A/N: So this story has been in my brain for a long time. It's basically a Revenge spinoff, starring Nolan and Co. I originally created the concept in the form of six "seasons", TV show style, because for my own amusement I like to make fake TV shows (yeah I'm weird). Then I decided that maybe I should actually write it as a fanfic series, and I've been working on this story since Christmas. Obviously it will not be 132 chapters - this particular story will be 10 chapters, with the possibility for a sequel (or sequels) to follow. I'm kind of nervous to publish this because I'm worried that no one will be interested in reading it, but I figured I might as well post it before I go on Spring Break. Like I said I'm really nervous about how this will go so reviews, favorites, alerts, whatever would really mean a lot.

Just in case you get confused: this story will feature Revenge-style flash-forwards (though they'll be a little more like How To Get Away With Murder, as my plan is to feature a flash-forward scene every chapter until the two timelines converge) and this chapter also includes flashbacks. The bold will indicate a change in date so you know when we're flashing-forward, flashing-back and when we're in the present. I also included the time of day when things take place so you can have a sequence of events for the flash-forwards, etc. The italics indicate the equivalent to a voiceover – all of them are Nolan's POV unless otherwise stated, since he is the primary character. Anyways, hope you enjoy! And please, please review if you like it. No one wants to continue a story if they think no one is interested.

Disclaimer: I don't own the awesome TV show Revenge.

August 1, 2016 7:06 a.m.

Manhattan, New York

He threw open the door to his car, despite the scolding of his driver, his eyes trained on the sight before him. Everyone else was running in the opposite direction – away – as fast as their legs could carry them, but his gaze did not falter as he made a quick, deliberate walk forward.

Towards the flames that were still engulfing the building where a bomb had just gone off moments before, in the most crowded part of Manhattan at rush hour.

My name is Nolan Ross. Five years ago, I helped my best friend embark on a journey of revenge against the people who framed her father for a crime he did not commit. But you probably knew that.

After being pushed and shoved by a throng of frantic people, he was finally close to his destination. The law office in the middle of Times Square was shaken from the blast, having been caught in the center of the explosion. One of the upper floors was completely wrecked while another was on fire, flames shooting out, and the building started to crumble while the few survivors limped out weakly, barely hanging onto life and screaming. Last time he checked, they'd all been inside – everyone he loved. Everyone who mattered to him.

All of them except one.

Now, after helping her clear her father's name, I've started my own company to prove the innocence of more of the falsely imprisoned. But never did I think that the next person I'd be trying so desperately to free…

Screams were ringing in his ears, and sirens were wailing, and his legs felt like they might give way, but in that moment all Nolan Ross could think about was one thing – her. With shaking hands he pulled out his phone, dialed her number, only to receive no answer. The sound of her voice over the answering machine nearly elicited a sob from him, because God she had to be okay. She had to be.

But where was she?

…was someone so close to me.

May 30, 2016 10:20 a.m.

Memorial Day

Southampton, New York

Nolan Ross smiled as he sped off down the last stretch of road leading into The Hamptons. With the roof down on his car the wind whipped around his sandy blonde hair, while the sun shone brightly and the air had that signature salty sea smell. It felt so good to be back.

In truth, it had been almost a year since Nolan had been in The Hamptons for more than a visit. His latest business venture kept him in New York City most of the time these days – even though he was highly selective, it was only because the clients he did choose to take on required much of his time and effort.

As if on cue, a voice came on the radio. "This just in: Wall Street bank executive acquitted of embezzlement charges. This is yet another win for Nolan Ross – the former tech guru and his latest enterprise, Ross & Associates, work to prove the innocence of those who have been imprisoned for high-profile crimes. This victory will uphold Mr. Ross's current success rate of 100%. Now to Greg with sports…"

Nolan smirked and fist pumped the air just as he turned onto his exit, the sign reading Southampton, New York: 1 mile. Yes, this truly was the best it got.

A few moments later, Nolan pulled into the parking lot of a place he knew well: the Hamptons Beach Club. While it was technically still his establishment – as his name was on the deed – this was his first time here in nearly a year. With a nostalgic smile he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

He paused when he caught a glimpse of the blonde standing behind the bar, her back turned to him. "Sorry," She said, not looking up. "We're closed."

"Oh come on Ams," Nolan replied, stepping forward. "Not even one drink to celebrate the triumphant return of your best friend?"

