The air hung thick with expectation in the grand chamber of the New York Hilton. Sun rays filtered through the building's glass Windows, cast a dappled pattern on the polished floor where a mass of neatly dressed men and women buzzed with energy.
Julie Garfield in her well ironed panty suit, a stark discrepancy to the muted tones of the cityscape outside, navigated the mass with a small leather bound tablet gripped in her hand. The air vibrated with the electric hum of ambition, the true substance of the city she had left behind years ago. Julie had returned to New York after a long stay in Europe, where she had pursued her passion for architecture, immersing herself in the world of gravestone, glass, and design. Now she was here a freshman to the world of high tech, attending this conference to explore implicit opportunity for her rookie career. The stage in the room, bathed in a soft limelight gleam, was adorned with a sleek minimalist background a stark discrepancy to the intricate patterns of the baroque chandeliers above. A hush fell over the crowd as the MC, a smooth talking, red haired man took the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen." he announced, his voice roaring through the hall. "It is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you, the visionary behind Neumann Enterprise, the man who revolutionized the tech world, the one and only, Den Neumann!" A surge of sonorous applause erupted with the sound resonating through the room. As Julie watched, a surge of unbelief washed over her. The man marching confidently onto the stage with his dark hair slightly longer than she remembered with a dazzling smile etched on his handsome features and a familiar glint in his deep set eyes, was none other than Den. Her Den. The man she had loved with a fierce intensity, the man who had shattered her heart years ago. He had not changed much. The same sharp jawline, the same mischievous smile that could light up a room, the same air of seductiveness that drew people to him like moths to a honey. He was more muscular now with a hint of suave in his posture radiating an air of power and confidence that she had not seen before. "Welcome, Den!" the MC beamed, extending the microphone towards him. Den took it easily, his voice reverberative and clear, cutting through the residual applause. He began his keynote speech, his words flowing painlessly, painting a pictorial picture of the future of technology, his vision both ambitious and inspiring. He spoke of artificial intelligence, of substantiated gests and of a world connected in ways unconceivable just some years ago. Julie sat upright totally charmed by his speech, his passion and his vision. Den was a far cry from the debonair, delightful and loving boy she had known, the boy who had once planned to get a musician who would play his guitar in their shared apartment, filling their world with music and laughter. As Den spoke, Julie seemed to compare the man she saw on stage with the boy who had kissed her under the Parisian sky, the boy who had promised her everything only to break her trust and vanish from her life just as quickly as he had entered it. The pang in her heart was a familiar one, a bitter memorial of the history she thought she had left behind. The conference continued throughout the day, a whirlwind of donations, demonstrations, and networking openings. Julie, still reeling from the unanticipated hassle, found herself lost in the crowd, her mind replaying Den's speech, his every word echoing in her ears. As the day drew to a close, Julie found herself walking through the vacated conference hall, the moping scent of coffee and leftover wines filling the air. The lights had dimmed, casting long shadows on the plush carpets. She was about to head out when her shoulder collided with someone's chest sending her tablet and papers tumbling to the floor. "Oh, I am so sorry!" she said, hastily gathering her papers and tablet. She looked up to meet Den's aspect , his expression a blend of surprise and something else she could not relatively decrypt. "Julie? Is that really you?" he asked, a hint of unbelief in his voice. "Den, it's me." she replied, her heart pounding in her chest. "It's been.... a while." "It sure has." he agreed, a faint smile playing on his lips. He picked up the fallen tablet, his fingers brushing against hers as he handed it back to her. The touch transferred a jolt of electricity through her, a memory of their past relationship surfacing with a painful memorial of what had been and what was lost. They both fell silent for a moment, the silence hanging heavy between them. "So, you are back in New York." Den said eventually, breaking the silence. "How have you been?" "I am good." Julie replied, her voice a little shaky. "I have been living in Europe, pursuing architecture. It's been quite a trip." "Architecture, huh?" Den chortled, his smile warm and genuine. "You always had a knack for creativity. I remember how you'd spend hours sketching in your scrapbooks." "And you." Julie replied, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness. "You took your tech dreams seriously. I guess being a multi billionaire CEO was not part of your teenage dreams, was it?" Den's smile faltered for a split second. "No, I guess not." he admitted. "It all happed really fast. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was running a company that was shaping the future of technology." "I am not surprised." Julie said, her voice devoid of any feeling. Though she wished she could, she could not help but feel pride in the man he'd come to be. "I saw you on stage, Den." she continued, her voice softer now." Your speech was inspiring. You are a visionary." He looked at her for a long moment, his eyes searching hers, as if trying to read her mind." "You no way thought I could do it, did you?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of sadness. "That is not true." Julie replied, her heart wringing at the sight of his vulnerability. "I always knew you were capable of great effects. I just.... I was not sure if you were able of truly committing yourself to anything or anyone." A silence fell between them, filled with implied words and implied hurt. They stood there, two people who had once shared a deep connection, now separated by times of silence and a shared past that still held the power to wound. "We have both changed." Den said eventually, his voice low and reflective. "We have." Julie agreed, her eyes fixed on the floor, her heart hurting with a mixture of feelings. "What about you, Julie?" Den asked, his voice a little softer now. "Tell me about your life in Europe. What have you been over to?"Julie took a deep breath, as if steeling herself to take a vault of faith. She began to tell him about her adventures in Paris, about the intricate details of gothic edifices, the dateless beauty of the Louvre, the vibrant energy of the city that no way slept. She spoke of her peregrination to Spain, the stirring armature of Barcelona, the ancient prodigies of Madrid. She spoke of her time in Italy, the towering marble puppets, the cobblestone streets and the scent of late roasted meat that filled the air.She spoke with passion, her voice taking on a new energy, as if her recollections were coming alive before her. Den listened carefully, his eyes no way leaving hers as if he was seeing her for the first time."You are a different woman now, Julie." Den said when she had finished her story. "You've bloomed.And You've found your own path." He said with a wide smile on his handsome features.Julie smiled, a flicker of warmth returning to her heart. "And you've become the man you were a
