She dropped back onto the couch, staring at the ceiling.
Then suddenly—
Her face flushed again.
"Oh my God…"
She buried her face in a pillow.
Four times.
She swallowed.
Four times in one night.
Heat crept up her neck as flashes of memory returned — the way he moved, the way he looked at her, the way he said her name like it meant something.
Her thighs pressed together instinctively.
She exhaled slowly.
"Why am I like this…" she muttered.
She could still feel the echo of him. Not physically — but the memory of it. The intensity. The way he lost control just enough.
Her pulse quickened.
Her hand slid unconsciously down her waist, fingertips grazing lower as she leaned back against the wall.
Her breathing changed.
Her mind replayed the sound of his voice near her ear.
Still with me?
She closed her eyes.
Her hand drifted lower—
Then suddenly—
Her phone rang.
She jumped slightly, blinking rapidly as if waking up.
"What was I about to do?" she whispered to herself, almost embarrassed.
She straightened immediately, clearing her throat, trying to shake off the haze.
The screen lit up.
Gabriel.
She answered quickly.
"Hey."
"Hey," Gabriel greeted casually. "You alive?"
She forced a normal tone.
"Yeah. Did you arrive safely?"
"Yeah, I got here this morning. Long trip though."
They talked briefly — small things. Flights. Work. Random updates.
Then Jade hesitated.
"Gabriel… can I ask you something?"
"That tone sounds dangerous."
"It's hypothetical."
He laughed. "It's never hypothetical."
She ignored that.
"Let's say… a friend of mine slept with her boyfriend."
"Okay."
"And… he didn't say he loves her. During. Or after."
There was a pause.
Gabriel's tone shifted slightly.
"And how long have they been together?"
"It's not about that."
"It is about that."
She sighed. "Just answer."
Another pause.
"Alright. From a guy's perspective?"
"Yes."
"Not saying 'I love you' doesn't automatically mean he doesn't feel something."
She frowned slightly.
"Explain."
"Some guys don't say it during moments like that because it feels… heavy. Or too soon. Or too vulnerable."
"So it's not a bad sign?"
"It depends," Gabriel replied calmly. "Did he treat her like she mattered?"
Her chest tightened.
"Yes."
"Did he check on her? Make sure she was okay?"
"Yes."
"Did he stay after?"
"…Yes."
Gabriel exhaled softly.
"Then your friend is overthinking."
She rolled her eyes.
"You're annoying."
"And you're obvious."
She ignored that.
"So what does it mean then?"
"It means if he's serious, he'll show it consistently. Words are easy. Behavior isn't."
Silence filled the line for a moment.
Then Gabriel added, softer:
"If he didn't care, it would've felt empty. Did it feel empty?"
Her heart answered before she could.
"No."
"Then relax."
She leaned back against the wall again, calmer now.
"Okay."
There was a brief silence on the line.
Then Gabriel snorted.
"I'm sure it's you. Not your 'friend.'"
Jade froze.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Mhm."
"I'm serious."
"Jade."
"What?"
"Don't tell me you did it with… him."
Her eyes widened.
"Gaby, stop!" she hissed, instantly blushing.
On the other end, Gabriel burst out laughing.
"I KNEW IT."
"You don't know anything!"
"You used that voice."
"What voice?!"
"That voice where you pretend you're calm but you're actually panicking."
She covered her face with her free hand.
"This is harassment."
"So it's him."
Silence.
"Jade."
"…Maybe."
"Jade."
"Okay fine!"
She turned away from the window dramatically, pacing.
"Yes. It was him."
Gabriel made a dramatic gasp.
"The cursed CEO?"
"Don't call him that!"
"That mysterious, emotionally constipated billionaire?"
She choked.
"He is not emotionally constipated!"
"Oh, so he performs well emotionally?"
She nearly dropped the phone.
"GABRIEL."
He was laughing so hard now she could barely hear him.
"I can't believe this."
"You're unbelievable."
"Four times?" he added casually.
She stopped walking.
"How do you—"
"You hesitated earlier when I said 'empty.' That's not the hesitation of someone who went once."
Her jaw dropped.
"You're disgusting."
"I'm observant."
She buried her face in her hand again.
"This is why I didn't want to called you."
"Thanks, I called you."
She groaned dramatically.
"Don't make it weird."
"I'm not making it weird. I'm proud."
"Proud of what?!"
"You finally stopped overthinking long enough to live."
She went quiet for a second.
Then she muttered:
"He didn't say he loved me."
Gabriel's teasing tone softened slightly.
"Jade."
"What."
"Did he look at you like you mattered?"
"…Yes."
"Did he act like you were just another girl?"
"No."
"Then relax."
She exhaled slowly.
"Men don't always say things when they feel them. Especially men like him."
She blinked.
"Men like him?"
"Control freaks. Strategic. Guarded. They show. They don't announce."
She leaned against the wall again, calmer.
"You're annoying when you're right."
"I'm always right."
"Don't push it."
He laughed softly.
"Just don't scare him away by interrogating him about love twenty-four hours after."
She scoffed.
"I would never."
"You absolutely would."
She smiled despite herself.
"Shut up, Gaby."
"Call me after wedding planning starts."
She hung up immediately.
But she was smiling.
.
.
She put on the tv to forget all of it then suddenly she so an interview of Ella Mufass'aa telling that soon she would have a partnership with Ooman network.
"What?" She stood up suddenly.