Amanda Porter (née Clarke) spun around immediately at the sound of his voice, a wide smile breaking out on her face. It was a look he was still getting used to seeing on her, as for four years he had never seen a grin so radiant as the ones she always seemed to be sporting nowadays. "Nolan? Oh my God! Hi!" He laughed as his best friend in the world practically raced around the bar, before ambling towards him and accepting his offer of a big hug.

"Amanda? What's going on?" A voice called out from the storage room, and the two friends pulled apart as Jack Porter stepped out into the hallway. The other man grinned when he saw their unexpected guest. "Nolan? Hey! It's so good to see you, man!"

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Amanda Clarke." Nolan teased, causing Jack to roll his eyes as he went in to give the former another enthusiastic hug.

He was finally home.

After their warm reunion the trio seated themselves in one of the booths, Nolan on one side and his two closest friends on the other. Jack placed three glasses down on the table – the aforementioned celebratory drinks being coffee not alcohol, since it was still so early – while Amanda ruffled the hair of her stepson, who was climbing off her lap. After the almost four year old's initial excitement at seeing his honorary uncle, Carl had now completely lost interest in what the adults were doing and raced off to go play.

"So, how is America's favorite couple?" Nolan asked. He pulled a tabloid out of his briefcase and slid it across the table when his friends only looked at him with confusion, and their eyes widened when they saw the cover. There were photos of the two of them – all of which had obviously been taken without their knowledge – and a headline promising "all the intimate details about America's sweethearts, Amanda and Jack".

"America's sweethearts?" Amanda recited, an 'are you kidding me?' look on her face. "Really? Us?"

"The people love an epic love story, and they love you," Nolan replied nonchalantly as he lifted his mug to his lips. "You're like the new Brangelina. Or Kimye!"

"What is a Kimye?" Jack asked, clueless.

"It's two names put together," Nolan said, trying to explain the concept to his friends who cared very little about pop culture. "They're calling you guys Jamanda." Amanda made a gagging motion with her hand.

"Anyways," She said, changing the subject. "We have a surprise for you." Nolan watched her curiously as she got up, reappearing a moment later with a bag in hand. "I know last year was the big one, but we still wanted to get you something to celebrate, albeit belatedly since you were out of town for your actual birthday. Happy forty-first."

Nolan cringed slightly when she said how old he was, but accepted the gift nonetheless. "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm the same age as both of you."

The duo smiled and chuckled at his denial. "Just open it," Jack insisted. "It was Amanda's idea."

Nolan pulled back the tissue paper, his hand coming into contact with leather. Inside, he found several leather bound books. He took one in his hand, flipping through the crisp white pages with interest. "They're journals," Amanda explained. "So you can write about all your experiences. And maybe someday, you can give them to someone who means something to you."

Nolan smiled at her. "They're great, thank you." He knew how personal a gift this was – her father's diaries were still some of Amanda's most treasured possessions. He flipped to the first page, running his fingers down the blank parchment in front of him. It represented so many things - a fresh start, a new beginning, endless possibilities. Now, he was writing his own story.

He may not have realized it then, but unbeknownst to Nolan Ross, a new chapter was beginning...

Meanwhile across town, Charlotte Clarke stepped out of the elevator and into the brand new Southampton office of Ross & Associates. Her Jimmy Choos clacked against the floor as she walked inside, approaching the front desk. "Excuse me," She said to the woman seated there, pushing her designer sunglasses onto the top of her head. "I'm one of Mr. Ross's summer interns, and I just came to pick up my orientation packet."

The woman raised her eyebrow. "You came all the way here just for that?"

"Well I was in the neighborhood," Charlotte explained with a shrug. "And I figured I'd say hello to Nolan if he was in. He's best friends with my sister and I wanted to thank him for giving me this job. It really means a lot, and it's been a while since I've seen him so..."

The woman's expression transformed into one of realization. "You're David Clarke and Victoria Grayson's daughter, aren't you?" She said, and Charlotte's shoulders slumped. How much she dreaded hearing those words. People mentioning David wasn't so bad – albeit a little bit painful – but she hated the constant reminders of who her mother was. She wished people would know her name for her own accomplishments – since deciding to go back to school, she'd been accepted as a pre-law student at NYU, made the dean's list, and had recently completed her freshman year top of her class. Yet everyone knew her because of her deceased parents' notoriety and her provocative behavior as a teen in front of the paparazzi.

