The first thing she noticed was the light.
Too soft. Too foreign.
Not her room.
Her head throbbed faintly, a dull echo pulsing behind her eyes.
When she shifted, the sheet slid against her skin, cool, smooth, nothing like the cotton of her own bed.
The air smelled faintly of cedar, coffee, and something darker — familiar.
Nathan.
Her stomach flipped. She blinked hard, forcing her eyes open. The curtains were half-drawn, the light pale and kind, spilling across furniture that wasn't hers — soft leather, glass, clean lines.
This is his guest room!
Her heartbeat stumbled. For a moment, she couldn't remember how she'd gotten here. Then flashes returned in fragments. Laughter, the soft buzz of alcohol, the glint of blue against her collarbone. The sapphire.
She reached up, fingertips brushing the pendant. It was still there, cool and heavy.
On the sofa near the window lay a neatly folded set of clothes: an oversized grey T-shirt and drawstring joggers. A small note in Nathan's handwriting rested on top.
>You'll be more comfortable in these.
His handwriting is sophisticated.
Am I going to wear his clothes? But do I have any other option?
She exhaled, a half-smile tugging at her lips despite the fog in her head.
He thinks of everything.
She slipped into his clothes; they were far too big but impossibly soft, the faint scent of his cologne clinging to the fabric. It felt strange, intimate but she told herself it wasfine.
A faint knock came at the door.
Then his voice, low and smooth from the other side.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty. Feeling alive?"
Her breath caught.
Right. Nathan.
Elena quickly sat up, brushing her hair back. "I…yeah. I think." Her voice cracked slightly. "What time is it?"
"Late enough for coffee," he said. She could hear the smile in his tone. "Come out when you're ready. I made breakfast."
Breakfast?
She blinked again, still trying to piece the night together. There had been drinks… the chain… and then—
Her cheeks warmed.
"Right," she whispered to herself. "Breakfastit is, then!"
When she stood again, the world tilted for a second. Her head spun lightly, the kind of hangover that didn't quite hurt but made everything feel softer, slower.
She looked around, her bag was neatly placed on a chair, her phone charging beside the nightstand. The sight calmed her a little.
How thoughtful!
She checked her phone, three messages blinked up.
> Adrian: You home safe? Text me when you wake up.
>Nick: Where were you last night? When are we opening the gifts, sleepyhead?
>Isla: Did you have fun, or should I start worrying?
She sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the confusion.
So they did check.
Before she could type a reply, another soft knock before he entered.
"Coffee's getting cold," Nathan's voice drawled. "Or are you planning to text your way through breakfast?"
Her pulse jumped again. The easy teasing, that warmth in his tone.
"Coming in a sec," she smiled back, tugging at the oversized T-shirt hem before opening the door.
"Somehow, I can't decide between this look and the look last night. You carry both styles as elegantly as ever." he smirked.
"Is teasing your main hobby?" She encountered, raising her eyebrows at him.
"Things a man does to make his lady blush!" He replied, winking at her.
He left the room. She took a deep breath and followed him after a few minutes.
She stepped into the hallway, barefoot, cautious on the cool marble floor. The smell of coffee mixed with the buttery scent of toast and eggs, simple but warm.
Nathan stood by the kitchen island, sleeves rolled up, hair slightly tousled, a frying pan in one hand and an expression that said he wasn't entirely sure what he was doing.
Lol! Finally, I found one thing he isn't perfect at.
"There she is," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Finally decided to join the living?"
Elena blinked, a little dazed. "You're cooking?"
"Trying to," he admitted with a small grin. "My culinary range tops out at eggs and toast. Anything more, and I'd have to call for help."
She smiled a little, still bothered by the headache. "I didn't take you for a breakfast chef."
"Headache?" He asked, noticing her grimace. She could only give a small nod.
"Coffee would help!" He replied, handing her a coffee mug. She took a few sips and tried to focus on how she got into that room.
"Nathan, how did I end up there last night?" She asked, pointing towards the guest room.
Nathan looked up from where he was leaning against the counter, a slow, mischievous smile spreading across his face. "There?" he asked, as if the question amused him. "You really don't remember?"
She narrowed her eyes. "I remember the drinks. The sofa. You being… infuriatingly charming."
He pushed off the counter and walked toward her, each step unhurried, deliberate. "And then?"
Elena tilted her head, watching him close the distance. "Then… nothing."
Nathan stopped in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her chin to meet his gaze. "That's a shame," he murmured. "Because I remember everything."
Before she could respond, he bent slightly and, with a suddenness that made her gasp, swept her off her feet.
"Nathan!" she laughed, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
He grinned, his hold steady and effortless. "You asked how you ended up there," he said, nodding toward the guest room. "Let me refresh your memory."
She squirmed slightly, half laughing, half breathless. "You're ridiculous."
"And you," he said, his voice dipping lower as he carried her down the hall, "are far too trusting when you've had a glass of whiskey and a smile like that."
Elena's heart thudded as he pushed open the guest room door with his shoulder. The room was dim, the morning light filtering through sheer curtains, casting soft shadows across the bed.
Nathan set her down gently on the edge of the mattress, his hands lingering at her waist a moment longer than necessary.
He didn't move away.
