A Love Beyond the Chaos

Chapter 6: Ghosts of the Past

The warm glow of the weekend still lingered in Aiah's mind as Monday morning came all too quickly. The picnic with Mikha had been perfect—almost too perfect. She kept replaying the evening in her head: the fairy lights, the soft music, and the way their hands had fit together so naturally under the stars. It had been slow, tender, and without any pressure. But now, as the harsh fluorescent lights of the office snapped her back into reality, Aiah couldn't help but feel a flicker of uncertainty creep in.

Things were still under wraps between her and Mikha, and while she was okay with it, hiding their growing connection from their friends was starting to feel... heavy. The secrecy, once thrilling, now felt like a weight she carried around with her, and she was starting to wonder how long she could keep it up.

Aiah's phone buzzed with a message just as she took a sip of her coffee. It was from Mikha.

**Mikha**: How's your morning? Miss me yet? ;)

A small smile tugged at her lips, and she quickly typed back:

**Aiah**: Miss? Who are you again?

She hit send and glanced up just as Gwen walked by her desk, giving her a knowing look. "What's with the smile? Did something happen over the weekend?"

Aiah's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to stay cool, rolling her eyes at Gwen's question. "Nope, nothing special. Just relaxed, you know?"

Gwen didn't seem convinced, but she dropped the subject as Stacey approached, coffee in hand. The office was buzzing with the usual Monday chatter, and Aiah was grateful for the distraction.

---

It wasn't until later that afternoon, after a particularly grueling meeting, that Aiah felt her phone buzz again. This time, the message wasn't from Mikha, but from Maloi.

**Maloi**: Did you hear about Mikha's ex?

Aiah frowned, her stomach tightening. She quickly typed back:

**Aiah**: No, what happened?

Maloi's response was immediate.

**Maloi**: Denise. She's back. Apparently, she's been hanging around the office all day. Word is she's trying to get back with him.

Aiah's fingers froze over the keyboard. Denise. The name rang through her head, sharp and unwelcome. She had heard of Denise in passing—a whirlwind of a woman who had been part of Mikha's life a couple of years ago. Their breakup had been messy, and from what Aiah had gathered, it had left Mikha with more than a few scars.

She didn't know the full story, but the thought of Mikha's ex suddenly reappearing and wanting him back made her stomach turn in ways she didn't want to admit.

Before she could respond, another message popped up from Gwen.

**Gwen**: Have you seen Denise yet? She's in the building. Things are about to get interesting.

Aiah's heart raced. She had no right to feel this anxious about Denise's return—after all, whatever was happening between her and Mikha was still new, fragile, and undefined. They weren't even officially together. But the thought of Denise walking back into Mikha's life, just as things were starting to blossom between them, sent a pang of fear through her chest.

She needed to talk to Mikha. But before she could figure out what to say, her phone rang.

It was him.

---

"Hey," Mikha's voice came through the line, steady but with an edge of tension. "I need to talk to you. Are you free to meet outside?"