"Can I just get my packet, please?"

The receptionist nodded. "Yeah, take a seat. I'll get them for both of you."

Charlotte turned around when she said 'both', while the woman disappeared into Nolan's office. A short, blonde girl who looked to be a few years younger than Charlotte was seated in the row of waiting room chairs, legs crossed. Charlotte walked over and sat a seat down from her, discreetly looking her over out of the corner of her eye. The other girl looked up, smiling when she saw her company. "So I guess we'll be working together, huh?"

"Yeah," Charlotte nodded. "I guess so. I'm Charlotte."

"Oh, I know you." The girl said and Charlotte audibly sighed.

"Yes, David Clarke was my father. Yes, Victoria Grayson was my mother. Yes, Amanda Porter is my sister. Are you happy now?"

The girl laughed lightly and shook her head. "I know that, but that's not what I meant. You're a freshman at NYU, aren't you? We had trig together last semester."

"Oh," Charlotte said, remembering this now. She could now vaguely remember the girl who had sat a row ahead of her in the lecture hall – the same girl who was sitting a seat down from her now. "You're right, I'm sorry. I just…"

"It's okay," The girl replied. "I totally understood, people must hound you all the time."

"You're…Hailey, right?" The girl nodded, while Charlotte got up and moved over so they were sitting next to each other. "I guess I just didn't recognize you when I wasn't staring at the back of your head."

The girl – Hailey – smiled. "And I almost didn't recognize you when you weren't doodling in your notebook. Pre-law, right?"

"Yeah, and what about you?"

"Computer science."

"Oh, now I see why you wanted this internship with Nolan."

"Well, he is a genius." Hailey conceded, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "When I was a little kid, I would follow NolCorp's stocks in The Times. It drove my mother insane. We're actually spending the summer in Southampton because her boss let us use one of his beach houses, so I figured I might as well apply. She's taking me to this party tonight – one of her co-workers had a last minute emergency so I'm going instead."

"The Memorial Day party?" Charlotte asked and Hailey nodded in affirmation. "One of my friends is throwing it."

"Well," Hailey said, standing up when the receptionist returned. "I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other, then."

Charlotte smiled. "I guess we will."

When Nolan Ross stepped into the house formerly known as Grayson Manor, he was hit immediately with a sense of déjà vu. Even though the grounds now held a stately Southern-style mansion, he still couldn't help but think about all the horrible memories that had been forged on this very spot...

He found her holding court in the living room, her subjects all sitting loyally around her finishing their drinks. "Alright, ladies. I'll see you at my little shindig tonight, yes?" Excited chatter followed, all of them saying how it would be oh-so-much fun, before they were all dismissed. A few of the women walked right past him, while others openly stared – they knew who he was. One of them was obviously checking him out, causing Nolan to squirm.

"Nolan?!"

His attention was diverted by the familiar Southern drawl, and he saw a certain redhead come barreling towards him. Nolan soon found himself captured in the death grip of one Louise Ellis. "Oh, Nolan! I missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Lulu." Nolan replied. "But…I kind of can't breathe right now."

Louise jumped back, allowing Nolan to finally exhale. "Oh, I'm sorry sweetie. It's just been far too long. Sit down for some lemonade! Tell me everything that's going on with you - I want to know everything!"

Accepting her invitation, Nolan lowered himself onto one of the love seats, while Louise fixed him a drink. "I like what you've done with the place."

"Thanks, sugar." Louise said, handing him a glass. "I'm still trying to make it my own, but it's coming along just fine. I'm going to officially debut it at my Memorial Day party tonight." She took a sip of her lemonade and offered Nolan some cookies, which he politely declined. "So, what's goin' on with you? How's business?"

"...Great." He said, but it didn't come out sounding like he'd hoped it would.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "That doesn't sound sincere."

"What? I'm great!" Nolan said, not sounding any more convincing the second time, and Louise narrowed her eyes at him because she knew he was lying. He sighed and put down his glass. "I'm not lying when I say the business is going well - because it is. But as for me...I can't help but still feel...unfulfilled. Empty, even..."

"Empty how?" Louise asked. "Why, you're living a life other people can only dream of!"

"I know that. But…God Louise, I haven't been on a date in over a year. The last person I dated was Tony. To be honest I'm really...lonely." He shook his head and shrugged. "I guess that's why I'm setting up a Southampton office. I wanted to come home, be around people who care about me. Because coming home to an empty bed in an empty house - not exactly living the dream."

