Avery sat across from Ryan Hayes in the cozy corner of the café, her oat milk latte warming her hands. She hadn’t planned on this—sitting here, catching up with someone who had once made her life miserable—but now that she was here, she couldn’t deny her curiosity.
“So,” she began, glancing at him over the rim of her cup. “Korea. What brought you there?”
Ryan leaned back in his chair, his hazel eyes softening at the mention of the country. “It was a mix of things,” he said, his voice thoughtful. “After high school, I wanted to get as far away as possible. I needed a fresh start. Korea offered a great international business program, and it felt like the perfect opportunity.”
She nodded, intrigued despite herself. “Did you know anyone there?”
“Not a soul,” he admitted with a chuckle. “But that was part of the appeal. No one knew who I was or what I’d been like before. I got to reinvent myself, figure out who I wanted to be.”
Avery raised an eyebrow. “And who did you decide to be?”
Ryan smiled, his expression tinged with self-awareness. “Someone better than the guy I was back in high school.”
He continued, his tone lighter now. “I ended up falling in love with the culture, the food, the people—it was a whole new world. I started out studying finance and ended up working for a multinational company over there. I stayed for almost five years, climbing the ranks.”
“Sounds like you really found your place,” Avery said, taking another sip of her latte.
“I did,” Ryan replied, nodding. “But eventually, home started calling. My family’s still here, and I realized I wanted to reconnect with them—and maybe with a few old faces, too.”
Avery tilted her head, catching the subtle hint in his words but choosing not to comment. Instead, she shifted the conversation. “It sounds like Korea was good for you. For me, it was staying here and taking over Kane Enterprises that changed everything.”
Ryan leaned forward, genuine curiosity in his expression. “I’ve seen the headlines. CEO of a billion-dollar company before thirty—that’s incredible, Avery.”
“It wasn’t exactly my plan,” she admitted, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “After my mom stepped down, the board was skeptical about me. I had to prove myself every single day—still do, honestly.”
“I can imagine,” Ryan said, his tone earnest. “It takes guts to run a company like that, especially when people are waiting for you to fail.”
Avery’s smile faltered slightly. “Yeah, well, failure isn’t an option. Not when there’s so much at stake.”
The conversation paused as they both sipped their drinks, the hum of the café filling the silence. Finally, Ryan set his cup down and met her gaze directly.
“I’ve been wanting to say something to you,” he began, his voice low but steady. “And I know this might not mean much now, but I’m sorry. For how I treated you back in high school.”
Avery blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. “Ryan, you don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do,” he interrupted gently. “I was an idiot. I was insecure and immature, and I took it out on people who didn’t deserve it—especially you. I made your life harder when I should have just minded my own business. And I regret it.”
She stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to say. The Ryan she remembered would never have admitted to being wrong, let alone apologized for it.
“Thank you,” she said finally, her voice soft. “I’ll admit, it wasn’t easy back then. But… people grow. And it seems like you’ve done a lot of that.”
“I’ve tried,” he said with a small smile. “Still working on it, though. It’s a process.”
Avery nodded, feeling a faint sense of closure she hadn’t realized she needed. “Well, I appreciate the apology. High school feels like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?”
“It really does,” Ryan agreed. “But I’ve got to say, seeing you now—how far you’ve come—I’m glad you didn’t let people like me hold you back.”