The morning sunlight poured through the tall windows of the Ariston mansion, casting soft golden lines across the marble floor. Selena stepped out of her room quietly, her hand still on the doorknob for a moment as she inhaled deeply.
She had barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jace's expression from last night—silent, sharp, unreadable… yet heated in a way she had never seen before. The memory tangled with her thoughts like vines, refusing to loosen.
Three months, she reminded herself.
Just three months, then freedom. Don't be stupid, Selena. Don't catch feelings for a man who doesn't even want a wife.
She exhaled softly and began walking toward the staircase.
Halfway down the hallway, she stopped abruptly.
Because Jace was standing at the bottom of the stairs, adjusting the cuff of his shirt, his suit jacket slung over one arm. He looked impossibly composed, as if the entire night hadn't affected him at all.
But the moment he lifted his eyes and saw her—something flickered.
A brief, almost imperceptible pause.
Selena's heart stumbled.
Jace straightened, the cold CEO aura wrapping around him like armor. "You're awake," he said, tone controlled, low… but not as sharp as usual.
"Yes," she replied, her voice softer than she intended. "Good morning."
He nodded once. Not curt… not icy… just… restrained.
Selena tried to step past him, but Jace shifted slightly, positioning himself so they faced each other more directly. It wasn't deliberate enough to be obvious, but not subtle enough to ignore.
Their eyes met.
A quiet tension swirled between them—like the air itself recognized something was changing.
Jace was the first to look away. He cleared his throat lightly, focusing on his watch even though he didn't need to check the time. "You didn't sleep well," he said, more like an observation than a question.
Selena blinked. "What makes you think so?"
"You look tired."
The words slipped out faster than he expected.
He immediately straightened, face returning to neutrality. But the concern had already been exposed—barely there, yet unmistakable.
Selena forced a small, polite smile. "I'm fine. Just stayed up thinking."
Jace's jaw tightened.
He didn't ask what she had been thinking about, but the question hovered between them like smoke.
A heavy silence followed—awkward and intimate at the same time.
Then Jace stepped slightly closer. Not enough to invade her space, but enough that she felt it—his presence, his warmth, his gravity pulling at her without meaning to.
"If you need anything today…" he began, then paused, as if unsure how to continue.
Selena's breath caught. "I'll be okay," she whispered.
Their eyes met again.
This time, neither looked away.
Jace didn't move. Didn't blink. Didn't hide.
For a moment, it felt like they were standing on the edge of something—something neither of them understood yet, something dangerous for both of them.
Finally, he stepped back, slipping into his CEO shell so quickly it almost startled her. "Breakfast is ready," he said quietly. "You should eat before leaving."
Selena nodded, but her heart was still racing.
As Jace turned toward the door, she watched him, confusion swirling inside her.
Why did he sound… softer? Why did he look… different?
Jace paused at the entrance, his hand on the door handle. He didn't look back, but she saw his shoulders rise faintly, as though he was steadying himself.
Then in a low, almost reluctant voice, he said:
"Selena."
She swallowed. "Yes?"
A short silence.
"Have a good morning."
And he left.
Leaving Selena standing there, stunned, her heart thudding in a rhythm she couldn't understand—and wasn't ready to face.