Chapter 1
Kendra’s POV
Manhattan is as big as I always remembered it to be. I now understand why New York is considered to be the best city in the world.
Four years have passed since I last stood on these streets. Four years in Singapore, earning a degree far away from home, far from the weight of my name.
In a few years time, I will take my place as the next heir of the Ellison family. And the world needs to be reminded of that.
I was happy to see my favourite eatery in the city still running. It is a place run by a couple of old ladies. It was previously running in Brooklyn, and i was pretty disappointed to hear about it being situated in Manhattan now, but i was glad that it was still running.
“Oh lord, are my eyes betraying me”, the woman behind the counter breathed.
“Quite the opposite”, I said lightly. “Your vision improves with age.”
“Dora, Dora! Come and see who’s back!”, she shouted as she embraces me in her arms.
The second woman froze, eyes narrowing. “Kenny… is it kenny?”
I smiled and stepped into her arms. “It is”
“Oh dear, i did not recognise you at first glance.” she says hugging me back.
“You have bad eye sight Dora. I recognised her instantly.”, replies the other woman, Rosa, proudly.
I chuckled at that, remembering that the last time they saw me was when i was just 17. And now here i am 4 years older. That had to come with some change right?
“Red looks good on you,” Rosa remarked as she serves the other customers.
“Where is Maggie and Anna?”, i asked Theodora as she sets a plate of chicken piccata in front of me.
“They went out to get some fresh vegetables from this farmers market downtown.”, she replies walking back to the kitchen to bring me more food.
The meal hit the spot for me. They made me promised to visit them more often, to which i obliged. It would have been more frequent if they were still in Brooklyn but i am happy that they got to expand their business into a much better location and with the amount of crowd in this place, i can tell business is going good for them.
I had barely stepped outside when i collided with a figure, i didn’t need to see to recognize. Some things imprint themselves too deeply to forget. He was as tall as I remembered, towering at 6’5, his presence unmistakable beside my 5’10 frame. Dirty blonde waves tousled in that careless way somehow always looked deliberate.
“If it isn’t the Ellison princess”, he said, surprise flickering across his face before it vanished.
I smiled. “Say it any louder and Manhattan might kneel.”
“You’ve been gone a long time,” he replied. “I assumed you were too frightened to return to reality.”
I stepped closer meeting his gaze without hesitation. “Long enough for you to miss me, but not enough for you to forget.”
His smrik was familiar. Unchanged.
“Still mouthy”, he murmured.
“And you’re still bitchy”, i said coolly waiting for a reaction.
His expression hardened slightly.
“Be careful.” Callian warned. “This city has changed”
I leaned in, my voice steady. “I never left.”
With that, i decided to walk away with a proud smirk on my lips.
“Later, Rooks.”, i called out before i disappeared from his peripheral.
Seeing Callian Rooks after all these years has been refreshing. He was still the same, I realised. Too comfortable taking space as if the world had been built with his measurements in mind.
I wondered briefly if we outgrowned the childish rivalry, or if we were still circling the same unfinished war.
One thing confirmed though–
I still despised him.