Louise chewed on a bite of cookie thoughtfully for a moment. She scooted over, placing her hand on Nolan's knee. "Let me ask you something: when was the last time you loved and trusted someone completely?"

Nolan pondered this for a moment. He'd been in love several times throughout his life. But his romantic relationships during Amanda's revenge mission weren't exactly built on mutual trust. The last time he was in a stable relationship? God, that had to be… "College." He answered finally. "It was college. I still remember the first time I met her..."

March 20, 1995 10:59 p.m.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A party was the last place nineteen-year-old Nolan Ross currently wanted to be. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat on the couch, while some students played beer pong on the coffee table. Even though it was Spring Break of his sophomore year at MIT and he should be celebrating, he had bigger issues on his mind.

"Hey, can you turn that up?" Someone yelled. The stereo was immediately shut off and the host of the party grabbed the television remote, cranking up the volume on the eleven o'clock news.

"Our first story tonight," said the anchorman. "The David Clarke trial commenced today in New York. Mr. Clarke – who was arrested on August 31 – is accused of one of the most heinous acts of terrorism in recent history…"

Behind him, Nolan heard someone spit on the floor. "I hope they give that scum the death penalty."

A few people nodded in agreement, while Nolan felt his fists clench at his sides. People talking about the man who was like a father to him like that...it made his blood boil. "You don't know him," He muttered, unable to control himself.

The guy who had made the earlier comment looked at him now, as did all the other occupants of the living room. "What'd you say?"

"I said, you don't know him." Nolan replied, not backing down. He looked the other boy dead in the eye, glaring at him. "I do. And I know for a fact that he didn't do what they say he did."

"Hang out with terrorists much, Ross?" Someone joked, and there was a chorus of laughter. Nolan could feel his face grow hot with anger.

"Hey, leave him alone." The room immediately went silent as a new voice made itself heard in the conversation. Everyone stared openly at the person who had just talked – a petite dirty blonde, being on the shorter side and no bigger than a size two, people were visibly shocked that she'd spoken out so assertively. "What happened to innocent until proven guilty? How would you feel if he was your father, or your son, or your friend? You all have no idea what you're talking about, so shut up!"

There was a silence, but then the first guy who had spoken laughed and rolled his eyes. "That's what we get for inviting underclassmen to our party, right?" His friends chuckled.

Without another word, Nolan threw his still full plastic cup on the floor, spilling beer all over the carpet, and stormed out of the house. There was a chorus of ooh's when they saw him leave, followed by more laughter and the persistent drone of the TV in the background.

"Hey, wait up!" Nolan turned around, halfway down the walkway by this point, but he was not followed by one of his tormentors – it was the girl. She'd taken off her heels in her haste to catch up with him, her dirty blonde hair flying. "I'm sorry they said that stuff to you."

Nolan shrugged at her and kept walking. "I don't care what they think about David, or me."

"That's a lie," The girl said, still following him – shoes in hand – as he started back to his dorm. "I saw how much it upset you."

Nolan sighed. "Everyone wants to be liked I guess. But they're idiots anyway."

"Yeah," The girl agreed. "Idiots."

Nolan stopped walking and paused in front of her, catching the girl so off guard she nearly collided into him when he turned around. He was able to get a good look at her for the first time – her eyes were a bright shade of green, she was skinny and she looked younger than him, couldn't be older than a freshman. "You didn't have to stick up for me, you know."

The girl pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, shifting from one foot to the other nervously. "Well, I…I wanted to." She paused, biting down on her lip. "Do you…do you really think he's innocent?"

Nolan nodded without hesitation. "I know he's innocent. David's like a father to me. And he gave me the money I needed to help me start my company. I know he's not capable of something so horrible."

"…I think he's innocent too." The girl confessed breathily. "Everyone thinks I'm crazy or some whackjob conspiracy theorist but…"

Nolan was silent for a long moment. "…Do you want to come back to my dorm?" Off her look of hesitation, he clarified: "Not for that. I meant, for a cup of coffee."

She smiled. "Okay."

Nolan smiled too, and extended his hand to her. "I'm Nolan Ross, by the way."

The girl grinned and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you Nolan. I'm Olivia, Olivia Anderson."

