#reader discretion is advised.

London, May 2020

Flashes and bright lights illuminated the spot reserved for the happy couple whilst they changed poses for the camera. Plastering his trademark charming smile, Hamid held Sibel by the waist with one arm as she turned on one side and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"Harika, efendiler! Çok güzel!¹" The photographer cheered. 

Along with him, guests stood nearby showering the couple with praises. But not all of them were so inclined to gush over the soon-to-be bride and groom. 

From afar, Daphne took the last of her champagne glass in one single gulp and stared at them. She didn't dislike Sibel. Ever since the first she met her best friend's fiancee, Daphne found her a lovely person. Daughter of a business associate of Hamid’s father, Sibel Soyer was smart, graceful, with a great sense of humour, gorgeous face and legs for days. Of course he'd choose another tall girl. Like all human beings attracted to women, Hamid always had a thing for women who look like they just stepped out of a catwalk. But unlike his other exes or girls his parents pushed over him, Sibel was the first one who never pretended to be kind to her just to be in Hamid's good graces. Sibel was successful, beautiful, the perfect Muslim girl madam Raisa wished for her only son. 

A part of Daphne was happy for Hamid. He deserved a joyful life, the highest position of his family company and to have a beautiful perfect family. But another part of her, the part that wished she was bold enough to profess her feelings for him, was slowly being numb by the many glasses of champagne. Otherwise, she certainly couldn't make it through the awfully perfect engagement party.

"Ugh... Where's the waiter?" She grumbled.

"Easy there, girl. We're on family-friendly territory. Save it for the nightclub later," Bartholomew said, hoping to comfort her with a smile.

"Are you sure we can't sneak out now? I mean, who would ever notice if we leave anyway?"

"The groom, a.k.a. your best friend for almost seventeen years?" Bart gave her a knowing look.

Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I don't know how much longer I can keep pretending."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have designed and sewed Sibel's engagement dress. Nor offered to give her the wedding gown."

"I just wanted to show them my support. And you know this is the perfect opportunity to show off one of my designs and my brand. Many of the richest families of Europe and Middle East are here."

"You could've bought them a nice silverware. And you're a British lady who often designs dresses for the Queen Jade of Cordonia. It's not like the entire Europe doesn't know you or W. F. Designs," he protested.

"But I want everything to be perfect for him."

"Yeah, I got that part. But what about you, Daph? Don't you deserve a perfect and happy life too?"

"Perfection is overrated..." She replied, giving her shoulders. "As long as he's happy, I'll be fine." She then glanced at Sibel adjusting Hamid's tie as he smiled fondly at his fiancée. "I have to."

"Did anyone ask for stronger drinks?" Yusuf chimed in carrying a small tray with three narrow glasses and a bottle of rakı².

"Finally!" Daphne blurted, taking one of the glasses to her lips and drinking half of it.

"Daph, Yusuf was going to add water to it!" Bartholomew called out.

"I'm glad you didn't, Yusuf," she replied, drinking the rest of the beverage.

"You might want to take it easy with it. Rakı is as strong as whiskey."

"I know. That's why I asked you to search for it in the pantry."

"Ooh, can I have some?" Sibel's voice startled the three friends as she approached the table. "It's been a while since I drank rakı."

"Yeah, join us! If there’s someone who deserves to get everything they want, this person is you!" Daphne pointed at the bride with exaggerated enthusiasm, slurring the words a bit.

"How sweet of you, canım³," Sibel commented, oblivious to the lady's drunkness. "Pardon! Bakar mısınız?⁴" She chanted, gesturing to a waiter passing by. 

"Daphne, slow down a bit. People will start to notice your current state," Bartholomew whispered. "You never know who's going to come to our table..."

"I sooooo don't care," she murmured to her friend.

"Come on... Wait a couple more hours. Then we can go somewhere no one will judge you for getting sloshed at a party."

"What are you two whispering about, huh?" Sibel smiled slyly.

"We’re just chatting about fashion, hun. I hope you don't mind if we roast your guests a little," Bartholomew joked to change the subject.

"I do if you don't share your thoughts with me,"  Sibel playfully scolded and changed seats to be next to Daphne. "Spill!"

