iressa''s POV

    My phone buzzed.

    Jess: I''m outside.

    Outside? I blinked, frowning. Outside where? She never said she wasing

    over.

    Another ping.

    Jess: At the door.

    I shot upright in bed, blinking like I''d misread the screen. She was here? Now?

    What the hell?

    Grabbing my phone, I immediately hit call. "Jess?!"

    Her voice came through the speaker, full of excitement. "Oh my God, ire. I know I came herest night, but I didn''t realize how beautiful this ce was. Seeing it in the daylight? It''s actually insane."

    I tossed the covers off and padded toward the bedroom door, still in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

    "Obviously checking on you," she replied, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "After everything with Adrianst night—and Gabriel''s emotionally constipated drama-you think I''d wait around for a text? Nah. I had to make sure you were alive with my own two eyes."

    "You could''ve at least warned me," I murmured, turning down the hall and heading to the ess door. "You scared the hell out of me."

    "I didn''t want to give you the chance to say no,” she said with a smug littleugh. "Besides, I missed you."

    "I bet," I said, still clutching the phone to my ear as the door slid open. "But I''m actually really d you''re here. I think it''s a good thing you came... because with everything going on,"

    I let out a sigh, "I really needed to talk to my bestie."

    Jess gave a dramatic aww as soon as she saw me by the entryway.

    I rushed into her hug without hesitation, and we held on tight for a second too long.

    When we finally pulled apart, she blinked up at the tall ceilings and wooden floors.

    "ire..." she breathed, spinning slowly as her eyes swept across the grand hall. "This ce is insane."

    She turned in a full circle, awe written all over her face. "I mean, I knew Gabriel had money, but I didn''t know he had movie viin estate money. This looks like the kind of ce Bond viins vacation in."

    Iughed. "You''re doing too much."

    "I''m not!" She gestured around. "The paintings, the floors, the air-it smells expensive."

    "Jess," I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "Are you going to keep drooling or are you going to follow me to my room?”

    "Lead on, princess," she said, falling in step behind me, still sneaking nces at the decor. "So... where''s Mr. Stormy Control Freak? And the prodigal son?"

    I shrugged. "Probably hiding in the west wing-or the east. Who knows. This

    house makes it easy to avoid people. We only see each other when fate insists."

    "Damn," she muttered, still overwhelmed. "This ce is goals."

    "Juste on," I said, dragging her by the wrist.

    I led her upstairs toward the room Gabriel had designed for me.

    The moment I opened the door and stepped aside, Jess froze in ce. Her eyes went wide.

    "Wait. This isn''t a room-ire, this is a mini-apartment. What the hell?"

    "I know," I muttered, copsing onto the couch with a sigh.

    She walked in like she was stepping into a dream, running her fingers along the textured walls before peeking into the closet-then let out an actual scream.

    "What is this?! I thought you said everything burned in the fire! How do you have all of this?" She spun around, wild-eyed. "The clothes, the shoes, the bags—are those designer?"

    "They are," I said, trying to sound casual, even though I was still reeling too. "Apparently Gabriel''s been working on this for a while. I only found outst night."

    Jess turned to me, brows arching nearly to her hairline. "But you said you two weren''t even speaking. So how was he building you a secret princess suite behind your back?"

    I shrugged, still a little dazed. "Beats me. He kept it hush-hush. I only found out because Jane, the housekeeper, relocated me here. My stuff was gone from the guest room, and she brought me here instead."

    Jess stared at me, then at the closet again. "Oh my God. That man is in love with you."

    "I don''t know about that-"

    "Don''t even start. He built you a closet straight out of Vogue. Who does that?"

    I nodded slowly. "It surprised me too."

    Jess flung the closet doors wider with a squeal. "Girl, you don''t need my clothes anymore. I could live in your closet alone."

    "Be my guest," I grinned, sinking into the couch. "Most of this stuff will just sit here unworn. Might as well let someone enjoy it."