May 30, 2016 11:45 a.m.

"Well?" Louise said as Nolan finished his story suddenly. "What happened?"

"We dated," He answered, but he wasn't looking at Louise - he was staring into space, clearly still stuck in his memory. "For almost two years. She – she was the most brilliant person I'd ever met. She gave me the courage that led to me turning my fledgling company into a billion dollar corporation. She loved me for who I was and I…I loved her with everything I had in me. I've never loved anyone the same way since."

"What happened to her?"

"I don't know."

"You should call her!" Louise said excitedly. "Nolan, this is the one who got away! She could be the love of your life!"

"She was the love of my life."

"Nolan!" Louise said, practically bursting at the seams. She grabbed his arm and Nolan winced, because without her realizing her fingernails were digging into his flesh. "She might still be single! What if she's been waiting for you all these years? Oh, this is so romantic –"

"I can't call her, Louise." Nolan said sternly, yanking his arm away.

The redhead tilted her head and gave him a look. "Well, why not? It's worth a try." She said, a hand on her hip stubbornly.

Nolan sighed and closed his eyes. "Because," He said. "She broke my heart."

August 1, 2016 7:11 a.m.

It didn't take long for the medics to arrive, then the police. He'd heard several people whisper that agents from the FBI's New York office were already on the scene. "Just let me in, please!" Nolan protested with a set of two security guards, who were guarding the blast site that had already been surrounded by crime scene tape. "I think my client may be back there and I need to see her!"

"I'm sorry sir, but we've been instructed by the police to not let anyone in without their permission."

"God, don't you know who I am?"

"Unless who you are is a member of the FBI or NYPD, I don't care sir."

Nolan sighed, knowing this would get him nowhere, and finally turned away. He surveyed the crowd, searching for anyone he recognized. Were they alive or dead? He had no idea where any of his friends were. All he knew was that they'd been headed towards the building, the building which moments ago had blown up...

Scratch that – he knew where one was. Through the crowd he spotted a familiar face, their eyes locking, and they both immediately began shoving their way through the mob to get to each other. "Jack?"

The other man was finally within reach of him and the two friends hugged quickly, glad to see that the other was okay but both still completely disorientated. "The two of us were outside of the building when it exploded," Jack explained. Altogether he looked to be in one piece, albeit a little bit dusty and visibly shaken. "We…we lost each other in the confusion after that."

"Do you know where…" Nolan began, his voice hoarse. "Do you know where she was when the bomb went off?"

Jack knew immediately whom his friend was referring to and his eyes widened with panic and realization. "I thought she was with you. You mean no one knows where she is?"

Nolan cursed under his breath as he began to scan the crowd again.

She could be anywhere by now.

May 30, 2016 12:50 p.m.

"I'm so happy to be home," Charlotte sighed contently as she strolled down Main Street with her sister and brother-in-law, who were currently holding hands beside her. In the stroller Charlotte was pushing, her step-nephew was napping contently. "And this party is going to be so much fun. So much better than keg stands and beer pong."

"Okay, I'm gonna pretend my little sister didn't just say that." Amanda replied.

"Hey, I'm legal now." Charlotte teased, causing her sister to give her a look.

"Doesn't matter," Jack interjected, wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulder. "You'll always be a baby to us." Charlotte rolled her eyes playfully.

"Charlotte?" The trio looked up, seeing a petite blonde stepping out of the dry cleaner's they were passing. Charlotte smiled when she saw her - whoever this was, they knew each other.

"Hey!" She said happily, greeting her with a friendly hug. "Amanda, Jack, this is Hailey. We go to college together. Hailey, this is my sister Amanda and my brother-in-law Jack."

Hailey looked at them, going wide-eyed when she saw who she was in the presence of. "Hi, so nice to meet you! Not to sound crazy, but I'm such a fan of you guys!"

"Oh my God," Amanda whispered to her husband. "Nolan was right. We are Jamanda."

"What was that?" Charlotte asked.

"Nothing," Jack said, dismissing her quickly.

"Well anyway," Charlotte said, getting back to the introduction at hand. "Hailey is one of Nolan's new interns with me, and she and her mom are going to Louise's party tonight. This is their first summer in The Hamptons."

"Just picking up my dress," Hailey explained, holding up her garment bag. "Though I have a feeling I will be incredibly under-dressed."