Whilst the four of them chatted, Daphne's eyes eventually scanned the area, searching for Hamid. No matter how much she tried to fight it, she always looked for him. When the waiter returned with a glass for Sibel, Yusuf poured rakı and some water and the four of them clinked glasses. 

"Okay, now I remember why I don't drink rakı so often." Sibel shook her head and grimaced slightly. 

The four of them laughed.

"Are you trying to get my fiancee sloshed?" Hamid tsked whilst he sauntered over to the table and took a place next to Sibel.

As Sibel's fingers intertwined with Hamid's, Daphne took a long sip of the drink.

"We would never!" Yusuf mockingly gasped.

"Speak for yourself, Yusuf. I want all the deets and dirt I can get from Sibel Soyer," Bartholomew teased.

They laughed once again.

"I have nothing to hide." Sibel smiled proudly. 

"Very well then." Bartholomew stood up and offered his hand to Sibel. "Shall we take a little stroll around the garden, Sibel hanım⁵?"

Sibel took his hand and winked. "Call me yenge⁶ and I'll tell you everything."

"I like her," Bartholomew commented as he laced arms with Sibel and turned to Yusuf with a knowing look.

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm curious to see how that turns out," Yusuf commented.

Sibel giggled and beckoned to Yusuf, who stood up and followed.

By herself with Hamid for the first time in weeks, Daphne's hands began to sweat as he switched seats to be closer. She couldn't recall when this feeling of uneasiness began. Yet, she constantly found herself yearning for it.

"Hey, where have you been all week?" He asked.

"At work, at home... I told you my week would be a bit hectic," she said, lifting the glass of rakı once again.

"Yeah, I can see that," he retorted, snatching the glass from her hand.

"I don't know what you're complaining about. I texted you back," she grumbled.

"Text?!" He stared at her in disbelief. "Daphne, I wanted to see you. Why did you have to disappear on me when I need you the most?"

Her eyes widened as she moved closer. "What do you mean? Tell me what happened," she begged, reaching for his hand. "Is it work? Are you worried about the wedding?" 

"And then some..." 

Daphne frowned. "Hamidciğim, why didn't you tell you needed to vent?"

"Because it wasn't the kind of stuff I wanted to talk through text or voicemail when I've been here in London all week," he explained, heaving a tired sigh. "Look, I know you're busy with work, but I still need my best friend. I miss you."

Daphne shifted uneasily in her seat as guilt trickled through her. She did have a busy week. But not answering every single one of his texts and calls was a conscious decision she made. Perhaps to protect herself from more heartache. Or to get used to the idea of losing her role as the first person he'd always run to. She was well aware of how much putting this distance between them would hurt her. What she didn't foresee was the fact that he could feel the same. 

"I miss you too... And I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you." 

"It's all right... Just don't do this again."

"I won't."

As he squeezed her hand softly and their eyes met, a calmness settled between them. That familiar feeling of bliss, of being understood, accepted, safe. A feeling she rarely had with anyone else. But with him, it came so easily.

"You look nice," she said, fixing the handkerchief in his pocket.

"So do you."

"I doubt you'd say that if you saw how big the dark circles under my eyes are."

"You're beautiful regardless of how tired you are, canım."

"Thank you," she replied with a coy smile.

As other guests passed by and watched them, Daphne pulled her hand away. The last thing she needed was to cause a scandal. 

Luckily, Hamid didn't argue about it and changed the subject. "So how come you became the third wheel tonight?"

"Lots of things happened today. Ann and Briar are running late, but they're coming. My date had a stressful morning and his blood pressure was too high, so I told him to stay at home and rest."

"Your date was Lord Vincent?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

He shook his head in disapproval.

"What? I've gone out with dad my whole life and I can assure you he's the best date anyone could ever ask for." She lifted up her chin proudly.

"How Freudian..." He teased.

"Stop it!" Daphne shoved him playfully.

"Fine, I believe you when you say Lord Vincent is a good company, but I thought you'd come with someone else."

"Who?"

"Ernest."

Colour drained from her face as she tried to figure out who told him about Ernest. "Why would I come with him?"

