Jace closed the door to his bedroom and leaned against it, letting out a long, controlled breath. The villa was silent, but inside his mind, a storm raged—one he had fought to suppress since the moment he first saw her that night.
He paced slowly, hands buried in his pockets, replaying every memory, every moment he had spent with Selena Ward over the past weeks. But there was one memory that lingered sharper than the rest, one he hadn't shared with anyone—not even his closest advisors.
Years ago, she had saved him. Drowning. He had been reckless, alone at the edge of the lake, and she had been there, appearing almost like fate itself, pulling him from the water just before the cold swallowed him entirely. The world had gone blurry, water filling his lungs, and then there had been her—steady, calm, determined. She had saved him without hesitation, without asking for anything in return.
After that night, he hadn't seen her again. Not at school, not at work, not in any of the crowded spaces he frequented. But her face… it had never left him. He had searched quietly, relentlessly, year after year, hoping to find her.
And then, that night in front of the hospital… there she was. Alive, strong, and struggling under the weight of the world as he had remembered her. He had wanted, at first, to clear her mother's hospital bill quietly, to help without intruding, without demanding anything from her. But then reality struck—his grandfather's inheritance could only be claimed if he was married.
So he had approached her, offering a contract that would protect both of their interests. Three months. That was all. Pay her mother's bills. Ensure she was safe. And… maybe, just maybe, hope that in three months, love could grow.
But now, as he thought about it, he felt the emptiness gnawing at him. He had wanted those months to be full of warmth, closeness, and connection. Instead… all he managed to do was remain cold, distant, and controlled around her. Every interaction he had tried to keep measured, professional. But the more he kept his walls up, the more he realized how impossible it was to resist the pull she had on him.
He stopped pacing and ran a hand through his hair, finally facing the quiet room. His thoughts were a tangle—memories, regrets, longing, and desire twisting together. And then it hit him. Clear, undeniable, unavoidable.
He was in love with her.
Jace let the realization sink in, his chest tightening, heart pounding in a way he hadn't allowed himself to feel in years. It wasn't just admiration. It wasn't fleeting infatuation. It was deep, consuming, relentless. Every time he saw her laugh, every time she spoke, every time she moved even slightly in his presence… it shredded the coldness he tried to hold onto, leaving him raw and exposed.
He sank onto the edge of his bed, fingers gripping the sheets. Could he tell her? Could he act on it? Or should he wait, let the three months unfold, and see if love could blossom naturally without the pressure of confession?
Two months remained. Two months of a contract that had started as a mere formality. Two months to learn more about her, to protect her, to feel the warmth he had denied himself for far too long.
He closed his eyes, replaying her face—the soft curve of her smile, the determination in her eyes, the way she had carried herself despite the burdens in her life. And a small, almost imperceptible sigh escaped his lips.
What if he acted now? What if he let her know the truth, risked everything, and jeopardized the delicate balance they were trying to maintain?
But what if he waited? What if he let the days pass, pretending he could remain cold, only to watch the contract end without ever claiming what he had lost so many years ago—the chance to love her openly, to call her his?
Jace pressed his face into his hands, the conflict tearing at him. He had trained himself to control everything in life—business, power, even emotions—but she… she was different. She wasn't just part of his life. She was the part he had been searching for, the part he had never dared to admit existed.
The room felt smaller, the night darker, as he sat there, wrestling with feelings he had tried so hard to ignore. His mind was screaming, heart pleading, and yet his body remained still, controlled, as if discipline alone could hold back the tidal wave of desire and love threatening to consume him.
Finally, he whispered into the quiet room, words meant only for himself:
"I'm in love with her."
And in that quiet confession, he realized that waiting might be safer, might be wiser, but it didn't change the truth.
The next two months… they would decide everything.
And for the first time in years, Jace Ariston allowed himself to hope.