"You can borrow something from me!" Charlotte offered without hesitation. "I'd be happy to let you wear whatever you want! And your mom can wear something of Amanda's, right Am?"

Her sister nodded. "Sure. Anything for friends of Charlotte's."

"So after one day of friendship you've already given me a dress?" Charlotte nodded and Hailey laughed. "Okay, but I totally owe you."

Just then the door to the dry cleaner's opened again. "Hailes let's g-" The woman paused when she saw they had company. The group quickly inferred that she was Hailey's mom - though she could probably also pass as the teenage girl's older sister due to her fresh-faced appearance and their similar senses of style. There was an obvious resemblance, though Hailey was a little shorter and they had different colored eyes – Hailey's being blue and her mother's green. But seeing them, there was no doubt they were related.

"Mom," Hailey said. "This is Charlotte, Amanda and Jack. They're gonna be at the party tonight."

The woman smiled and extended her hand. "Hi, nice to meet you guys. I'm Olivia."

August 1, 2016 7:22 a.m.

Once they had reunited, Nolan and Jack immediately went back to the task at hand – searching for the rest of their group. But Times Square was understandably still in chaos. As cops and FBI agents held back anxious crowds, loved ones were crying and hugging as they were reunited, while others were bursting into loud sobs as they had the worst news in the world delivered to them. And still, no one knew who was responsible for this horrible event.

Suddenly, Jack stopped in his tracks. "Amanda?"

She spun around at the sound of her name, relief washing over her face as Jack barreled towards her, pulling her into his arms for a tearful embrace. "I had no idea where the Hell you were." Jack said. They pulled apart to get a good look at each other and he touched her dust covered face, wiping blood from a cut on her cheek. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, you got it?"

Amanda nodded fervently, grabbing onto him for dear life. "I am so sorry…I tried to find you, I was worried that you…I'm sorry, it was all my –" Jack didn't let her finish her apology, instead catching her lips into a desperate kiss. It was as if the two of them hadn't seen each other in a million years - even though it had actually been less than twenty minutes.

Nolan approached them slowly – while he was so relieved that his two best friends were okay, he still had no idea where the rest of his team was. Had they made it out in time too?

Amanda looked up, Jack not letting go of his hold on her – as if by doing so he'd lose her again. She turned to Nolan, tears pooling in her eyes by this point. "Someone…someone pulled her out right after the building exploded."

Both men looked over her shoulder, eyes widening at the disheveled girl as she approached them. She was clutching her shoulder like it was dislocated, walking with a slight limp, and there was blood and broken glass in her hair. "Hailey?" Nolan gasped.

The young girl said nothing, brushing right past Amanda and Jack and burying her face into Nolan's chest. Hesitantly he reached out his arms, touching her back gently. Hailey let out a loud sob and wrapped her good arm around her boss. "Nolan," She whimpered. "I need your help."

May 30, 2016 7:30 p.m.

The Memorial Day party was already in full swing as Nolan stepped inside Ellis Manor for the second time in one day. The perfectly polished hostess – who was happily chatting with a group of admirers in the foyer – excused herself from her conversation as soon as she saw him. "Thank you for coming," Louise said, hugging Nolan in greeting. "Come on, let's get you a drink." She led him inside, stealing two flutes of Cristal from a passing caterer, returning to her adoring public. "Everyone, I'm sure you know my friend Nolan Ross."

The trio – two pretty women, and one elegantly dressed man – eyed him up. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Nolan." One of the women said.

The man – sensing her flirting – stepped a little closer to Nolan. "I'm a big fan of your work."

"We'd love to hear about your latest venture." The other woman emphasized, batting her eyelashes. "Every detail."

That's all it took for Nolan to realize what this was. Discretion was clearly not their strong suits. He looked at Louise, visibly annoyed, and she smiled sheepishly. "Excuse us for a moment," She said to her guests, before Nolan dragged her off to the side.

"Are you trying to set me up with one of your friends because of what I told you earlier?" Nolan asked, though he clearly knew the answer.

Louise nodded. "Janelle is a very accomplished interior decorator who also breeds poodles and loves long walks on the beach. Troy is an aspiring fashion designer looking to settle down and have a big family. And they're both totally into you."

"Louise," Nolan sighed. "I don't want to be set up. I'm done chasing after people just to get my heart broken. If it's meant to be, it'll be."