"Because you've been seeing each other lately."

"We just went out because he wanted to thank me for recommending an architect to redecorate Ledford Park."

"Did he have to thank you three times?"

She stared at him in shock. "How do you even that?"

"You're part of British nobility, Daphne. People talk. But the real question is why didn't you tell me."

"Because there's nothing to tell."

"Nothing?!" He furrowed his brows.

"I'm telling you. Ernest and I are just friends."

"Well, I think it's a shame."

"Is it?"

"Yeah... Ernest is a good person, a loyal friend, your families have centuries of history together. He could be a good fit for you."

She swallowed hard. A tightness spread in her chest as she felt her heart shatter and tried to hold the broken pieces together. Of all the things she expected to see or hear that night, the last one was how Hamid felt about her going out with Ernest Sinclaire. 

"Do you think so?" She managed to ask.

"I do. You deserve someone who appreciates you and I know he does. If you're willing to open up to him, I think he could make you happy."

Their eyes met once again for a brief moment, but his expression was unreadable. They rarely talked about romantic relationships. Neither of them had long dating histories, but most of all, there was always this strange discomfort between them whenever the subject came up. To see Hamid encouraging her to date was more than a shock. It felt like he was no longer bothered by the idea of seeing her with someone else.

"I should've known you'd be here," Raisa plastered a smile to Daphne and placed a hand on Hamid's shoulder. "Oğlum⁷, we still have guests to greet. You two can catch up later. I'm sure Daphne will understand."

"Of course." Daphne forced a smile. "Go greet the other guests.

"We'll talk to you later, okay?" He said as he stood up.

Daphne nodded in silence and lifted the glass of rakı to her lips once again, but she barely felt anything as she chugged the drink down. The tightening in her chest built up again as her eyes found him greeting guests with Sibel beside him once again. He seemed relaxed around her, completely in his element. No matter how tired he was, Hamid never turned down a chance to enjoy a party, especially when he was in the spotlight.

Taking deep breaths, Daphne went to the nearest ladies' room. But as she walked into one of the stalls, she could no longer contain the pain. Hot tears streamed down her face as she sat down and hugged her legs.

She had no idea how much time has passed when her phone rang. She had no intention to pick it up, but given that most of her friends were there, she couldn't hide in the ladies' room forever.

"Hey, Briar..."

"Girl, where are you? Bartie and Yusuf said you're here, but Ann and I have been looking for you for almost fifteen minutes!"

"I am, but—"

"Were you crying?"

"What?"

"You were crying, weren't you?" Briar sighed. "Where are you?"

"The ladies' room..." 

In a matter of minutes, Briar stepped into the ladies' room with Annabelle, who closed the door behind them.

"Daphne?" Briar called.

"I'm here." 

The door to the stall in the corner opened and the two friends approached it. Despite the nearly intact makeup, Daphne's reddened eyes gave her away.

"I told you this was a bad idea..." Annabelle grumbled as her arms enveloped her friend into a hug.

"I was fine. I thought I could handle it..."

Briar crouched down and placed a hand on Daphne's knee. "Sweetie, you're hiding in a ladies' room sloshed. You're anything but fine."

"I swear I was fine before he came in..." Daphne sniffed.

"Who? Hamid?" Briar asked.

"Yeah..."

"What happened?"

"We were drinking, then he showed up and the guys left me alone at the table with him. He was upset we didn't talk much this week."

"No kidding... Who knew he'd notice you stopped answering him right away when until last weekend you two texted each other all day?" Annabelle pursed her lips.

Briar gave Annabelle a look.

"But was he mad at you?" Briar asked.

"No... He was sad, but he didn't realise I did it on purpose. He just said he needed his best friend."

"Okay... It wasn't all bad, I guess," Annabelle concluded as she handed Daphne a tissue.

"It was." Daphne crumpled the tissue in her hands. "He asked about Ernest."

"Oh shit..."

"Briar!" Annabelle called out.

"Sorry... Daph, we told you he'd find out sooner or later. Then what?"

"I told him it was nothing and he—" she paused as her eyes swam with tears again. "He said Ernest would be a good fit for me."

