Chapter 9

The heavy oak door of the cigar room clicked shut, sealing them in absolute silence.

Zane instantly dropped the playful idiot act. He crossed his arms, his face deadly serious. "What the hell are you doing, Jevon? If you're just playing games with some poor girl from the office, stop it before it gets messy."

Jevon didn't answer immediately. He walked over to the climate-controlled humidor, pulled out a Cuban cigar, and sliced the end off with a silver cutter.

Zane snatched the silver lighter from Jevon's hand. "I'm serious."

Jevon looked up. The cold, corporate mask was gone. His eyes were filled with a desperate, agonizing obsession.

"I looked for her for ten years," Jevon said, his voice a low, gravelly whisper.

Zane took a step back, his eyes wide with shock. "Wait. You mean... the girl out there... she's that girl? The one you've been looking for?"

Jevon put the cigar in his mouth, struck a match, and inhaled deeply. He exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and gave a single, heavy nod.

Zane dragged a hand down his face. He remembered the broken, terrified boy Jevon used to be after the kidnapping. "If you found her, why the hell are you playing this weird boss-employee game? Why don't you just tell her who you are?"

Jevon walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the glittering Manhattan skyline. His broad shoulders slumped slightly.

"She just caught her fiancé cheating on her," Jevon said quietly. "Her trust is completely shattered. If I tell her that the CEO she's terrified of is actually the weak, pathetic kid she had to protect ten years ago... she'll think I'm a psychopath. She'll run."

Jevon turned around, his eyes burning with a terrifying resolve. "I am going to make her fall in love with Jevon Rocha. Cleanly. No past baggage."

Zane stared at him for a long moment. Finally, he let out a breath and shook his head. "You're insane. But fine. I'll help you."

They walked back into the living room. Bridget was sitting rigidly on the sofa, flipping nervously through an architectural magazine.

Zane walked over and sat down next to her, his entire demeanor shifting from flirtatious to deeply respectful. He poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.

"So, Bridget," Zane started, his tone casual. "I have this friend. He's been secretly in love with a girl for ten years. But he's terrified to tell her. What do you think she would do if she found out?"

Bridget lowered the magazine. She thought about Jacob's lies. Her chest tightened.

"It depends," Bridget said firmly. "If he was just watching from afar, imposing his own fantasy on her for a decade, then it's selfish deception. A real relationship needs honesty to begin. I hate liars."

Jevon, who had just poured himself a drink at the bar, froze. The crystal glass in his hand cracked under the sudden, violent pressure of his grip. The blood drained from his face.

Zane winced, realizing he had just stepped on a massive landmine. "Well, maybe he just didn't want to lose her-"

"A lie is a lie," Bridget interrupted, her voice hard. "I want simple, transparent relationships."

Jevon set the cracked glass down. He walked over, grabbed Zane by the back of his collar, and hauled him off the sofa.

"It's late," Jevon snarled. "You're leaving."

"I can't go to a hotel, the paparazzi are everywhere!" Zane protested.

Jevon pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant. "Alex. Book the entire top floor of the Four Seasons for Zane. Put it on my card." He hung up and shoved Zane toward the door.

Zane grabbed his jacket, shooting Bridget an apologetic look before fleeing the apartment.

The heavy door slammed shut. The silence in the apartment was suffocating.

Bridget stood up quickly, her heart pounding. "I should go too. I have work tomorrow."

Jevon didn't argue. He grabbed his car keys from the console table. His jaw was clenched so tight the muscle ticked visibly.

"I'm driving you," he commanded.