Stacks & Stilettos

Chapter 9 – Unraveling the Past (Multiple Perspectives)

Donnah’s POV:

The next few days passed by in a blur. Donnah couldn’t help but replay the evening with Wesley over and over in her mind. It had been the most raw and honest conversation she’d had in a long time. The way he had looked at her, the vulnerability in his eyes, it was unlike anything she had expected from the man she had once thought of as just another player in a well-tailored suit.

She’d spent the following morning sitting at her desk, her thoughts drifting away from the spreadsheet in front of her as her mind wandered back to him. It was that look in his eyes—the one that said he wanted to be better, for her and for himself—that made her wonder if she’d misjudged him. Maybe he wasn’t the same man she’d once encountered, the one who seemed too polished, too perfect to understand her struggles. Maybe they were more alike than she’d realised.

But, of course, her insecurities came crashing in, like a wave that hit at the most inconvenient times. Was she ready for this? Was she ready to trust him with her heart?

Donnah sighed, pushing her chair back from the desk. She had to do something—anything—to get out of her own head. That’s when she heard the knock at her door.

“Oi, Donnah, you good?” Emmanuel’s voice rang out, bringing her back to the present. He poked his head through the door, holding a coffee cup in his hand.

“Yeah, just thinking,” Donnah replied, forcing a smile. “You know, the usual.”

Emmanuel stepped into her office and placed the coffee on the desk. “I can tell you’re thinking too much. You’ve got that look. What’s going on?”

Donnah ran a hand through her hair, feeling the weight of the uncertainty still hanging around her. “I don’t know, Emmanuel. I’m just... confused. After the other night with Wesley, I can’t seem to shake the feeling that maybe he’s changed, but... I don’t know if I can trust him. My mind keeps racing.”

Emmanuel leaned back against her desk, his expression serious but understanding. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”

Donnah nodded. “I’m scared of falling for someone who could hurt me again. I can’t go through that again.”

Emmanuel’s voice softened. “I get it. But Donnah, you’ve changed too. You’re stronger than you’ve ever been, and you’re not the same girl who got hurt by Jeffrey. You’re the woman who’s building her empire, one step at a time. You’re allowed to take chances. But you’re also allowed to walk away if it doesn’t feel right.”

Donnah leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. Emmanuel always knew how to get to the heart of things, how to make her see beyond her own fears.

“I guess that’s the problem,” she said quietly. “I don’t even know what feels right anymore.”

Emmanuel smiled. “Then you’ll have to take the leap and find out, won’t you? Life doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It happens whether you’re prepared or not.”

Donnah nodded slowly, taking a deep breath before tapping her phone to open the message. It wasn’t a grand gesture, but it felt like a step forward. Wesley had sent another simple text:

"I know I’m asking a lot, but if you’re ready, I’d like to see you again. To really talk. Not just for the sake of it, but to understand where we stand. I’m here when you’re ready."

She stared at the message for a long moment, feeling the weight of the decision settling in her chest.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” she whispered to herself, before tapping out a response.