"Aw, sweetie..." Annabelle hugged Daphne tighter. 

"I'm so sorry, Daph..." Briar said, holding her friend's hand.

"I feel so stupid. How could I ever think he has any feelings for me?" Daphne wailed.

"We all thought he did..." Annabelle gave her shoulders.

"But think about it. Hamid was never close to any other woman but you. He ended relationships just because his exes didn't like you or when you didn't like them. You two talk to each other more than I talk to Arthur. And let's not forget he just got engaged to a woman who kinda looks like you, except she's tall, extrovert, Muslim and Tatar⁸ descendant."

"Briar, stop saying that. Sibel is nothing like me."

"Okay..." Briar raised her hands defensively. "But she is..." She mumbled.

Annabelle glared at Briar once again.

"Even if she is, it doesn't matter. I always knew I'm not the one for him. I have to move on.  That's why I was avoiding him anyway," Daphne declared as she dabbed the tissue on the corners of her eyes.

"Exactly. You're not ready to date anyone and that's fine. It's time to focus on yourself, on your thriving career," Annabelle rested her hands on Daphne's shoulder.

"On how busy we'll be in three months to show W. F. Designs spring and summer collection on Milan fashion week," Briar cheered.

A small smile crept on Daphne's lips.

"You just reached a huge achievement in your career, Daph. Don't let it be overshadowed by this love you know it's never going to happen," Annabelle reasoned.

Daphne sat up and nodded. "You're right. I have to move on. And I can't stay here anymore."

"I'm going call an Uber and we'll go to that new nightclub I told you about." 

Annabelle fished out her phone to open the app when Daphne touched her friend's arm.

"No. I want to go home."

"Are you sure?" Briar asked.

"If you two want to join the guys, that's fine. I just want to go home."

"And leave you by yourself? You wish... I'll be glued to you all night and get you sobered up with junk food and trashy TV shows." Annabelle smiled fondly at her friend.

"Me too." 

The two friends helped Daphne up and after a quick inspection in the mirror, they left the ladies' room to say good night to their friends to stay over at the Foredales townhouse. 

Daphne was about to climb into the car when a familiar voice called her name. She froze in place as another conflict of emotions took over her again. It’d be easier to pretend she didn't hear it and just leave. But this wasn't some random guy she was trying to avoid. It was Hamid. As she looked back over her shoulder, she then realised she wasn't the only one in a dilemma.

"Do you really think you can leave without saying goodbye to me?" 

She gulped. There was something about how he enunciated those words. It was almost as if he knew he could permeate her every waking thought anytime he wanted to. And he always did, even if he never meant to.

"I texted you."

"You know I deserve better than that."

"Hamid, you're busy. You have guests."

"Enough with the excuses. Why are you leaving?" He studied her face for a moment. "Were you crying?"

"No… My eyes got irritated because I spent all week wearing contacts."

He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and stared at her, scrutinizing. She had to find a way to leave fast or he'd know something was wrong.

"Hamid, I had a long day, a long week, I drank too much. I'm tired."

As dejection became visible in his features, that same pang of guilt she felt before grew stronger.

"But everything was lovely. You and Sibel look amazing together, the rings ceremony was so beautiful. I'm happy for you."

He replied with a weak smile. 

"I have to go now. But you're staying until Sunday, right? If you have time, we can catch up tomorrow. Maybe have lunch?"

"Sure..." He replied without any conviction.

"You're not mad I'm leaving, are you?"

"No. Of course not. I just..." He shook his head and plastered a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Nevermind... Lunch at the Greenhouse?" 

"Sounds good to me. Congratulations on your engagement, Hamidciğim."

"Thanks."

As his arms wrapped around her frame, she replied to the hug with hesitation. She wanted to fight against all her instincts and not lean into his touch, not bury her face in his chest and be intoxicated by the scent of his cologne, to savour the warmth of his body, to feel safe under his touch. But it was like fighting against the waves of an ocean she would give anything to dive into.

"Daphne, the driver is getting old here!" Annabelle chanted from the car.

They pulled away from the hug abruptly. As she gave him an apologetic smile, he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow."

She then climbed into the car and watched him from the rearview mirror standing outside the venue as the car drove off until he disappeared from view.

