Chapter 7. What Changed?

Shawn sat at his table, eyes fixated on Cheryl as she chatted with an unknown man at the far end of the restaurant. He stood up, intending to walk over to her when his lawyer, Sam, stopped him in his tracks.

"He's here, boss," Sam said, his voice urgent.

Shawn frowned, his attention still on Cheryl. "What?"

"Boss, his secretary is here," Sam repeated, gesturing to a smartly dressed lady in her twenties who had just walked into the restaurant.

Shawn nodded absently, barely registering the woman's presence as he continued to stare at Cheryl. She was engrossed in her conversation, oblivious to his presence. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

"Hi Mr. Antonio," the secretary said, smiling at him.

Shawn barely acknowledged her greeting, his mind consumed with thoughts of Cheryl. Their eyes met, and for a moment, time stood still. They stared at each other, lost in their own world.

But the moment was fleeting. Sam's urgent voice called out to him again, breaking the spell. Shawn tore h