What a pleasant surprise

Fiona's POV

Three weeks, twenty-one days, five hundred and four hours. That was how long Jalen had been gone, not that I was counting—okay, maybe I was.

Every day felt emptier than the one before. No matter how hard I tried to distract myself, every thought somehow found its way back to him. I missed him, I missed him so much it hurts.

One evening, after spending almost an hour staring at our old pictures, I made a decision—If Jalen weren't going to speak, then I would. I set up my camera in my bedroom, hands trembling as I adjusted the angle, my ring light illuminated my face as I sat on my bed and stared at my phone lens.

For several seconds, I couldn't find the first word to say, and tears rolled down my face. All I could think of were the good memories I had with him. I sniffed, wiped my tears, and finally summoned the courage to speak. "Hi," My voice cracked and I laughed bitterly. "Wow. This is already going terribly." I whispered.

"I don't even know why I'm recording this but I'm tired of pretending I know this might sound a bit awful but I really don’t care. This video is for someone I love so much but our relationship is complicated because he is way older than me and worse," I paused. “He is my father’s best friend. I hope he gets to see this. I love you so much, I can't help it, I know you left just to protect me but you already messed with my mind, I can't think straight knowing you’re not here with me and I don't know where to find you and I don't know if you would come back.” I had to pause again to clean my face because tears won’t stop gushing out. Then I continued.

"I know what people say. I know what everyone thinks. I know he's older than me."

I smiled sadly.

"But I don't care. Jalen is the kindest man I've ever met. He protected me when nobody else could. He believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself, and if loving him is wrong, then I don't want to be right."

By the time I finished recording, I was crying openly, without giving myself time to reconsider, I uploaded the video and went straight to sleep.

The next morning, my phone nearly exploded with notifications flooding my screen.

Thousands and thousands of them kept popping up every single second, my video was everywhere, my confession had gone viral. I stared at the view count and it was sitting at five million views already. My stomach twisted as I opened the comments.

Big mistake, I shouldn’t have

"Girl needs therapy."

"That's literally old enough to be her dad."

"Somebody take her phone away."

"This isn't romantic."

"Daddy issues."

"Gold digger."

The insults continued endlessly, not one of the comments actually spoke a good word or even tried to understand me, the comments were filled with mockery, judgment, and cruel jokes.

A part of me was hurt but honestly? I didn't care. None of them knew Jalen, not even our story, they only saw his age, they didn't see the man who sat beside my hospital bed every day, the man who loved me enough to leave just to protect me.

I clicked my phone off and slammed it on the bed but my eyes never left my celine.

Jalen's POV

The boardroom was filled with voices, I slouched in my chair trying not to look like the world had defeated me. I couldn’t get my mind off her, I struggled to focus on anything I tried to do but nothing worked. A presentation was played on the massive screen in front of me.

I sat at the head of the table inside Hart Dynamics pretending to listen.

"Sir?"

One of my executives looked at me, and I blinked.

"What?" I muttered, and he exchanged glances with another employee.

"We were discussing the expansion proposal," he answered.

"Right," I added and they continued but I wasn’t listening at all. I picked up my phone beneath the table for a second just to distract myself. Then a trending video immediately appeared on my feed, the thumbnail made my heart stop. Fiona.

I clicked on it and the moment I heard her voice, everything else disappeared. I watched every second with a heavy heart and trembling hands. By the time the video ended, my chest felt tighter than it started.

I felt horrible for putting her in such a tight spot, she looked completely broken because of me.

The room was still talking when I stood abruptly, earning me total silence in the entire boardroom.

"Meeting dismissed," I ordered.

Confused looks spread across everyone’s face as they looked at each other and whispered what I never wanted to hear.

"But sir?" someone finally spoke.

"I said dismissed," I snapped and they all sprang off their chairs, nobody argued.

Within seconds, everyone filed out, the moment the door closed, I replayed the video again, and again, and again before I opened the comments. I shut my eyes, and instant regret flooded me as I read through the hate comments that made my blood boil.