Istanbul, August 2020

Daphne sat back and gazed at the clouded sky. Hazy memories of the day after Hamid’s engagement came to her. Whenever it was just the two of them chatting, making jokes and reminiscing about their childhood they barely noticed the time pass by. Despite the tightness in her chest, that moment brought her some hope. She could handle it. He found someone worthy of his love, he was going to be happy and they still could be friends. She just had to give herself time to get over him.

As the car drove into an upper-class neighbourhood, she opened her purse to find her phone when it started to buzz again.

"Good morning, Bartie!”

"Hey, how could you leave without me?! Did you forget I’m your plus one?"

“No, silly! I was going to leave you a message. I had to leave earlier because Sibel asked to come over and adjust her gown. She lost some weight since the last fitting."

“Wasn’t that a week ago?”

“Yeah.”

"Wow… Good thing her gown is heavy or the wind would carry her away."

"Don't be mean... She's just having pre-wedding jitters. I'll drop by to check on the bride and groom and see you at the wedding venue, okay?"

"Bride and groom? Daph..."

"I'm fine."

"Last time you said that it took five people to get you out of bed, shower and eat."

"That is so last week, Bartie."

"My point exactly. What's stopping you from going right back to that place again?"

"I just need closure, Bart. Once he's married, I'm done."

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

"If you say so... I'll see you soon."

"See you soon."

As the car rolled to a stop before Hamid's parents' manor, she bit her lip as her eyes darted to one of the windows. This wasn't how she wanted things to end. But she had to move on for good.

___

¹ “Harika, efendiler! Çok güzel!”: Excelent, sir and ma'am! Very beautiful!

² Rakı: Turkey's national alcoholic beverage

³ Canım: dear

⁴ “Pardon, bakar mısınız?”: Excuse me?

⁵ Hanım: madam

⁶ Yenge: sister/aunt-in-law

⁷ Oğlum: my son

"Yeah... I just had a really long day."

"It sounds like it was harder than most days." His features grow a little more serious.

"It was..."

"I must have bored you out with all those questions about the hospital, didn't I?"

"No... I love seeing you excited about something. You didn't bore me, amor. I just didn't have a good day."

"But I should've noticed you weren't in the mood to hear me babbling about it. I'm sorry..." He frowns.

"Raf, don't." She steps closer, cupping his face. "You had a rough time last year and you deserve to savor the moment. It's great to see you enjoying this new phase of your life. Physical therapy is a fascinating career path and it's so right for you."

"Do you really think so?"

Her lips curl up in a tired smile. "I know so. You'll be great."

Rafael takes one of her hands to his lips and kisses it. "Thank you. Your support means the world to me. Now then, do you want to do something special tonight? A bath? Massage? Movies and beer? Maybe binge watch that k-drama?"

"I don't know... I'm not in the mood to do anything right now."  

His brows knit together as he scrutinizes her carefully. "Are you sure you're okay, amor?"

"I'm fine." She crosses her arms.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I rather not."

Rafael nods and watches her meticulously organize the tableware inside the cabinets. "Evelyn?"

"Yeah?"

"Why am I here then?"

"What do you mean?"

"When I called you, you said you needed to see me and spend some time with me. But now I'm here and you're distracted, distant, too quiet. Something really serious must have happened, but you don't open up to me."

"Maybe I'm tired. Have you considered that possibility?" She snaps.

His forehead creases as the harsh tone in her voice catches him off guard. "Then why do you want me here, Evelyn?"

Evelyn closes her eyes and sighs. He's not wrong. It was a dumb idea to think she would forget about what happened with her and Dr. Ramsey so easily. Or that Raf wouldn't notice her mind is somewhere else.

"I don't know..." She murmurs.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Seconds pass by as he waits for her answer. Is it possible to feel guilty and hurt for something that didn't happen?

"Do you want me to leave?"

A shiver runs down her spine. Maybe she should tell him to go home and spare him the drama. But, just then, she realizes. She isn't ready to be alone and handle all these deprecating thoughts on her own.

Before she could tell him, Rafael shakes his head and mumbles. "Fine."

