The ride home was quiet—far too quiet for Selena's comfort.
Jace hadn't spoken a single word since they left the party. Not even a glance. Not even a breath loud enough to prove he was human.
The interior of the Rolls-Royce was dim, lit only by the soft golden glow lining the edges of the ceiling. Outside, Lagos city lights streaked past the tinted windows, but inside the car, the atmosphere was thick… heated… suffocating.
Selena shifted slightly, her gown brushing faintly against the leather seat. The sound seemed to echo in the silence.
She swallowed.
Why is he like this? Did I do something wrong?
Moments ago, at the party, he had grabbed her hand with a cold, firm authority and pulled her away from Andrew without explanation. She hadn't dared ask why. His expression alone warned her that speaking might be dangerous.
Now, in the car, she risked a subtle glance at him.
Jace sat stiffly, jaw clenched, one hand resting on his thigh while the other gripped the armrest with restrained force. His profile was sharp in the faint glow—cold, unreadable, but something simmered beneath.
Not anger.
Possessiveness?
No. Impossible.
Selena looked away quickly, cheeks warming. She fixed her gaze on the window, forcing her thoughts to calm.
He's your boss. Your contract husband. Nothing more.
But the energy in the car told another story—something unspoken had shifted between them.
Jace finally moved.
Barely. But Selena felt it like a shock.
His fingers tapped once against his armrest—controlled, precise, but restless.
"Did you enjoy the party?" he asked suddenly.
His voice was low, deep, and rougher than usual.
Selena blinked. "Um… yes. It was—"
"Did you enjoy talking to him?"
The question cut through the air like a blade.
Her heart thudded.
"Who?"
"You know who."
Selena's breath caught. So that was it. The silence. The tension. The intensity radiating off him like heat.
Andrew.
"I haven't seen him in a long time," she replied softly. "We studied together. We were just catching up."
Jace's jaw tightened.
"Catching up," he repeated, as though the words personally offended him.
Selena frowned. "Is something wrong?"
"No." His tone was too sharp. Too clipped.
A lie.
She turned fully to him now. "You've been quiet since we left."
He didn't answer.
Instead, his gaze dropped briefly to her hands. Then traveled slowly—too slowly—up her arms, her neckline, her face.
A shiver ran through her before she could stop it.
Jace looked away first, staring forward with iron control.
"You didn't have to smile at him like that."
Selena froze. "Smile? Jace, I was just being polite."
He didn't respond.
He didn't have to.
The tension in his shoulders, the flare of his nostrils, the rigid posture—everything screamed one truth.
He hated seeing her with Andrew.
Selena swallowed, forcing her voice to remain calm. "You're acting strangely."
He didn't turn. "I don't like people getting too close to what's mine."
Her breath caught. Hard.
But before she could process it—before she could even react—Jace added, colder:
"I meant my employees. You're under my care. I don't want unnecessary complications."
Cold. Icy. Detached.
But the heat lingering in his gaze moments earlier told a different story entirely.
Selena looked out the window again, heart racing uncontrollably.
The silence resumed—but it wasn't empty anymore.
It was thick with unspoken emotions neither of them could admit.
By the time the car turned into the mansion's driveway, Selena's pulse was still unsteady… and Jace's silence had never felt louder.