Chapter 73
Jace adjusted his shirt quickly, his fingers fumbling over the buttons. His body still ached faintly, the soreness a reminder of what had just happened in Elias’s office. He tried to push it out of his head the taste of Elias’s lips, the feel of his hands and the heat of his body, but it lingered, carved into his senses. If anyone looked too closely, they might see the flush on his face and the dazed glaze in his eyes. He could almost still hear Elias whispering against his ear, low and ragged.
By the time Jace made it back to his cubicle, he was desperate for the illusion of normalcy. He wanted to bury himself in the glow of his computer screen and let the hours pass until he could go home. But the illusion shattered the moment he spotted a figure waiting near his desk.
Aiden.
Jace froze mid-step, his heart stuttering painfully in his chest. He had hoped, prayed even, that Aiden would finally give up after the unanswered calls and ignored texts. But there he was leaning against the edge of Jace’s cubicle. The sight made Jace’s stomach twist.
Aiden’s eyes lit up the second he saw him. “Jace,” he said quickly, stepping forward, relief lacing his voice. “Finally. I have been looking everywhere for you.”
Jace turned away sharply, walking past without a word. He could not.... he would not do this here. But before he could get far, Aiden’s hand shot out, fingers curling around his arm.
“Jace, please wait,” Aiden begged, his voice cracking. “Why are you avoiding me? I have been trying to reach you— ”
Jace stopped abruptly, whipping his head around to glare at him. His voice was sharp. “Why am I avoiding you? Really, Aiden? Do you want me to spell it out for you?”
The venom in his tone made Aiden flinch, but he did not let go. His grip tightened as though he was afraid Jace would slip through his fingers forever. “I know I hurt you,” Aiden said, eyes wide with anguish. “I am sorry. Please.... please forgive me. I— ”
“Just leave me alone.” Jace jerked his arm, trying to pull free. His voice was thick with restrained rage, every syllable trembling with the effort to keep himself from shouting. “I do not want to speak to you.”
But Aiden stepped closer, blocking his path. His expression was pleading, “Jace, please... I am sorry.”
Jace’s jaw clenched. He felt the stares of passing coworkers, the weight of curious eyes pretending not to look but lingering all the same. His chest burned with humiliation, with anger, with hurt that would not fade no matter how many nights he lay awake, trying to smother it.
“I do not want to see you anywhere close to me,” Jace said coldly. “Just leave.”
Aiden’s eyes brimmed with desperation. His lips parted, trembling around words that seemed too fragile to survive. “Jace, please.... I can do anything.... please, just forgive me.”
Jace laughed, but there was no humour in the sound. It was sharp and jagged, dripping with bitterness. “Anything?” His gaze darkened. “Can you bring back my parents, Aiden?.... The ones who were killed by the man you work for?” His voice cracked, though he forced the anger to steady it. “Or better still, can you erase the betrayal?”
The silence that followed was heavy and suffocating. Aiden’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his face pale. “I know I can not do any of those,” he whispered, broken. “But please… just forgive me. I love you, Jace. I love you so much.”
The words hit Jace like a physical blow. His chest tightened, torn between the part of him that remembered the warmth of Aiden’s arms... his laughter... his smile and the part that remembered the lies... The betrayal... The way Victor Crane’s money had bought his affection.
“That’s funny,” Jace said, his voice laced with venom, though his eyes burned. “Working for the man that destroyed the life of the man you claim you love. What an irony.” He shoved past Aiden, his shoulder brushing hard against him. “Get out of my way.”
Aiden stumbled but turned quickly, his voice rising in panic. “Are you doing all this to me because of Elias?”
Rage surged through Jace like fire, and he spun back to face him. His voice thundered despite the attempt to keep it low. “So out of all the things I just said to you… after everything you did to me, you think it’s because of Elias that I refuse to forgive you?” His voice shook, raw and sharp. “Not the lies?... Not the deceit?!” He stepped closer, his glare burning into Aiden. “Aiden, just get the fuck out.”
The words cracked something between them. Aiden’s lips parted, but no sound came out at first. His eyes glistened, and for a fleeting moment, Jace thought he saw the same man he had once trusted... the man who had once made him believe in something softer, something real. But that man was gone, buried beneath betrayal and choices that could not be undone.
“Jace, please,” Aiden tried again, his voice breaking. He reached for him, desperation raw in every movement. “Just listen to me..... I had no choice..... I really love you, I am sor— ”
Jace ripped his arm free with a violent jerk, cutting him off. His voice dropped, low and final. “You don’t get to say that anymore.”
The words seemed to hollow Aiden out. He stood frozen, his hand half-lifted, as though reaching for something that was already gone. Jace did not wait to see the rest. He turned and walked away, his steps fast, unyielding.
But even as he left, his chest ached. His vision blurred at the edges, though he refused to blink away the tears that threatened. He had already wasted too much on Aiden his trust... his heart.... his time.
Behind him, Aiden’s voice cracked in the open office space, soft but desperate enough to carry. “Jace…”
Jace did not look back.