A shiver runs down her spine. "Are you leaving?"

“I have no reason to stay here.” He gives his shoulders.

"Raf, I didn't mean it like that..."

"Didn't you?"

She looks away as a pang of guilt engulfs her once more.

"Have a good night, Evelyn." With that, he turns away and steps out of the kitchen.

"Raf?" Her eyes well up as she watches him walk away.

Without a single glance back, he goes to the main door. Putting on his jacket, he fishes out his phone and reaches for the doorknob.

"Please, don't leave me here," she croaks.

Her shoulders slump as he turns back to look at her. Confusion crosses his features when she crouches down and sits on the floor hugging her legs.

Rafael rushes to her and kneels down before her. No matter how many fights for no reason they have, he can't leave her when she's not okay.  "Hey..." His hand rests on her arm. "What's going on?"

She doesn't answer. Tears fall down her face before she can put into words all the feelings she has been trying to suppress all night.

"Is it because of the job offer at Edenbrook? I can turn it down and look for a job somewhere else. There's also that clinic I told you about. They made a nice offer too..."

She sobs. Her chest tightens at the sorrow in his voice. Why does he think he did anything wrong?

"Tell me what I did wrong, Eve. Please."

"It's not your fault..." She quavers.

He heaves a sigh, but she isn't sure if he's relieved or upset.

"We can’t stay here all night. Do you want to go to bed?"

Evelyn nods.

“Okay. Let’s get you to bed then,” he says as he stands up, helps her to her feet and takes her to the bedroom.

Once she sits on the bed, he caresses her cheek with one hand, gazing into her tired and sullen eyes. "I'll be in the living room. Call me if you need anything."

"Why are you going to stay there?"

"Because we had this weird fight? I thought you needed some time alone? I don't know..." He scratches the back of his head, unsure of what to say next.

"Stay here," she begs, reaching for his hand.

"Evelyn, I—"

"Please?"

Silence settles between them as they stare at each other. She knows it can be hard for him to understand so many mixed signals. Still, she hopes what she said before didn't hurt him to the point that he can't be around her. Because she can't stay alone right now.

"Of course," he replies.

As he sits on the bed beside her, she lies down, resting her head on his lap. Placing one hand on her head, his fingers run through her tresses, easing out the tension in her body. Another tear rolls down her temple.

"Is this okay?" He asks.

"Yeah... This is what I needed." She sniffs, trying to smile despite the tears. "But I forgot the name you call it."

"Cafuné."

A weak smile crosses her lips for a brief moment. “So, for future references, next time I just have to ask for a cafuné, right?"

"Exactly." His lips curl upwards, but worry still gleams in his eyes. "Eve?"

"Mmm?"

"I get that you don't want to talk about whatever happened to you today, but I need to know. Did anyone hurt you?"

"Yes..." She murmurs. "I think..."

"You think?" He frowns.

"Yeah, I..." She takes a deep breath before speaking. "I was about to leave work when Dr. Ramsey asked my opinion on a patient. We discussed the case for a little while, then he invited me to have dinner with him."

"As in a working dinner?"

"Well, that's what thought it would be. So I said yes. I even suggested we went Vejigantes because the food is great and it isn't expensive."

"But it wasn't a working dinner, was it?" He deduces.

"No. He began to ask personal questions, things about you and me... I tried to deflect it by changing the subject, but at some point, it became unbearable. Next thing I know I was storming out of the restaurant. I was about to send you a text when he came after me and grabbed my arm."

A muscle in his jaw twitches, even though he does his best to look calm. "Did it hurt?"

"No. I threatened to punch him and he let go of me when I pushed him away."

"What happened next?"

"He said he wanted me." She curls herself up involuntarily. "He said he tried to fight against his feelings for me because he knows it's inappropriate. But he said he couldn't stand it anymore."

"So he acted on it," Rafael hisses.

"Yeah... But I told him he misunderstood me. I told him I don't feel anything for him not just because I'm in a relationship. I never liked him the way he assumed I did."

"Did he listen to you? Did he try anything?"

