Jace pushed open the café door with a slow, controlled force.
The bell above the entrance chimed lightly—but even that tiny sound felt like a warning.
Heads turned.
People looked.
Because the man who walked in didn't look like someone here for coffee,He looked like a storm on legs.
His black shirt was rolled at the sleeves, showing sharp forearms. His expression was carved in ice—cold, sharp, focused. There was nothing casual about the way he entered. His presence pressed into the quiet café like a cold front.
Only one person didn't notice yet.
Selena, who had her back half-turned to the entrance, still speaking to Andrew with a faint smile she didn't even realize she had on.
But Andrew noticed,Oh, he noticed immediately,his shoulders straightened,his spine stiffened,His hand froze halfway to reaching for his cup.
Because Jace Arinston wasn't just walking toward them,he was aiming.
His cold eyes locked on their table—on Andrew first, then on Selena—and the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.
Andrew swallowed,selena still hadn't turned yet.
And the storm approached.
Jace's shoes hit the floor with slow, measured steps,he wasn't rushing,wasn't running,but each step looked like it carried a thousand unsaid words.
The café's low chatter faded. People pretended to mind their business, but their eyes tracked him. Something about his presence demanded attention—commanded it.
He looked like a man who was used to walking into rooms and owning them,but right now, he didn't care about the room,he cared about one person.
His gaze slid over Selena again. She tilted her head slightly at something Andrew said, and Jace's jaw flexed—once, sharply.
Then he reached their table.
Andrew tried to speak first."Mr. Arinston—"
Jace didn't spare him a glance.
"Selena," he said, voice low and smooth,Not loud,not angry,but the tone was enough to make Andrew's fingers tighten around his cup.
Selena blinked, finally turning slightly to see who had called her.Her breath hitched,because she had never—never—seen Jace look like that,he wasn't glaring,he wasn't scowling,he was… focused. Too focused. Intense in a way that made her heart tremble.
"Sir?" she asked, forcing calm into her voice.
Jace didn't answer immediately.
His eyes lowered briefly to her hands on the table,then to the half-finished iced coffee beside her and back to her face.His stare was unreadable,dangerously unreadable.
Andrew cleared his throat, trying to cut the atmosphere."We were just catching up—"
"I wasn't speaking to you."
The words were short. Precise. Icy.
Andrew went silent,Selena's heart thudded.
"Sir," she tried again, gentler now, "we're on break, and you were on a call so I thought—"
"You left the office without informing me."
Again, soft. Not raised,yet every syllable carried weight.
Andrew looked between them, confused.
Selena's palms went warm."I didn't want to interrupt your call," she explained quietly.
"That wasn't your decision to make."
Selena inhaled,she didn't know whether she should be annoyed… or flustered… or worried.Because Jace wasn't talking like a CEO scolding his secretary,he was talking like a man who absolutely hated seeing her with someone else.
Andrew glanced at Selena again,then at Jace.Then he leaned back slightly, understanding beginning to form.
But Selena didn't understand.Not fully,not yet."Sir," she whispered, "I'll return once my break is over. It's still within the time—"
"Now."Jace cut in softly,almost too softly.
Selena's breath froze,it wasn't an order shouted,it wasn't a demand,it was something else.Something that sounded like:Get up before I lose my mind.
Andrew finally spoke, voice careful."Mr. Arinston, I didn't intend to keep her—"
Jace's eyes moved to him,not in anger,but in warning."Mr. Gomez," he said flatly, "I believe you have your own business to handle today."
Andrew's jaw tensed, but he forced a polite smile."And I believe Selena is capable of deciding who she spends her break with."
The words hung. Sharp. Neutral. Yet edged,selena's eyes widened slightly.Andrew rarely talked like that.
But Jace didn't flinch,didn't blink.He simply lowered his gaze again to Selena and that alone silenced the entire table.Because no matter how much Andrew wanted to defend her…Selena could feel it…The air around Jace.The intensity of his presence,the unspoken message burning behind his calmness,he wasn't leaving without her.
"Selena."
Her name again. Low. Controlled.
"Stand up."
Her heartbeat tripped.
Andrew looked at her, silently asking:Are you going?
Selena swallowed…She should say no,she should stay seated,she should tell Jace she had a right to her own break.But the look in his eyes…It wasn't cold CEO strictness,it was possessive tension wrapped in ice.And she wasn't immune.Slowly—too slowly—she stood.
Andrew exhaled softly, clearly disappointed but trying to hide it.
Jace stepped slightly back to give her space, but never took his eyes off her. Not for a second."Thank you," he murmured, voice still unreadable.
Selena couldn't even figure out what he was thanking her for.
Standing?
Listening?
Not letting Andrew pull her back?She didn't know.She just felt her pulse everywhere.
Jace finally turned his gaze to Andrew."Have a good day, Mr. Gomez."
With zero warmth, zero friendliness, and zero intention of further conversation.Then he reached for the door, pushing it open for Selena to step out first.
She hesitated just a moment,because the tension behind her felt thick enough to grab.
Andrew's eyes met hers one last time,gentle,understanding .And something like disappointment.
But she stepped out anyway.Jace followed her immediately.
The bell chimed again when the door closed and the entire café exhaled the breath it had been holding.
Andrew leaned back in his seat, heart sinking."Selena…" he murmured to himself,then a dry chuckle escaped him."So that's how it is."
Outside, the wind brushed against Selena's skin,jace walked beside her—close, too close—but not touching,not speaking,but the silence itself was loud.And the storm walked with them.