"Well if you just want to have a little fun in the sack to get yourself back out there," Louise insisted. "Margaret just caught her soon-to-be ex-husband in bed with their nanny and is willing to sleep with anyone. Literally anyone."

Nolan gawked at her, unsure of what to say. So he simply downed the rest of his champagne and turned on his heel to walk away. He had a feeling this would be a long night.

When he walked into the kitchen, he found the rest of his friends all there – Amanda, Jack, Charlotte, and someone else who he didn't know. She obviously knew him though, as when she saw him she immediately perked up. "Nolan Ross!" The girl said excitedly, surging forward and extending her hand. "Hi! My name is Hailey and I'm going to be one of your interns this summer. And I don't know if I had time to personally review my application but…"

"I heard about your resume," Nolan said, accepting her handshake. "You were student council president at your high school, spent a summer with Habitat For Humanity, got a scholarship to NYU, and put computers back together for fun. Nice to put a face to the credentials."

"We actually met at school," Charlotte added. "Hailey's brilliant, she always got the best test scores in our math class. This is her and her mother's first summer in The Hamptons."

"Who's your mother? Do I know her?"

Charlotte nodded towards something behind him. "Speak of the devil,"

Nolan turned around and immediately stopped in his tracks. As he was approached by this beautiful blonde in an off-the-shoulder white dress – the same dress Amanda had worn her first Memorial Day in The Hamptons – he was immediately overcome by déjà vu.

Because just like back then, this new girl was all too familiar to him.

Olivia looked up and he saw the look of horror cross her face. "…Hi."

Hi. It was the first thing she'd said to him in almost twenty years.

He turned back to his friends, all of whom hadn't noticed that anything was amiss. And then his eyes landed on Hailey – the girl whom he had hired to work at his company, and who also happened to be the daughter of his first love. He really couldn't catch a break, could he? "Excuse me…"

He was halfway up the stairs when he heard her calling after him. "Hey, wait up!" He turned around, seeing Olivia chasing after him. She hiked up her skirt as she walked up the stairs, and cracked a smile at him. "You gonna make me take my heels off again?" She teased, but he didn't laugh. He turned around to look at her, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you doing here, Olivia?"

"I wouldn't have come if I knew you'd be here," Olivia said with a sigh. "I don't blame you for not wanting to see me, but last time I checked you were in New York and I hoped one conversation with the Clarkes wouldn't get back to you. I wanted to…to ask about you, pretend I was just a fan. Make sure you were doing okay..." She trailed off. "It's been a long time. I...I still wonder about you sometimes."

"Did they invite you?" Nolan asked. "My friends, I mean."

"My whole company was on the guest list. I work on Wall Street now."

Nolan raised an eyebrow at her. "I guess you went elsewhere for that economics degree then."

Olivia bit her lip. "Actually I'm a secretary. I…I never finished college."

"Well, I didn't either."

She chuckled lightly. "Didn't hold you back. I always knew you'd be richer than everyone else someday."

An awkward silence followed and Nolan glanced back to the kitchen. He could see Amanda and Jack talking to Charlotte while Hailey stood silently, her eyes roving around the room. She looked so much like Olivia, but he couldn't help but wonder… "Is she mine?"

"What?" Olivia gasped.

"She's a freshman in college," Nolan explained. "The last time I saw you was almost twenty years ago. The timing could potentially fit. So…am I her dad?"

Olivia looked incredibly hurt by this accusation. "…Is that really the kind of person you think I am?" After she saw that Nolan was waiting for a definite answer, she opened her purse and pulled something out of her wallet, extending it to him. It was a photo of a man, holding a chubby blonde baby – torn at the edges, showing that she'd carried it with her for what appeared to be a number of years. "That's Mike. My ex-husband. He left when she was little – never looked back. He gave up his parental rights and I changed Hailey's last name…It's just been the two of us ever since."

After staring at it for a moment, Nolan handed the photo back to her, a lump in his throat. "I'm sorry I accused you." While it was good to know he didn't have a secret child that he'd inadvertently ignored for almost twenty years, it still hurt to know that Olivia – the woman he'd never completely gotten over – had gotten married and had a child so quickly. Apparently moving on hadn't been nearly as hard for her as it had been for him.

"I am sorry I hurt you," Olivia emphasized. "I still think about it all the time. But please, please don't take this out on Hailey. She's smart, and she's going to do great things."

Nolan looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. "…Tell Hailey that I'll see her at work tomorrow."

