CHAPTER 8: I SAW A WOMAN HUGGING HIM
“It’s… a constellation necklace?” I asked, confused as I stared at the delicate piece of a necklace resting in the box. Tiny stars connected by thin lines. It's shimmering.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “It means… the stars aligned for us. Not just coincidence, but something destined. Like how shooting stars seem random but maybe they’re not.”
He looked at me with that same sincerity again. His hand reached out to gently brush some of my hair aside, then tapped the top of my head like I was a kid.
“You know a lot, huh?” I chuckled, trying to shake off the sudden warmth in my chest.
“Actually… no,” he admitted while laughing lightly. “My mom gave me that necklace. But I want you to have it.”
I blinked one after another in disbelief.
Wait… what?
“Your mom gave this to you?” My heart skipped. “Jake, I… I can’t take this.” I stood up quickly and held the box out to him, trying to push it back into his hands. “That must be really precious. Maybe it was something she shared with your dad. A couple necklace or something. I just— I can't.”
He stayed sitting, looking up at me with wide eyes and confused. “But… I know she’d be happy if you had it.”
I shook my head. “No. I’m sorry. That’s your mom’s. I can’t take it.”
“Reina, please…” he said, his voice was softer this time. “Take this. For me.”
I looked at him with those eyes that always made me question everything. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes for a moment. Honestly… I did want the necklace. I thought it was beautiful. It's too beautiful and delicate to deserve by some random girl.
So, I gave in but I didn’t say anything.
Instead, I sat back beside him, staring down at the necklace in my hands. His fingers brushed mine as he helped fasten it around my neck.
“There,” he whispered. “It suits you.”
And I couldn’t help but smile. But deep down… a small ache reminded me. This necklace was once his mother’s. And earlier, I saw a message about a proposal for his fiancée.
So if the stars really aligned for us…
Why does something still feel wrong?
“Ready to study?” he asked out of nowhere.
I raised an eyebrow at him. What a way to ruin a good moment.
“Seriously, Mr. Margaux?” I said, still raising my brow and refusing to smile.
He chuckled and shook his head. “We both don’t have a choice. You need to finish everything before the week ends. You have two days left, Ms.”
He sounded like he was lecturing me, but I could tell he wasn’t being that serious.
“I know you’re not serious,” I said confidently.
But instead of replying, he leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.
“There. Now can you still say I’m not serious?” he asked, looking so sure of himself.
I rolled my eyes and gently pushed his forehead with my fingers.
“Let’s study now,” I said, trying hard to keep the butterflies in my stomach from going wild.
“Only if you tell me what brand of blush you’re using,” he teased, pinching my nose and then my cheeks.
That made me feel even giddier.
Still, I kept a straight face, doing my best not to smile too much.
“Brand name? Jake Margaux. Mr. Professor,” I said, standing up quickly so he wouldn’t notice I was blushing hard and smiling like crazy behind his back.
“I’ll always buy you that blush. It looks good on you,” he said as he stood up.
Then he patted my head before walking ahead.
“Come on. Every second is gold,” he added.
But I didn’t follow him.
I still had no energy to study.
“Come on!!!” he groaned and came back just to grab my hand and pull me toward the study room.
“I don’t feel like studying,” I complained.
“You’re not going to study. It’s training, remember?” he said, raising his eyebrow like he was expecting me to say, ‘Right...’
“But…”
“After two days, you can rest. Then we’ll start your training for action,” he said calmly.
“Still don’t feel like doing it,” I muttered.
“Reinaaaaaa,” he growled again, dragging out my name.
“Fine,” I finally said with an exaggerated sigh and rolled my eyes.
“I saw that,” he said with a smirk.
I didn’t reply and just sat properly in my seat.
“No, you didn’t,” I answered eventually.
“Fine. I didn’t,” he said, letting his serious act drop just a little.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Are you laughing at me?” he asked when he noticed the laugh I was trying to hide.
“That’s a smile, Mr.—not a laugh,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Whatever it is, you look like you're laughing at me.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m smiling.”
“You’re laughing.”
“I’m not!”
“You are—”
His sentence was cut short by his phone ringing. He looked at the screen, sighed loudly like he didn’t want to answer it but has no choice. Then he answered with an irritated tone.
“You made her come?! Mom!” he groaned, stomping his foot like a grumpy child.
I pressed my lips together, trying so hard not to laugh.
After the call, he shot me a sharp glare like I had something to do with his ruined day.
“What?” I asked, failing to hide my amusement.
“You’re laughing,” he accused.
“No, I’m not.”
“You wanted to.”
“At least I didn’t,” I said, smirking while shrugging my shoulders.
He just rolled his eyes and grabbed the bottle of alcohol from the table.
He's so weird.
“Where are you going?!” I called after him as he started walking away.
“Just stay here,” he said, sounding a bit too serious.
Yeah, right. Like I’d sit still when you say that.
Curious and lowkey concerned, I followed him.
But I froze at the doorway.
There she was. A woman. Hugging him tightly. And worse? He didn’t pull away.