Selena and Andrew were still deep in conversation, their laughter soft but genuine—an ease that came naturally from old friendship. Andrew leaned slightly closer as he spoke animatedly about a recent architectural project he'd been admiring, his eyes bright with excitement.
Selena smiled back, her shoulders relaxing for the first time that evening. "You haven't changed, Andrew. Still obsessed with skyscrapers and complicated designs."
"And you," he countered softly, "still as brilliant as ever."
Selena chuckled and swatted his arm lightly. "Stop flattering me."
But Andrew wasn't joking. His gaze lingered, warm and unguarded—full of affection he had never dared voice. In New York, it had been the same: Andrew looking at her like she was art, Selena smiling at him with the innocence of someone who had no idea she was being cherished.
They talked like that for a while—comfortably, effortlessly.
Until the atmosphere shifted.
A chilling presence washed over the table, sharp enough to slice through their laughter. Selena felt it before she saw him. A familiar scent—clean, crisp, expensive. A shadow that dimmed everything around them.
Jace Ariston.
He stood behind Andrew with the cold poise of a king who'd walked into his own territory and found an intruder sitting too close to what was his.
His dark eyes swept over the scene—Selena smiling, Andrew leaning forward, their chairs close, shoulders almost touching. Something unreadable flickered across Jace's face, a tightness around his jaw that he immediately masked.
"Selena." His voice was low, even, and dangerously calm. "I didn't know you were… occupied."
Selena blinked, surprised by the sudden frost in his tone. "Oh—Jace. This is Andrew Gomez. We studied together in New York."
Andrew, unaware of the tension, stood and offered a friendly hand. "Good evening, Mr. Ariston. I've heard a lot about you—your family's achievements are impressive."
Jace's gaze traveled to the offered hand… and ignored it. He nodded once, stiffly, acknowledging Andrew with the bare minimum required by manners.
"Selena," he said again, this time using her name like it concerned him more than he wanted to admit. "You should stay close. This is a business event, not a reunion."
Selena frowned slightly. "I was just catching up with a friend. I didn't wander off."
Jace's eyes flicked to Andrew for half a second—a cold, assessing look that made Andrew's confident smile falter. "I can see that," he replied coolly.
Andrew cleared his throat. "We were just talking. I haven't seen Selena since—"
"I'm aware," Jace cut in gently, but firmly. The message was clear: that's enough.
Selena stared at him, confused. This wasn't the composed, untouched CEO everyone else knew. This was something different—something heavier. His shoulders were a fraction too tense. His eyes lingered on her for a moment too long.
And suddenly… she understood.
Jealous?
No. Impossible.
Jace Ariston wasn't the type to feel jealous—especially not over her.
Still… the way he positioned himself slightly in front of her, subtly placing a barrier between her and Andrew… the way his gaze sharpened every time Andrew's attention drifted to her…
It made her heart trip.
Andrew sensed the shift too. He stepped back, giving Selena a small smile. "We'll talk later, alright?"
Selena nodded gently. "Sure."
Jace watched until Andrew disappeared into the crowd, then finally turned to her, face blank and unreadable.
"You shouldn't sit alone with strange men in crowded places," he said quietly.
Selena raised a brow. "He's my friend."
"He's still a man."
There it was—the slip. The truth beneath the cold.
Selena looked away, hiding her smile. "Why does it matter?"
Jace paused.
Just for a moment.
Then in that deep, calm voice, he whispered:
"It matters more than you think."