How dare they? I grabbed my second phone and dialed a friend’s number and his call was answered immediately, as if he had been expecting my call.

“Hey man, been a while hun?" he responded cheerfully.

"I need your media team to work on a video asap."

"Right, send the video to me,” he requested and I didn't hesitate. Within an hour, an entire online reputation team showed up in my boardroom, replying to every hate comment and defending Fiona anonymously. I leaned back in my chair, my phone remained in my hand but my thumb hovered over her contact.

I was puzzled between calling her or not, I couldn't decide but I remembered my promise to Harry, I slowly locked my phone and set it down.

Fiona's POV

Weeks passed and still no sign of Jalen, at first, I kept hoping, then hoping became waiting until I became disappointed. Maybe I was overthinking it, maybe he actually wasn't coming back. I tried to move on even when it was killing me but my life returned to normal faster than I imagined.

I resumed classes at the University of Arts and Paris practically refused to leave my side the whole time, it was like her presence and attention were begging for more forgiveness. She defended me when I got bullied. Jude on the other hand started avoiding my gaze each time he saw me.

She dragged me to lunch, study sessions, art exhibitions and she practically tried everything up her sleeves to keep me smiling. Sometimes it worked, most times it didn't.

Dad had changed too, He was softer now, kinder and it sort of made me feel at peace.

One evening, I walked into the dining room and discovered he had cooked my favorite meal himself—I nearly cried.

"You made this?"

He shrugged awkwardly.

"Yeah, for my princess."

"Dad."

"Don't get emotional."

I laughed despite myself. Dinner was surprisingly peaceful, Dad had a smile the whole time—especially when he stole a glance at me. After dinner, we sat in the living room together, Dad occupied his usual chair, and I curled up on the couch opposite him.

The room was quiet except for the sound of his fingers tapping against his phone, He seemed unusually focused. I was curious to know who he was talking to with so much concentration.

I frowned.

"Dad?"

"Hm?"

"Who are you chatting with?"

He looked up briefly, a tiny smirk played on his lips before returning his gaze to his phone.

"Business," he answered. I narrowed my eyes, he had managed to confuse me even more.

"Liar," I whispered hoping he wouldn't hear me but he did. He laughed in a way I had never seen him laugh in the last few months since Mom passed.

"Go mind your business," he added and I rolled my eyes.

Eventually, he sighed and stood.

"Goodnight, princess."

"Goodnight, Dad," I answered. He walked over, kissed my forehead, and smiled before disappearing upstairs. For some reason, he seemed happier tonight and I loved it.

I went straight to bed after him.

The next morning, I didn't wait to see if sunlight leaked through my curtains. I rushed out of bed to the bathroom, to my closet, and out of the house in a matter of seconds.

I had just sat in my seat beside Paris who was still trying to check on me. Classes had barely started when shouting erupted outside, cheers of romance echoed across campus, everyone started rushing toward the entrance and I got curious.

“Do we have a new student?” I asked. Ladies especially feel exceptionally happy when a new hot student resumes the art school, it has become a ritual for them to scream. But the scream this time was different.

Paris looked up from her window.

"What is happening?" she asked

"I have no idea," I answered. Paris grabbed my wrist, pulling me out of my chair sharply.

"Come on! We need to see," we followed the crowd, slugging through the crowd but it was no longer a struggle when the students saw me coming and started to give way freely like I was a queen on a runway, their phones raised to my face. I stole a surprise glance at Paris but she was already as shocked as I was.

People were recording, screaming, and whistling.

"What is going…" I couldn't complete my question when my gaze caught with his and the world stopped. He stood in front of a sleek black luxury convoy sitting just outside the school gates.

Leaning casually against it, Tall, and handsome than ever.

“Jalen?” I called with a thin breath, my heart nearly exploded, his hands were filled with the largest bouquet of roses I had ever seen, and on his face—That smile, that beautiful smile I thought I might never see again.

His eyes found mine instantly through the crowd but neither of us moved or spoke. For a moment, the entire world around me stood still, and I could barely hear the noise of everyone.

It was just him and me.