    "Say less." She ran a hand over a silk blouse. "This is why you''re my best friend." We bothughed.

    Then her eyes narrowed, and she turned to me. "So... have you thanked Gabriel for all this?"

    My mouth opened, but nothing came out.

    Jess gasped. "You haven''t."

    “It''s just..... a lot. I mean, I swore I wouldn''t fall back into his arms, and then...st night happened."

    Her brows lifted. "Wait-what exactly happenedst night?"

    I hesitated.

    "ire," she pressed. "Don''t y coy. Something happened."

    "Maybe."

    Her jaw dropped. "Oh my God. You had sex with him?!"

    "No! Not exactly."

    "ire!"

    Iughed, cheeks heating. "Maybe... something close."

    "Oh, no. You are not getting away with vague answers. Did you two kiss? Touch?

    Did you do the nasty?!"

    Iughed and buried my face in my hands. "Jess!"

    "Answer the question!"

    "No, we didn''t have sex."

    "But...?"

    "But... close enough."

    She screamed again and threw a pillow at me. "Oh my God. You did take my advice and let that man eat you ire, who even are you?! I don''t need to ask how it went-I can tell you''re floating."

    I smirked. "Maybe he floated too. I might''ve returned the favor."

    She stared at me like I was an alien. "Who is this woman? My ire would''ve run

    at the first hint of temptation. And now you''re-what? Owning your power?"

    "I guess I''m done being everyone''s ''good girl.'' Maybe I''m finally bing the woman I was meant to be."

    Jess exhaled like a proud mom.

    "That''s right. Absolutely. This is wild.

    From the fire to this apartment to

    you and Gabriel. You told me he was going to scold you. Now he''s all over you?"

    "Would you keep your voice down?" I whispered.

    "Oh, right. Adrian. We wouldn''t want him walking in on your glow-up."

    I rolled my eyes, and she chuckled again, then suddenly sobered.

    "I really do think you and Gabriel need to talk and figure all of this out."

    "Maybe... but before then I want him to sweat a little."

    Jess narrowed her eyes. "You evil genius."

    "He did offer me to his son," I muttered. "Let him feel a pinch of what I felt."

    "ire. You''ve be a monster."

    "Who knows," I said with a shrug.

    Jess pointed a finger at me. "Don''t take it too far, though. You know how these games can backfire."

    "I hear you."

    Her phone buzzed again. Then again. I nced at it. "Who''s that?"

    She sighed. "Brian."

    "Ohhh. Brian." I sat up straighter. "So take it."

    "No. I don''t want to talk to him."

    "You came all the way here for my drama, and you''ve been hiding Brian from me

    for weeks? Cruel." I lightly pped her arm. "I''ve spilled all my tea—you owe me." "There''s nothing to spill. That story ended before it began."

    "Lies. I think you like him. That''s why you haven''t told me anything. A part of you''s

    still hoping something might work out."

    "You know I don''t do love," she said tly. "I don''t believe men are capable of

    loving anyone. Not really. I do fun. I do sexy. I don''t do love."

    "You never know," I said gently. “Has Brian said anything about love?"

    "No."

    "Then why are you writing it off already? You might be scared, but that doesn''t mean you should run."

    Jess looked away, pretending to go through the drawers.

    "I''ve never seen you this affected before," I said. "I think you should give him a

    chance. I really do."

    She sighed. "He invited me to his dad''s birthday party. And after what happenedst time-with his dad''s

    obsession with the elite? Yeah, no. I

    don''t know if I can face that again."

    I nodded. “I get it. But maybe this is his way of making amends. Maybe he wants

    to stand by you in front of his family."

    "Or maybe I''ll just get humiliated again."

    "Or maybe you''ll walk away with rity. At least you''ll know."

    Jess stared at me for a moment, then finally gave a tiny, reluctant nod. "I''ll think

    about it."

    "That''s all I''m asking."