Chapter 37: The Invitation
Jay's POV
It had been a few days since the chaos at lunch — the kiss, the audacity, Keifer Watson sitting there like he owned my mind, my heart, and apparently, the air I breathed. I was trying to focus on Mariano Enterprises, the contracts, the meetings… anything that would distract me from the way he made my pulse spike.
And then my phone buzzed.
A message. From an unknown number. I squinted, heart thumping.
> Jay, dinner. Just you and me. Tonight. 8 p.m.
My fingers hovered over the screen. It has to be a prank. Some spam. There's no way…
But I knew. Deep down, I knew it was him.
My brain immediately went into overdrive. Why now? Why me? What does he want? Does he think I'll forgive him because he's Keifer Watson? No. Absolutely not. I'm not that girl anymore.
And yet, there was a small, irrational part of me that wanted to go. That wanted to see him, to hear him, maybe… maybe understand.
I spent the next few hours pacing my apartment, questioning my sanity. I changed my outfit three times. Black dress? Too formal. Navy blouse and slacks? Too safe. The red one I wore for confidence? Too loud. Finally, I settled on a simple but sharp black blazer, white blouse, and dark skinny pants — professional, but enough to make me feel like me.
Alex called to check in, and I nearly threw the phone at him.
Alex: "Boss, everything okay? You're pacing like a cat on fire."
Jay: "I'm fine. Just… business stuff." Lies. Barely believable even to me.
Alex: "Uh-huh. Well, if you need backup, I'm a call away."
Jay: "Thanks… but no. This one's mine."
After hanging up, I stared at myself in the mirror, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in my head. What if he's just going to lecture me? What if he's manipulative again? What if I… My stomach churned. I couldn't let myself go there. Not yet.
By the time I left my apartment, I had rehearsed every possible response in my head. "No, Keifer." "I'm not ready." "I don't forgive you." And yet… my pulse refused to listen.
The restaurant was cozy, dimly lit, the kind of place where people whispered over candlelight, and where first impressions mattered. I arrived a little early, chose a table at the corner, and sat down, nervously tapping my fingers on the tabletop. Every little noise — a chair scraping, a waiter dropping a plate — made my heart jump.
And then… I saw him.
Through the window, before he even saw me, there he was. Keifer Watson. Every bit as infuriating and impossibly composed as I remembered. He was wearing a tailored navy suit that somehow made him look both intimidating and irresistible at the same time. His hair perfectly styled, that familiar smirk teasing the corners of his lips.
He glanced at me. And I swear the world slowed down. My breath hitched. My hands went clammy. How can one person have this much power over me?
He stepped inside, scanning the restaurant until his eyes found mine. That smirk widened ever so slightly, as if he could see every chaotic thought running through my mind. My stomach did a little flip — no, a cartwheel.
I wanted to run. I wanted to hide. I wanted to scream why are you doing this to me?! But I couldn't move. My feet were glued to the floor.
And then he walked straight toward me. Calm, confident, deliberately slow. The kind of slow that makes you question every decision you've ever made.
I straightened in my seat, forcing myself to breathe. You are Jay Mariano. CEO. Independent. Strong. You do not let him get to you.
But as he approached, all my rehearsed lines evaporated. My mouth went dry. My hands shook slightly. And when he finally stopped in front of my table, the restaurant fading into background noise, I realized… I was not ready.
Not ready to forgive. Not ready to understand. Not ready to admit, even to myself, that I had missed him too.
And yet, there he was. Smirking, confident, and absolutely unrepentant.
Keifer: "Jay."
That single word — my name, spoken by him — made everything inside me twist.
I swallowed, forcing my voice out.
Jay: "Hello… Mr. Watson."
His eyes sparkled with mischief.
Keifer: "You look… exactly like I imagined."
I could feel the tension crackling in the air between us. My heart pounding, my mind racing… I had no idea how I was going to survive this dinner.
And just like that… the game began.
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