ELLE’S POVElle woke to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the bedroom curtains, the scent on her pillows smelled so good and familiar the cedar wood and citrus wrapping around her like a memory. Elle’s head throbbed faintly, a dull reminder of last night’s wine, blinking through her confusion. She blinked, disoriented, taking in the unfamiliar yet oddly familiar room. Dark wood furniture gleamed softly in the morning light filtering through heavy curtains. A framed photo on the dresser caught her eye a snapshot of her and Jack on a mountain hike years ago, their faces flushed with laughter, arms slung around each other. A stack of books teetered on the nightstand, titles she recognized from late night conversations they’d once shared. This was unmistakably Jack’s bedroom.She sat up, her heart skipping as she realized she was wearing one of his shirts, the soft,fabric brushing against her thighs, smelling faintly of cedar and him. Her gown, the one she’d worn to las
The ocean stretched endlessly before the beachfront restaurant, its waves whispering secrets against the shore. The air carried the tang of salt and the faint sweetness of blooming jasmine, mingling with the anticipation that hung over Luca as he paced the sand. His polished loafers left shallow imprints, erased quickly by the tide. For days, he and Elle had orchestrated every detail of this moment the proposal that would bind his future to Claire’s. The restaurant, with its glass walls reflecting the fiery hues of the sunset, was the perfect stage. Its wooden deck was adorned with fairy lights that twinkled like stars, and the private beach below had been transformed into a romantic haven. A pathway of flickering candles led to a heart shaped arrangement of red roses, their petals vibrant against the golden sand. At its center, delicate string lights spelled out “Will You Marry Me?“Luca’s heart thundered in his chest. This had to be flawless.Elle, meanwhile, was going through her
JACKS’S POV As Jack walked into the guest bathroom in the house, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. The party was in full swing outside but he needed a moment to himself to collect his thoughts. He locked the door behind him and took a deep breath, letting the silence envelop him. Seeing her after all that time made his heart and soul complete even though she wasn’t his to love now. After a few moments. Jack emerged from the bathroom, feeling slightly more composed. He made his way to the kitchen, he was used to their house, he knew where everything was and he was hoping to grab a bottle of water, before heading back outside. As he turned the corner and into the kitchen, he was surprised to walk in to find Elle, who was standing on a chair, reaching for some disposable cups in the top cabinet.She was trying to balance and reach for the cups but almost lost her balance and almost slipped, but Jack rushed inside and grabbed her, his hands wrapping around her waist to steady he
JACKS’S POVAs their eyes met in a brief, assessing glance, Jack felt a spark of tension, sensing a challenge from Max."So, Max," Jack said, his voice casual, trying to mask the curiosity and interest. "What do you do?" Max smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement, as if he knew a secret that Jack didn’t know about."I'm an artist," Max replied, his voice smooth and confident. "I own a gallery back home, and Elle has been helping me with some projects." Jack's eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued by that connection between Max and Elle. He had always known Elle to be passionate about portraits and art, and it seemed that she had met Max who was a match for her in that sense, they had things in common as a boyfriend and girlfriend. As they talked, Jack couldn't help but feel like he was being sized up by Max. He sensed a challenging vibe from him, and wondered if Max was trying to assert his dominance or simply gauge Jack's interest in Elle. Jack knew that Max was probably being like
ELLE’S POV Elle woke up, feeling refreshed after her long flight. She stretched her arms and yawned, looking around her familiar bedroom. She had missed her her place, It was great to be back home. She got herself out of bed and began getting ready for the day, excitement building in her chest. She was looking forward to seeing all her family and friends. When she was ready, she walked out of her room and found Claire, and her sister Sam, waiting for her in the living room. Max, her now Pretend Boyfriend, was also there, chatting with Claire. "sis!" Sam exclaimed, giving Elle a big hug. They had missed each other, when she had arrived from the airport it had only been Luca who had seen them and she had come home to rest first before she went to her parents home. "Welcome home!” Sam continued on, how are you more pretty now than you left, thats not fair”, Sam innocently grumbled on. Elle smiled, hugging her sister more. "I missed you, Sam. I'm so glad to be home, and i could swear
ELLE’S POV“Am really sorry for being MIA for the past week”,“I was worried, are you oky?, Max asked her looking worried. “ i just needed a few days to myself,but now i want to tell you why i have been blowing you off”,And so with that she explained and told Max everything that happened to her from how fast things moved from the her being in a life threatening accident then ending in a coma to her almost official relationship with Jack and then the Elena situation right after and also how she ended up there. And the past week she had been messed up because she finally just learned the truth that Jack did not actually end up Marrying Elena and he was not also responsible for her pregnancy. It had not been his all along. She wanted to be angry at Claire or her brother or Sam for not telling her this sooner, they kept it from her. And she had been here for a year now, Which was actually a good thing but it also messed her up. “Now what happens”, Max asked her. "I don't really know