Chapter 5 5

The rain poured heavily against the large windows of the penthouse, creating a rhythmic hum that filled the otherwise quiet room. Jade sat curled up on the couch, a book in her lap, though she wasn't reading. Her gaze drifted toward the rain-soaked skyline, her mind consumed with thoughts she couldn't shake. Conversations with Grayson lingered in her head like a haunting melody, both the vulnerability he had shown and the walls he still kept firmly in place.

A knock at the door broke her reverie. Jade blinked, startled by the sound. It wasn't Grayson; he never knocked. Setting the book aside, she rose and opened the door to find Linda, Grayson's personal assistant, standing there. Linda's sharp gray eyes softened slightly when they met Jade's, though her professional demeanor remained intact.

"Mrs. Hale," Linda greeted, holding out a thick envelope. "These are for you. Mr. Hale requested I deliver them personally."

"Thank you," Jade said, taking the envelope. Before she could ask more, Linda gave a polite nod and disappeared back down the hallway.

Jade closed the door and examined the envelope. It was unmarked, save for her name written in Grayson's elegant handwriting. She tore it open and pulled out a stack of papers. Her eyes skimmed the pages, her heart sinking when she realized they were a detailed prenuptial agreement and an amended version of their original contract.

Flipping through the pages, Jade found a note tucked between them. The message was brief, written in Grayson's neat, deliberate script: *"This is to secure your future. Please review and sign at your earliest convenience."*

Her chest tightened as she read the words. There was nothing overtly cold or dismissive in the note, but it was yet another reminder of the transactional nature of their relationship. Even after the rare moments of connection they had shared, Grayson was still holding her at arm's length.

Dropping the papers onto the coffee table, she paced the room, her thoughts racing. Why did everything with him have to be so clinical, so calculated? Did he truly see her as nothing more than a piece in his carefully orchestrated life, or was this his way of trying to protect her?

The sound of the elevator doors opening drew her attention. Grayson stepped into the penthouse, his dark suit slightly damp from the rain. He paused when he saw her, his gaze flickering to the envelope on the table before returning to her face.

"You got them," he said, his tone measured.

"I did," Jade replied, her voice sharper than she intended. "What is this, Grayson? Another contract to remind me of my place in your life?"

Grayson's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond immediately. He walked to the bar, pouring himself a glass of whiskey before turning back to her. "It's a precaution," he said evenly. "For both of us."

"It doesn't feel like a precaution," she shot back. "It feels like a wall. Every time I think we're making progress, you throw something like this at me. Why?"

He took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes unreadable. "Because I don't want to make promises I can't keep."

Jade's heart sank at his words. She had hoped for honesty, but not this. Not the cold reality of his limitations. "You can't keep living like this, Grayson," she said, her voice softer now. "You can't keep everyone at a distance forever. It's not sustainable. It's not... human."

Grayson's gaze hardened. "And what do you suggest I do, Jade? Open myself up? Let someone in just so they can destroy me all over again?"

The bitterness in his tone stung, but Jade refused to back down. "Not everyone is going to hurt you. Not everyone is out to betray you or leave you. But you'll never know that if you don't give them a chance."

He didn't respond, his silence speaking volumes. The room felt heavy with tension, the air thick with unspoken words. Jade could see the conflict in his eyes, the battle between his fear and his desire to move forward. But fear was winning, as it always did.

"I can't do this alone, Grayson," she said finally. "If you want this to work-if you want *us* to work-you have to meet me halfway."

Grayson set his glass down with more force than necessary, the sound echoing through the room. "This was never supposed to be about 'us,' Jade," he said, his voice low but firm. "This was a business arrangement. Nothing more."

The words cut deeper than she expected, but Jade refused to let him see how much they hurt. "Then why are you so afraid?" she challenged, her voice trembling with emotion. "If this is just a business arrangement, why does it feel like you're running from something?"

Grayson's eyes flashed with anger, but it wasn't directed at her. It was the kind of anger that came from years of pain, of holding everything in until it became too much to bear. He took a step toward her, his voice raw when he spoke. "Because every time I let someone in, I lose them. Every. Single. Time."

The vulnerability in his words was like a punch to the gut. Jade wanted to reach out to him, to tell him that he didn't have to carry that burden alone. But she also knew that he had to be the one to take the first step.

"You haven't lost me, Grayson," she said quietly. "But you will if you keep pushing me away."

He stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into his study. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Jade alone with her thoughts.

She sank back onto the couch, her hands trembling as she picked up the contract again. The papers felt heavier now, the weight of their implications pressing down on her. She didn't want their relationship to be defined by legalities and stipulations. She wanted more-needed more. But she couldn't force Grayson to give her what he wasn't ready to.

Hours passed before the study door opened again. Grayson emerged, his expression weary but composed. He walked over to the couch and sat down beside her, his presence filling the space between them.

"I'm sorry," he said, the words surprising her. "I shouldn't have said what I did."

Jade turned to look at him, searching his face for any sign of sincerity. She found it in the way his shoulders slumped, in the way his eyes avoided hers.

"I just... don't know how to do this," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've spent so long building these walls that I don't know how to tear them down."

Jade reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don't have to do it all at once," she said gently. "But you have to try. We both do."

Grayson finally met her gaze, and for the first time, she saw a flicker of hope in his eyes. It wasn't much, but it was a start. And for now, that was enough.