After the Impact - A Collision Course Sequel

Teaser

Mia stood in the doorway of her small, sunlit apartment, watching Audrey play with her toy blocks on the living room floor. The gentle hum of the morning was all too familiar now—routine, comforting, safe. Audrey, with her dark curls and big brown eyes, flashed a toothy smile that never failed to melt Mia's heart. She crouched down, brushing a stray curl from Audrey's face.

"Can you say 'mama'?" Mia asked softly, as Audrey giggled, her tiny hands knocking over the tower she'd just built.

"Ma-ma!" Audrey beamed, her voice ringing out like music.

Mia laughed, her chest swelling with a mix of joy and disbelief. Two years had passed since she had walked away from Aaliyah, and now this little girl was her entire world. Audrey Naya Johnson—a name that still made Mia's stomach flutter with a bittersweet ache. The Johnson part always tugged at something deep inside her, a name Mia hadn't been able to leave behind, no matter how much time had passed.

Life was different now. She had built a new world, one far removed from the whirlwind of passion, heartbreak, and public scrutiny that Aaliyah had brought. Instead, Mia poured her energy into her sports marketing internship, working her way up with a focus and determination she hadn't known she had before becoming a mother. Her days were filled with pitches, strategies, and late nights juggling client deadlines alongside bedtime stories.

And Aaliyah?

Mia didn't need to keep tabs. The tabloids did that for her.

Champions League winner. Chelsea star. Flanked by women at nightclubs, flashing that perfect smile, living a life so different from the one they'd once tried to build together. Every now and then, Mia would stumble across Aaliyah's Instagram, flooded with pictures of victories and celebrations, her face lit up with the kind of carefree joy Mia hadn't seen in years.

Mia pulled herself away from those thoughts, focusing instead on the task at hand. She gathered Audrey into her arms, tickling her side as they prepared for another busy day.

"Alright, little miss," she said, kissing the top of Audrey's head, "time to get you ready for day care. Mommy's got work."

But as Mia grabbed her bag and walked out the door, a pit of unease settled in her stomach.

Today was different. There was a new campaign coming up at work, one that had the entire office buzzing. Chelsea Women's Football Club.

Aaliyah's team.

She hadn't expected their paths to cross again—not like this, not when Mia had done everything to keep their worlds apart. But now, it seemed fate had other plans.

Mia's heart quickened as she imagined seeing Aaliyah again after all this time. She wondered if Aaliyah even thought of her anymore, if those fleeting glances at her Instagram posts meant anything at all. But deep down, Mia knew she wasn't ready for what was coming. Not yet.

Because while she had moved on in some ways, in others, the past was still very much alive.

And she had a secret that was now two years old, with dark curls and a mischievous smile—a secret Aaliyah didn't know existed.

As she drove Audrey to daycare and then made her way to the office, Mia couldn't shake the feeling that her carefully constructed world was about to collide with the one she'd left behind.

And this time, there would be no walking away without consequences.

AN: remember to vote! Ill update once my HSC's are done.

New Chapter: 23 October 8pm (GMT +11)