Instead, he leaned in, his voice brushing her ear. "This is where you fell asleep," he whispered. "Right after telling me I was your favorite mistake."
Elena's breath caught. "I said that?"
He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, his smile wicked. "You did."
"You were tired. I figured waking you up at two a.m. just to drop you home would've been cruel." He smiled, still mischievous.
She looked down at her hands, embarrassed. "I must've really been out of it."
Nathan handed her a cup of coffee, eyes glinting.
"A bit too drunk," he teased.
Her head snapped up. "Did we do anything else?"
He smirked. "Don't worry, nothing scandalous. As you already said you were worn out so you slept. I watched you for a few minutes, tucked you in and went to my own room."
"But don't make it a habit, sweet heart. Next time, I might just put you in my bed." he whispered too close to her ear, that left shivers down her spine
Her breath caught — half laugh, half disbelief. "You wouldn't."
"Wouldn't I?" He arched an eyebrow, that disarming smile still in place. "You forget, I'm a man of my word."
" Now that's settled, let's get you back to your coffee." He said getting up offering his hand to her which she gladly accepted.
Elena's fingers tightened around her mug. The warmth seeped into her palms, grounding her, but her mind was anything but calm.
Next time.
She wasn't sure why the words lingered. Maybe because they sounded too natural, too confident, like he was already sure there'd be a next time.
He meant it.
Something inside her stomach twitched. She remembered how his fingers felt against her skin.
She tried to shake it off and took a sip of her coffee. "So this is your secret! Charming people through breakfast."
"Only the ones who faint in my company," he said lightly. "I figured I owed you a peaceful morning."
Her lips curved despite herself. "Thanks… for taking care of me, I mean."
"Always," he said simply, meeting her eyes. "I keep my promises."
Something in his tone changes every time he says such things!
Something in his tone made her chest tighten.
Her phone buzzed again before she could pay more attention, another message from Nick.
> You alive or in a food coma already?
She smiled faintly at the screen.
"Nick?" Nathan asked casually.
She nodded. "He's asking when I'm coming home. Probably worried."
"Understandable," Nathan said, voice smooth. "But you can tell him you're fine. You are fine, right?"
The way he said it made her pause.
It wasn't possessive, not yet, but it carried weight.
She looked up and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm fine."
"Good," he said, relaxing into his chair. "That's what I like to hear."
The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it felt too easy , too domestic.
He handed her another cup of coffee before she could refuse.
"You'll need it," he said, smiling faintly. "You've got that 'thinking too much' look again."
She laughed quietly, taking the cup. "I can't help it. My brain's slow to wake up today."
"Let it rest," he said, leaning forward slightly. "You look good when you don't overthink."
Her cheeks flushed again, and she looked away, pretending to study the city skyline outside.
The sapphire pendant brushed against her collarbone, cool against warm skin — a quiet reminder of the night before.
---
Nathan dropped her off at the house a little later.
The ride was quiet, easy — music humming low, the city fading behind them.
When he stopped in front of her gate, she reached for the handle, but his voice stopped her.
"When can I see you again?"
She turned to him, smiling, still light from the morning warmth.
"Soon," she promised, her eyes bright.
He smiled back.
That patient, knowing smile that stayed with her long after she closed the door behind her.
---
Inside, the familiar calm of home wrapped around her.
She changed into comfortable clothes, tidied her room, and forced herself to focus on the notes scattered across her desk. For a few hours, she studied or rather tried to, but her mind kept drifting back to him.
The way he'd smiled, the teasing warmth in his voice, the blue glint of the sapphire every time she moved.
By the time she heard footsteps downstairs, she was more than ready for a distraction.
Nick's voice came first. "Mind opening our gifts now?"
Elena laughed, stepping out of her room. "Yeah, I was waiting for you to come."
Adrian followed him in, arms folded, that quiet smile of his back in place.
Nick handed her a neatly wrapped envelope. "Start with mine."
She tore it open carefully and blinked. Inside was a thin folder, a document.
Before she could ask, Nick grinned.
"I booked an apartment for you," he said, almost too casually. "You can settle in there when you're ready — maybe in a few years. No rush."
For a second, she just stared, speechless. The gesture hit harder than she expected.
She threw her arms around him, hugging tight. "Oh, Nicky!"
He laughed into her hair. "Just giving my grown-up sister a head start."
Or maybe a place I can finally call my own?
Then Adrian stepped forward, handing her a small velvet box. "My turn."
She opened it slowly. Inside lay a delicate gold bracelet, diamond-studded and quietly brilliant.
On the underside, a neat engraving read:
> Strong, multifaceted.
Her breath caught. "Adrian… it's beautiful. But… it's too expensive!"
He smiled softly. "Elena, it's the thought that counts. I want you to wear it every day and read it whenever you feel low, so you remember who you are.
Just like these diamonds. Pretty on the outside, strong on the inside."
Her throat tightened. She smiled through the blur forming in her eyes.
"You two are going to spoil me for life."
Nick chuckled. "That's the plan."
---
That night, Elena sat on her bed, the lights dim, gifts spread around her like pieces of another life.
The bracelet glittered softly against her wrist — strength and love carved into gold.
The sapphire pendant shimmered just above it, deep and unreadable.
Two gifts.
Two promises.
One meant to protect her.
One that would break her.
She didn't know which one would win.