Chapter 43

Mira’s POV

Everything went by fast after that day.

By the time we got back to Green City, everything felt like it had shifted slightly out of place, like furniture that had been moved just enough to make you notice but not enough to understand why. Nothing was wrong exactly, but nothing sat right either, and I couldn’t tell if it was Ace’s feelings for me, the people, or Alejandro’s calmness.

It had been days.

Days of not seeing him, not hearing from him, not even catching a glimpse of him from his socials. It was almost like he was avoiding everyone.

Marlo and Danny had gone straight back to work as if nothing had happened. Zara too, though she complained dramatically about being dragged back into her workaholic life with the teenager she had to handle. Life had resumed for everyone else, but Ace… Ace had vanished. And I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I stood in the kitchen that morning, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee that had long gone cold, my thoughts looping back to him no matter how much I tried to redirect them. The silence around his name made it worse. No one brought him up. No one asked questions.

It was like we had all silently agreed to pretend that day didn’t exist.

Alejandro walked in just as I sighed under my breath, already dressed for work, his presence filling the room in that quiet, controlled way he had. He didn’t need to make noise to be noticed.

“Good morning, baby” he said, his voice low, eyes flicking over me briefly before he reached for his watch.

“Morning,” I smiled, watching him for a second before I pushed myself off the counter. “Have you heard from Ace?”

The question slipped out before I could stop it.

He didn’t pause immediately, but I noticed the slight tightening of his jaw, the way his fingers slowed for just a fraction of a second before continuing like nothing had happened.

“No,” he replied simply.

That was it. It was almost as if Ace wasn’t his friend. He showed no concern.

I frowned slightly, studying him. “It’s been days, Alejandro. Doesn’t that bother you?”

He glanced at me with an unreadable expression. “Ace can take care of himself.”

“Yes, but—”

“Mira.” My name cut through my sentence gently but firmly, his tone shifting just enough to redirect the conversation. “Your birthday is in two days.”

I blinked, thrown off. “What?”

He stepped closer, his attention fully on me now, as if Ace had never been mentioned at all. “Your birthday,” he repeated, softer this time. “I want you to go out today on a shopping spree. Whatever you want.”

I stared at him, trying to catch up. “Alejandro—”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black card, placing it between my fingers before I could protest. “It’s unlimited,” he added casually, like he wasn’t handing me something ridiculous. “Buy anything you like.”

For a second, I just looked at the card, then back at him. “Are you serious?”

A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Very.”

The shift in mood was so sudden it almost felt like whiplash, but I couldn’t deny the small spark of excitement that crept in despite everything else. “Anything?”

“Anything,” he confirmed.

I shook my head, letting out a soft laugh. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” he said, his hand coming up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering just a second longer than necessary. “But you deserve it.”

The sincerity in his voice softened something in me, pushing the unease aside, at least for now.

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

His gaze dropped to my lips, and the next thing I knew, he was kissing me, slow and deliberate, like he had all the time in the world. I melted into it without thinking, my hand resting against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat under my palm.

For a moment, everything else faded.

He pulled back eventually, his forehead brushing lightly against mine before he straightened. “Call Manuel. He’ll drive you.”

I nodded, still slightly dazed. “Okay.”

“And take Zara with you,” he added, a hint of amusement in his tone. “You’ll need the entertainment.”

I rolled my eyes, smiling. “You say that like I don’t enjoy her chaos.”

“You tolerate it,” he corrected smoothly.

I laughed. “Same thing.”

He shook his head, already stepping back toward the door. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Be safe,” I said automatically.

He paused, smiling. “Always.”

And then he was gone.

By the time Manuel pulled up in front of Zara’s place, I was already feeling lighter, the earlier tension dulled by the promise of distraction.

Zara slid into the car like a storm, sunglasses on, energy already at a hundred. “If this is not life-changing shopping, I’m going back home,” she announced dramatically.

I held up the black card.

She froze.

Then slowly lowered her sunglasses, her eyes widening. “Mira… is that what I think it is?”

“Unlimited,” I said, trying and failing to keep the smugness out of my voice.

She let out a high-pitched scream. “Oh, we’re about to ruin someone’s bank account today!”

I sighed, realization hitting me. “I could use this for my treatment.”

“I was going to propose this.” Zara pressed my lap slightly.

“But I won’t. He’ll know if I do. And I don’t need him to.”

The ride into the city was filled with her nonstop commentary, ranging from outfit ideas to wild fantasies about us accidentally running into celebrities and becoming icons overnight. By the time we finally pulled up in front of the store, I was already laughing harder than I had in days.

The boutique stood tall and elegant, glass walls reflecting the city around it, its name written in sleek gold letters: Maison Élitaire.

We both stared at it for a second.

“This place,” Zara whispered, “is where dreams go to become expensive.”

I snorted. “And today, we’re making bad financial decisions.”

She grabbed my arm, practically dragging me inside. “Say less.”

The interior was even more stunning than I imagined. Soft lighting, polished floors, racks of perfectly arranged clothes that looked like they belonged on runways rather than hangers.

For a moment, I hesitated.

“We don’t belong here,” I muttered under my breath.

Zara scoffed loudly. “Correction. We absolutely belong here today.”

And just like that, the hesitation melted away.

We moved from rack to rack, pulling out dresses, laughing, throwing playful comments at each other as we held things up for inspection.

“This one?” Zara held up a ridiculously short dress.

“That’s not a dress, that’s a suggestion,” I shot back.

She gasped. “Excuse you, this is fashion.”

“It’s fabric struggling to exist.”

She burst out laughing, tossing it aside. “You’re rude.”

“And you’re delusional.”

We were still laughing when I picked up a soft, flowing dress in a deep emerald shade, the fabric catching the light beautifully.

“This is actually gorgeous,” I said, turning it slightly.

Zara leaned in. “Okay, now that is a yes.”

“I know, right?”

“You better try that on before I steal it.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, I absolutely would.”

I rolled my eyes, smiling as I held the dress closer, already imagining how it would look—

“Excuse me.”

The voice cut through the moment sharply.

We both turned.

A woman stood a few feet away, her expression tight, eyes scanning us from head to toe with obvious disapproval.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” she said coldly.

I blinked, confused. “I’m sorry?”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “This store caters to a very specific clientele,” she continued, her tone dripping with judgment. “And you two clearly do not fit that standard.”

Zara straightened instantly. “Excuse me?”

The woman’s gaze hardened. “We’ve had issues before. People coming in, pretending to browse when they have no intention—or ability—to purchase anything.”

The implication hit like a slap.

My grip tightened slightly on the dress.

“I think,” she added, her voice sharpening, “it would be best if you left before this becomes a problem.”