The scent of frying bacon and onions, a symphony of salty savory bliss drifted up the stairs, pulling Julie from the depths of her chaotic bedroom. Her wallet lay open on the floor, a testament to her fleet trip to the Tech conference, its contents scattered like the thoughts in her head. The conference had been a blur of addresses, networking, and the unanticipated and exhilarating time with Den Neumann now A billionaire CEO, a man she had not seen in five years, now a Goliath in the tech world yet still, in some inexplainable way, the same boy she had fallen for all those times agone . She had spent the night with him, a night she swore she wouldn't remember, the night she swore wouldn't let consume her. But it had, with a dizzying intensity that left her both intoxicated and alarmed. The guilt, the shame, the fear of what her family, especially her mother, would think, were feelings that threatened to drown her in their grim swells. Julie ran her fingers through her hair, trying
“Good morning, Mrs. Garfield." Den Neumann greeted her with a polite smile, his voice a low baritone that seemed to carry the weight of an implied reason. Mrs Garfield still remained impervious to his charm. Her lips tensed into a thin disapproving line. "What do you want, Den?" she snapped, her voice laced with bitterness. "Do you want to come by and do further damage to my daughter's heart? You did enough the last time!" Den's face fell. The smile dissolved, replaced by a look of genuine guilt. "I..I wouldn't want to hurt her.” he said painfully, his eyes dropping to the worn carpet. "I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry for whatever happened in the past. I know I did wrong." Mrs Garfield scoffed, her arms folded across her chest. "You know, Den? Saying you are sorry does not erase the past. It does not mend broken hearts. And it does not make amends for the pain you foisted on my daughter." The silence that followed was heavy, thick with implied resentments and the ghost of a love that h
The next day, Den returned this time with a bouquet of lilies, Julie"s favourite flowers. The two of them drove to a cozy cafe built magnificently in a quiet corner of city. The aroma of freshly brewed tea and cookies filled the air, creating a comfortable and intimate air.As they sat down at a table by the window, Den, his eyes fixed on Julie took a deep breath and began to speak. “Julie, I know I hurt you. I understand that I"ve no right to ask for your forgiveness, but I want you to know that I"m truly sorry for what I did.”Julie, still raised a hand to stop him. “Don"t, Den. It doesn"t matter now. We"re different people now. The history is the history.”Den, his eyes searching, leaned forward. “But the past wasn"t just a mistake, Julie. It was...it was a betrayal. I know that. I"m not trying to excuse myself, but I want you to understand.” He pleaded.Julie cut him off again, her voice crisp and firm. “Den, stop. We both know what happened. We don"t need to go over it again. It"
Julie's breath caught in her throat. A million questions raced through her mind, each more agonizing than the last. This was it, the truth she had been desperately trying to ignore, the truth that Den had so cunningly concealed.He was engaged.Den, clearly unconscious to the storm brewing within Julie, gave a nervous chortle. 'Oh, Angela, this is Julie, an old friend.' He tried to introduce them with a casual ease that felt forced, his smile strained.Julie forced a smile back, a brittle nearly mocking expression that failed to mask the stewing wrathfulness within her. "Yes, an old friend." she echoed, her voice tight, her eyes fixed on Den with a silent rage in her eyes.The air in the cafe seamed to stiffle and the chatter around them reduced to a muffled drone. Angela, unconscious to the tense atmosphere, settled into the seat beside Den, her smile unwavering.'An old friend, huh? Well, it's nice to eventually meet you, Julie." she said, her voice honeyed, her eyes still holding t
The familiar weight of the front door unlocking unrestricted echoed through the empty house, a sound that typically brought a sense of comfort, but today, it felt like a thud against Julie’s heart. She walked by, her shoulders drooped, the remnants of the evening adhering to her like a damp fog. The aroma of hot coffee and a memorial of the disastrous date, hung in the air, thick and unpleasant.Five years since Den had walked out of her life, leaving an ocean of heartache that she had only just begun to mend. And now, here he was, back in her life, a whirlwind of success and wealth, but still the same fascinating and infuriating, insufferable man she had fallen for all those years agone.The silence of the house was broken only by the ticking of the grandfather timepiece in the hallway, its slow and steady meter mocking her distress. The setting sun cast long shadows across the living room, painting the space in tones of orange, a reflection of the mixed feelings swirling inside her.
The autumn sun slanted through the window of Lita's apartment, painting warm stripes across the worn rustic floor. Julie sat at the kitchen table, drinking from a mug of hot tea with the discussion with Lita still echoing in her ears. It was Five years since she had broken up with Den, five years since she had last felt the sting of his rejection and the echo of his words.“Two months.” Lita had said, her voice hushed. “And he is marrying Angela. That girl who used to work at the tech establishment, you know?” She said after reading the invitation.A surge of nausea washed over Julie, and she pushed her tea away, the bitterness moping on her tongue. It was her fault. She had been foolish, a fool to think that she could jump back into the past and to believe that their love could be reignited. They were in different places now, their lives moving in separate directions and their hearts belonging to different people.“It's okay.” Lita had said. “You will be fine, Julie. You are strong,