LOGINGraceThe theater was dark when we walked in, the low glow from the screen barely lighting the rows of seats. I followed Apollo toward the back and slid into one of the empty seats, the plush chair sinking slightly under my weight. He sat beside me, close enough that I could feel his presence even without looking. The movie hadn’t started yet, just soft previews flickering across the screen.I reached over and took a piece of popcorn from the container in his hand, popping it into my mouth. The moment I bit down, my face brightened and a soft moan slipped past my lips before I could stop it. It tasted so good. I smiled to myself, chewing happily, before turning to look at him.His gaze was already on me.He wasn’t looking at the screen or anywhere else, just me, like the rest of the world had faded away. For a second, it made me self-conscious, but I still said, “Taste the popcorn. It’s really good. Not too salty, you’ll like it.”He glanced down at the popcorn with clear disinterest,
GraceI looked at the menu for a second before pointing lightly at the counter. “Two popcorn, please.”The man behind the counter glanced at me, paused for a brief moment as if he was processing something, then broke into a wide smile. “Alright, miss. Two popcorn coming right up.”I nodded and turned slightly, letting my gaze wander around the noisy movie theater. People walked past in small groups, talking and laughing as they headed toward their screens. Somewhere nearby, a child ran toward her parents, nearly tripping over her own feet, and her father scooped her up with a laugh while the rest of the family smiled fondly before walking away together.I smiled at the sight without realizing it. For some reason, my thoughts drifted to the little girl at the hospital. She would probably love a place like this. Maybe one day, when she was better, I could bring her here. I didn’t know why I felt so strongly about her, but whenever I thought of her, something deep in my chest stirred, ur
Grace I stretched my neck from my chair and glanced toward the office window for what felt like the fifth time that evening. As always, the light was still on. I sighed softly when I saw it and leaned back into my chair, letting my head rest against it as I closed my eyes.Apollo was still working.I had never seen anyone work this much before. Even the president didn’t have to push himself this hard to run an entire country. At the very least, people like that took breaks. They slept. They breathed. But Apollo didn’t seem to know how to stop. The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I was.The only times Apollo ever took breaks were when he was with me. Every other moment, he was locked away in his office, working day and night. He even had a room built into his office, and I knew for a fact he barely used it. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling, my thoughts spiraling. He was working even on a day like this. Why did he bury himself in work like this? Was he trying to
Theodore “Oh my God, is that not Theodore Jones? One of the best actors in the country?” “Fuck, it’s him. I can’t believe it’s really him.” “Should we ask for an autograph?” “Do I look pretty enough today? God, he’s so hot.” People were whispering all around me. Cameras flashed with every step I took. Some tried to approach, but my manager moved quickly, stepping in front of them with ease, blocking anyone who got too close. I kept walking, ignoring everyone around me. I stopped in front of the Reed Company building. One hand slipped into my pocket as I lowered my gaze to the strand of hair resting between my fingers. I stared at it for a moment. Slowly, an amused grin tugged at my lips. Beside me, my manager finally lost his patience. “Theodore,” he sighed, “are you going to tell me what’s going on with you? You’ve been acting strange for days now. First, you ask me to dig up information on some PR intern. Then you suddenly show up at the Reed Company and offer to work with
Apollo Everyone was staring at us, but I didn’t bother acknowledging any of them. None of them mattered. When my eyes were on her, the rest of the world ceased to exist. Grace stood there, her presence tugging at something deep and dangerous inside me. For a brief moment, she was the only thing that existed. When no one moved, when they all remained frozen, like idiots caught in a trance, I finally tore my gaze away from her and turned to the others lingering in the room. My expression was indifferent, my eyes half-lidded, dark with a silent warning. “I didn’t stutter,” I said calmly, my voice low. “Did I?” Every executive stiffened, several of them flinching instinctively. Genesis, who had been quiet all this time, far too entertained by the entire scene, finally let out a soft chuckle, popcorn still pinched between her fingers. She rose lazily to her feet, stretching her arms as if she’d just finished watching a particularly enjoyable movie. “Well, I suppose that’s enough ent
Grace“But in the end, all men are the same. Once they find something interesting, something that makes them feel good, they’ll drown it in attention, make it feel protected and loved. And when they’re done, that something will mean nothing to them at all. Right, Grace?”Her words echoed in my ears as I stared at her.If this had been the old me, I would have faltered. I would have doubted myself, questioned Apollo, questioned what I felt, questioned whether she was right. I would have gone quiet, smiled politely, and let her words sink into my head. But I wasn’t that version of Grace anymore. I was done being the woman who overthought every glance, who let fear dictate her emotions, who allowed other people’s opinions to define her worth. I had promised myself I would fight for what I felt instead of shrinking away from it.And who was Katherine Jones to decide what Apollo Reed was or wasn’t? She knew nothing about him. Nothing about me. Nothing about what it took for two people who