Olivia smiled. "Thank you,"

"But I'm not doing this for you," He insisted. "I'm doing this for her. Because I know how great it feels to have someone believe in you." He didn't want to tell Olivia that he knew if Hailey was anything like her in personality as well as appearance, she was capable of great things. This was the woman who had broken his heart, after all.

That's why this time, he walked away from her for a change.

January 20, 1997 3:35 p.m.

Nolan Ross threw open the door to his dorm room, finding Olivia already inside. "Liv, what the Hell?" He said. "You dropped out? Without talking to me?"

"I didn't need to talk to you about it," Olivia said. "It was my decision." When she looked at Nolan he could see that her eyes were red – she'd been bawling her eyes out.

"So that's it then?" Nolan asked dejectedly. "You're just leaving?"

"After I get the last of my stuff, yeah." Olivia replied, folding up the clothes which she'd left in Nolan's room. Once she'd placed them in her bag she zipped it up and slung it over her shoulder, turning to face him. "I just…I can't do this anymore, Nolan."

"Do what, Liv? I thought…I thought we were happy!"

Olivia shook her head. "I'm sorry. But we're not us anymore, Nolan. I'm not happy here anymore. I just…I just want to go home."

She started to head towards the door but Nolan grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. "I can change!" He insisted desperately. "Just tell me what I have to do to keep you and I'll do it. Have you even thought this through? We just turned our theses in, if you'd been thinking about this for a while you would've left earlier."

Olivia turned back around to face him slowly, crying again. "There's nothing you can do. I just woke up today and I realized that everything has changed. You have the company and David to worry about and I have…nothing here. I just feel so empty, Nolan. And I want to be whole again." She touched Nolan's face, where a solitary tear rolled down his cheek. "NolCorp is a great company. I know that someday everyone else will see in it what I do. And what David did. And they'll see what we saw in you."

"Olivia, please." Nolan murmured. "I…I love you. Doesn't that mean anything?"

Olivia only dropped her hand and stepped back. "And I loved you too. You were my heart…" She shook her head. "But I guess sometimes that just isn't enough. Things have changed between us and I…I don't have a place here anymore."

"Olivia…"

She backed away, crying again. "I'm so sorry…" Then she walked out the door and out of his life, forever.

Or at least that was what he'd thought, anyway.

August 1, 2016 7:34 a.m.

While Amanda and Jack continued to search for the rest of their group, Nolan stayed with Hailey. She sat in the back of an ambulance, a paramedic checking her all over after Nolan had insisted she get examined. Hesitantly, he touched her knee. "What happened, Hailey?"

Hailey shook her head, a lone tear running down her dirty face, and stared at the ground. "I…I don't know. I had just walked into the building and everything was fine and then…suddenly it was so loud. And everything above me was bright. When I woke up, I was on the ground outside. Someone pulled me out." She looked up, fear in her eyes. "What about everyone else? Did they make it out okay?"

"…Yeah." Nolan lied. "They're fine." He didn't know if that was true, but he wasn't going to tell Hailey that.

"She's going to need stitches." The paramedic said. "We'll have to take her to the hospital."

"Go," Nolan told Hailey. "I'll make sure everyone is okay." He started to walk away while the paramedic took Hailey by the arm, but she stood up forcefully, her eyes widening when she realized what she'd forgotten to ask.

"Nolan!" Hailey yelled after him. "My mom! You need to find my mom!" Nolan turned back around but by this point Hailey had been led inside the ambulance, the doors shut as they began to drive away.

My name is Nolan Ross. Five years ago, I helped my best friend get her revenge on the people who framed her father for a crime he did not commit. After that, I decided to put the past behind me and start a new chapter of my life.

Nolan pulled his phone out of his pocket and with shaky hands, he dialed her number one more time. Once again, he only got her machine. "Hey, this is Olivia! Leave a message, and I'll get right back to you!"

I thought that my days of revenge were behind me. Little did I know, that was only the beginning. It seems that my past…

"Goddamnit, Olivia." He mumbled. "Where are you?"

…is not done with me yet.

A/N (again): So...yeah. I feel like this was better in my head, but hopefully it was good? I know you probably have some questions, but they will be answered. Eventually. Just, give it time. And if you want another chapter, please review! Like I said, who wants to write a story if they think no one out there cares? Thanks so much for reading guys!