked the questions that had haunted me all these years.

Why did you leave me like that?

And was any of it real?

***

I spent the rest of the afternoon with my expo team at their Airbnb. The place was chaotic—boxes, banners, and a mountain of freebies. But it was a good kind of chaos. We planned our boot set-up, organized the raffle tickets, and made sure everything was ready to attract buyers and investors. It felt good to be busy, to have something to focus on—and not think about Zeus all the time.

By the time I got back to Somersby Estate, it was already nine in the evening. I kicked off my shoes, changed into my favorite oversized T-shirt and a pair of comfy shorts, and started getting ready for bed.

Then I glanced out the window.

And there he was—Zeus.

He was walking through the garden, alone, his face lit up by the glow of his phone. He looked deep in thought, maybe even distracted.

My heart did that weird fluttering thing again.

I stood there for a moment, watching him. My fingers tightened around the curtain.

This was my chance.

Before I could overthink it, I slipped out of my room and walked quietly down the hallway.

I headed straight for the garden.

The garden looked breathtaking at night. The wonderful scent of flowers teasing my nostrils and the bright moon illuminating the entire area. In another time, I would have enjoyed it too much, but tonight, I had a mission.

My heart throbbed as I spotted Zeus standing by the grand fountain, his back turned to me. For a moment, I just stood there frozen, watching the way the lights reflected off the water and danced around him. He looked so calm, like he belonged there—untouchable, intimidating, and magnetic.

Come on, Zoe, I thought to myself. What do you think you're doing? Let's get this over with him.

I took a deep breath, gathering my courage as I forced my feet forward towards him.

"We need to talk," I said, trying to sound more confident than I actually felt.

He turned slowly, and for a fleeting moment, a look of surprise crossed his face when he saw me. But it quickly vanished, replaced by his usual cold and unreadable expression, which he always wore like impenetrable armor.

"Miss Stavrakos," he said, his voice smooth and detached. "Good evening."

Ugh. The way he said my name sent a flutter to my chest. Seeing him up close again made my stomach flip unexpectedly. It hit me like a wave.

He was ridiculously, unfairly handsome, standing so tall in front of me. He wore a white shirt with sleeves rolled up, revealing muscular forearms and those stupid biceps—I wished I hadn't noticed. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, giving a teasing view of his chest.

Snap out of it, Zoe. You came here to confront him, not swoon over him.

"Drop the act," I said quietly. "No one can hear us out here."

Zeus glanced around, checking the garden. It was just the two of us, tucked into a quiet corner—not completely hidden from the house, but far enough.

He gave a small nod. "Alright. Let's walk. I'll give you a quick tour of the garden."

I nodded. Walking seemed like a good idea—it would keep us moving and provide a subtle excuse not to face each other directly.

We strolled through the garden, the soft scent of flowers lingering in the air. The night was calm, and the moonlight bathed everything in a silvery glow. It was almost too peaceful for the conversation I knew we were about to have.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked.

"Your shipping company," I said. "The one that will ship all of John's food products."

"What about it?"

"Are you here to sabotage me?" I demanded. "Is that your plan? To make sure I don't get the deal with John?"

Zeus' eyes widened. "What? No! Why would you think that?"

"For obvious reasons. Because you hate me," I said. "You hate my family."

"Our families may be at war, but I don't interfere with your dealings with John. I just focus on my own matters."

"So, why are you here? Why are you suddenly involved in the one thing that could make or break my company?"

Zeus ran a hand through his hair. "I had no idea you would be here. I didn't know you were coming to the Trade expo, either. This is as much a surprise to me as it is to you. Our shipping company has been in a partnership with John's ever since. I was not lying when I told you he only trusts us to ship his goods. You should have done your research before coming here."

I knew he was right, but I still refused to admit it.

"So what now?" I asked. "If I get the deal with John, your company will ship my products."

"Yes," he said. "That's how it works."

"Are you okay with that? Working with me?"

"It's business, Zoe. Just business," he said firmly, and that triggered anger in me.

"Right," I said, my eyes narrowed. "Just business. Like everything else with you."

"What do you mean?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "You know what I mean."

His face changed. His cool mask slipped a little. "If you're referring to the past..."

"Why? You don't want to hear what a callous monster you were?" I smirked nastily. "It didn't surprise me you haven't changed at all in eight years. You're still the same. Heartless. Insensitive."

"That's not fair," he said.

"Fair?" I laughed. "You want to talk about fair? What you did to me was so unfair. You led me on, deceived me. Then you dumped me at the end without even an explanation. So, tell me, is that fair?"

"I told you I was moving to Greece," he said, his voice getting louder.

"You told me a lot of things," I shot back. "Like how you loved me. How we would always be together. But they were all empty promises."

"For heaven's sake, Zoe. Must you bring up the past now? We were kids," he hissed. "We knew nothing about the real world."

"I knew what I felt," I said. "And it was real."

He looked away. "The past is the past, Zoe. We can't change it."

"I don't want to change it," I said. "I just want to understand it."

For a moment, we both stood there, breathing hard. All the anger and hurt from eight years ago came rushing back. But there was something else, too. Something that scared me even more.

Zeus stepped closer to me. Too close, I could smell his cologne—clean, masculine, and completely distracting.

His eyes dropped to my lips. For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me. Part of me wanted him to. Part of me was terrified he would.

Neither of us moved. It was like time stood still.

Then we heard a voice calling from the house.

"Hello? Is anyone out here?"

We jumped apart just as Martha came around the corner. She smiled when she saw us.

"Oh, there you are, Mr. Petrakis," she said, then turned to me with a surprised expression. "Ah, hello, Miss Stavrakos. Good evening."

"Good evening, Martha."

She bowed slightly, then turned to Zeus. "Mr. Somersby is looking for you. Something about tomorrow's schedule. He's in his study right now."

"I'll be right there. Thanks Martha," Zeus said, his voice calm and polite.

Martha grinned, shifting her eyes from me to Zeus, before she walked away, leaving us alone again.

Zeus wouldn't look at me now. "We'll work together if we have to. But that's all it will be. Work."

"Of course. What else would it be? This is strictly business, nothing more, nothing less," I replied. My pride was talking.

"Goodnight, Zoe," he said and started to walk away. Then he stopped and turned back.

"I don't want to make the same mistake twice," he said. Then he was gone, leaving me alone in the garden with my thoughts.

Was he saying I was a mistake? Or that leaving me was the mistake?

I didn't know. But one thing was clear. The past wasn't as dead as I thought it was.

And neither were my feelings for Zeus Petrakis.