CHAPTER 366: CHAPTER 365

The dim lighting from the chandelier threw soft shadows across Jace’s face, catching the faint curve of his mouth. Jay blinked, forcing himself to look away quickly, but it was too late. His heart gave a small, traitorous skip.

"Alright then," Jace said, missing or maybe pretending not to notice the flicker in Jay’s expression. "You can take the guest bed. It’s next to mine."

"Next to yours?" Jay repeated, his voice just a bit higher than usual.

"Yeah," Jace said, raising an eyebrow. "Or do you want to share mine?"

Jay’s eyes widened, and Jace smirked faintly, clearly enjoying the reaction.

"Just kidding," he said, turning toward the hallway. "Come on, before Dominic starts snoring loud enough to shake the walls."

Jay followed him, trying not to grin like an idiot and failing miserably.

And all of a sudden, Jace stopped walking. Jay, who had been trailing behind him like a distracted puppy, didn’t notice in time and bumped right into his back.

"Goodness, sorry! I was so lost in thought!" Jay blurted, stepping back quickly, his hands hovering awkwardly as if debating whether to help or hide.

Jace turned around slowly, and for a moment, Jay forgot what he’d been apologizing for. Under the dim hallway lights, Jace looked almost ethereal. The soft glow brushed against his blonde hair, turning it to liquid gold, and his ice-blue eyes reflected the faint light like shards of clear sky.

He didn’t say anything at first, just looked at Jay, his expression calm but unreadable, a faint trace of amusement flickering in his gaze. Then he nodded once, the movement graceful and quiet.

"It’s fine," he said softly, his voice low and even, though something about the tone made Jay’s heart give an unsteady beat.

For a second, neither of them moved.

·༻𐫱༺·

Bella felt she was floating on a small boat, gently swaying with the rhythm of soft waves. The sun was warm above her, and the water shimmered like melted glass, rocking her into a peaceful daze. The air smelled faintly of salt and calm, and she sighed in contentment, letting the waves lull her deeper into comfort.

But then something shook her. Hard.

The waves suddenly grew wild, the boat tilted sharply, and before she could grab the edge, the world spun upside down.

"Ahhh... my boat!!" she shouted, flailing as she jolted awake, only to hear a deep, amused chuckle beside her.

Blinking rapidly, Bella rubbed her eyes, still half caught between dream and reality. With the back of her hand, she wiped her cheek and sat up drowsily, her hair sticking in all directions.

And there he was.

Leo sat at the edge of the bed, one hand resting on his knee, watching her with that half-smirk that made her both shy and flustered at the same time. His gray eyes glinted in amusement as he leaned slightly closer.

"What happened with your boat, Bunny?" he asked, voice low and teasing.

Bella frowned sleepily, still processing the question. "It flipped," she muttered, rubbing her face again. "Because of you."

"Because of me?" He raised an eyebrow, pretending to sound offended. "I wasn’t even there."

"You were," she argued softly, her pout deepening. "You shook me. The storm came, and then you laughed when my boat sank."

Leo chuckled, the sound deep and velvety as he folded his arms. "So now I’m a storm?"

"Yes," Bella mumbled, her voice still heavy with sleep. "A big, mean storm who laughs when people drown."

He leaned closer until his shadow brushed over her, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Then I guess I’ll have to rescue you, won’t I?"

Bella blinked up at him, her sleepy pout slowly turning into a shy little smile. "You’ll rescue me?"

"Always," he said, his tone quiet but certain, and something in her chest fluttered so fast that she forgot all about her sinking boat.

"Okay okay, you’re being weird again," Bella muttered, still rubbing her eyes. "Why did you wake me up? I’m not going to the company today," she said, confused and half-pouting. "I was supposed to sleep more."

Leo placed a hand dramatically over his chest, pretending to look heartbroken. "I’m so sad, Bunny. You forgot about my promise."

Her eyes widened in shock, and she sat up straight. "No! No, I didn’t forget!" she said quickly, guilt flashing across her face. "You tell me what you want—I’ll buy it for you!" she added earnestly, clasping her hands together. "I have a lot of savings."

Leo blinked, taken aback for a second, then his lips curved in a soft, helpless smile. Her pure little heart—he didn’t know whether to laugh or pull her into his arms.

"No, Bunny," he said gently, lowering his voice. "I want something more."

Bella tilted her head, confused. "More?"

He leaned closer, his gray eyes glinting with quiet amusement. "Today is for us," he said softly. "Let’s go on a date. Somewhere no one knows about us."

For a moment, Bella just stared at him, her lips parted slightly in disbelief. Then she gasped, her eyes widening until they looked like golden moons.

"I—I’m dreaming, right? Or are you actually asking me out?" she blurted, clutching the blanket as if it could steady her fluttering heart.

Leo chuckled quietly, the sound deep and warm. "I’m asking you out," he said simply, his eyes fixed on her face, watching every flicker of emotion that crossed it.

Bella’s hands flew to her mouth, her cheeks flushing pink as her heart began to race. It was her first time ever being asked out—and by him, of all people. Her husband. Her Leo.

She nodded so fast that her messy hair bounced. "Yes! Yes, I agree!" she said in a rush, her voice bright and full of excitement.

Leo couldn’t help but smile, watching her glow like that. She looked so happy, so utterly thrilled that he felt something warm bloom deep inside his chest. Seeing her excitement, knowing she was just as eager as he was, made him feel something he hadn’t felt in years.

Peace. And a quiet, certain kind of joy.