I'll be making it exciting from here~ ;) I hope you guys are enjoying! :')
The bookstore was already buzzing when we arrived.Bright lights, a sea of faces, the air thick with the scent of paper and ink. Joaquin’s latest novel had just hit the shelves, and the turnout for his signing was overwhelming. Fans lined up against the walls, clutching copies of his book to their chests, their chatter a constant hum.I’d attended plenty of his events before even when I was still Jessy’s editor. But today was different. Today, I wasn’t just Haven, his editor. I was Haven, Joaquin’s fiancée.And I hated how much my heart raced because of it.“Ready?” Joaquin asked beside me, his voice pitched low enough that only I could hear.He looked maddeningly composed. Gray suit perfectly fitted, silver tie knotted just so, his dark hair swept back with casual elegance. Not a hint of nerves showed in his face, though his hand brushed mine with the faintest graze.I jolted at the contact, but he didn’t withdraw. Instead, he laced his fingers through mine as if it were the most natu
The pad was too quiet.Too quiet for the storm clawing inside my chest.I’d slipped out of the bedroom, hoping that moving—anything—might keep my thoughts from spiraling back to the dance, to the way Joaquin carried me in front of everyone like I was fragile glass, to the weight of his arms that had felt both real and unreal.But instead of peace, I found Javier.He was lounging on the living room couch like he owned the place, dark slacks and a plain shirt half-untucked, a glass of whiskey balanced carelessly in his hand. The TV glowed with something he wasn’t even watching. He looked up as soon as I entered, that damned smirk tugging at his mouth.“Well, well,” he drawled, lifting the glass slightly. “The runaway princess is back. Couldn’t sleep?”I froze for a heartbeat, then exhaled sharply and turned toward the kitchen. “Don’t start, Javi. I’m not in the mood.”“Not in the mood for what? My company? My charm?” His tone was teasing, but his eyes followed me with an intensity that w
I went to the bathroom. However, what I did not expect, was that he followed suit and watched me, as if seeing if I was okay.My reflection in the mirrored wall looked pale, eyes rimmed red, lips swollen from a kiss I shouldn’t have allowed.Joaquin stood beside me, calm as ever, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed forward. He hadn’t said another word after that. Not after that kiss. Not after I pushed him away.And I hated myself for it.Because the taste of him still lingered, and my heart was still beating as if he were holding me against his desk, whispering my name like a prayer.But instead, here I was, arms crossed, chest tight, suffocating in silence.The doors slid open. He stepped out first, striding down the hallway with his usual controlled grace. I followed, clutching my bag like it was the only thing tethering me to the ground.Inside the apartment, the city lights bled through the windows, bathing the living room in soft gold. I stopped by the door, watching as Joaquin shru
The day stretched long, words blurring together on the page as the soft hum of the city seeped in through the office windows. My pen scratched idly against the margin of Joaquin’s manuscript, but my attention kept drifting.To him.He sat across from me, one leg crossed over the other, his focus sharp on the screen before him. For a while, it was just the rhythm of silence between us. His typing, my note-taking, the quiet companionship that had somehow become our routine.Then, as I reached for another stack of pages, my hand brushed against his.A spark shot through me, quick and treacherous. My breath hitched. His fingers didn’t flinch away immediately. In fact, they lingered, grazing against mine like he was weighing the choice of whether to pull back or… not.I dared a glance at him. His jaw was taut, eyes fixed on the screen, but I felt it. The awareness humming between us, thick and unspoken. For a heartbeat too long, neither of us moved.Then he cleared his throat softly, his ha
The morning sun slanted through Joaquin’s office windows, painting the shelves of books in golden light. The space always smelled faintly of paper and ink—familiar, grounding—but today there was a flutter in my chest I couldn’t quite tame.I sat across from him at his wide mahogany desk, laptop open, manuscripts stacked beside me. It was routine now, slipping into work with him, combing through drafts and tightening prose until every sentence gleamed. But this time, his gaze lingered a little longer on me as I tapped notes into the screen.“You’ve gotten faster,” he said, his voice low, teasing.I arched a brow. “Are you complimenting me or suggesting I’m rushing?”“Both.” A half-smile tugged at his lips. “Efficient, but maybe a little eager.”I rolled my eyes, though warmth spread through my chest. “Says the man who edits entire chapters in under an hour.”Joaquin leaned back in his chair, studying me with that unreadable calm of his. “That’s because I’ve been doing this longer. You,
The first thing I registered when I opened my eyes was the faint taste of chamomile still on my tongue. The second was the heaviness in my chest, the echo of words I couldn’t erase.I’ll wait. But make no mistake—you’re mine.I buried my face into the pillow, muffling a groan. God, what had last night even been? A fever dream? No. I could still feel the heat of Javier’s gaze on my skin, the way his voice had dipped into something so raw it stripped me bare.And now, morning light streamed through the curtains, bright and unforgiving, reminding me that nothing had actually changed. I was still in Joaquin’s world. Still in his home. Still pretending to be his fiancée while my heart spun like a broken compass between two brothers.Dragging myself out of bed, I threw on a simple blouse and jeans, something safe, something that didn’t feel like silk gowns and masquerade masks and stolen kisses. Maybe coffee would drown the memory.But the second I stepped into the kitchen, I knew fate wasn’