"He didn't do anything else. I yelled all of that at him in the middle of the street, so maybe my outburst in public helped emphasize it? I don't know..." Evelyn looks down at her hand as she toys with the hem of her nightdress. "That was stupid of me, wasn't it?"

"No. What you did was actually very brave."

"Was it though?" Her voice falters as her eyes glisten from tears.

"Of course it was," he insists, stroking her hair. "Other people in your shoes would have stayed quiet to keep their jobs, or to avoid any embarrassment. Many would have endured his advances for who knows how long."

"Then why don't I feel brave right now?" She wails, hugging her legs tightly.

"Because you're hurt." Rafael explains as his free hand brushes a tear away. "He's your boss, your mentor, the guy you dreamed to work with since your first year in med school. You didn't expect this from him."

"I feel so foolish..." She sniffs, taking her time to speak. "Others residents and nurses have talked about how he played favorites with me and pulled strings to get me to work for him. But I didn't believe it. I just thought he saw a potential in me..." Her hands ball into fists as she tries to keep talking. "Raf, I swear I've never given him any reason to believe I was into him. Why would he do that?"

"Beats me. But will we ever understand the reasons why people hurt one another, even when they say it wasn’t their intention to do so?"

"I guess not..."

As everything went quiet again, Rafael looks around then reaches for a tissue box on the side table and hands it to her.

Wiping her tears, she begins to speak again. "On my way back here, I began to question myself if that really happened to me, if I didn't misunderstand anything he said, or overreacted because you know... He didn't get to..." She fights the urge to cry again as she musters the courage to continue, but tears fall down once more.

"Eve, don't do this to yourself. The lack of evidence of physical violence doesn't mean it didn't happen. You have dealt with patients who went through the same thing and you showed them it wasn’t their fault."

"You're right," she agrees, using one more tissue. "Raf, I want you to know I have nothing against you working at Edenbrook. We’ll be lucky to have you as part of the Physical Therapy staff. But we’re probably going to see each other as much as we did when you worked at Boston EMT."

He chuckles. “Good point.”

Evelyn looks down and begins to fiddle with the crumpled tissue in her hands. “I'm sorry I snapped at you.”

"Don't be. I should've paid more attention to you. Maybe I wouldn't have pushed you this much."

"It's alright. I would've felt hurt anyway… I had to tell somebody and accept what happened to me.” She heaves a sigh. “I just don't know what I'm going to do on Monday."

"Well, you have an entire prolonged weekend to figure it out. But how about we focus on your healing process for now?"

"Good idea..." She whispers.

As Evelyn allows herself to revel in the gentle touch of his fingers threading through her hair, the tears eventually dry out.

Monday morning

Evelyn looks into a patient's medical chart when a voice calls her name.

"Dr. Bennington?"

She freezes. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath and turns to him. "Yes?"

"Can I see you in my office? There's an urgent matter we need to discuss."

"Dr. Ramsey, there's a patient waiting to get discharged and I—"

"It won't take long."

Despite the urge to tell him to back off, she nods in agreement and follows her boss to his office. She knows they have to deal with it eventually.

They walk into his office and she closes the door, but doesn't approach him. Dr Ramsey, who is behind his desk waiting for her to sit down, breaks the silence. "Take a seat, Dr Bennington."

Evelyn then pulls up the chair across him, but keeps her distance.

"Once again, I apologize for the trouble I caused you during and after dinner. I don't expect your forgiveness, but you must know that I mean every word."

"Thank you."

"To help both of us move past it, I believe I shouldn't be your mentor anymore. I talked to Dr. Mirani and Dr. Hirata. They'll be available to work with you in the future, if you still wish to be a medical diagnosis specialist."

Her eyes go wide. "Did you tell them?"

"No. I simply told them I'm tired of butting heads with you."

"Which isn't exactly a lie," she adds.

"Precisely."

"Can I pick any of them?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll talk to Dr. Hirata then."

His brows shoot up in surprise for a moment, but he just nods. "Very well. You can talk to her right away."

"Okay. Is that all?"

"Yes." He stands up and extends his hand to him. "Thank you for your work and dedication, Dr. Bennington. I still believe you're a remarkable physician."

"Hi!" Jen walks in, places the recyclable coffee tray on the table nearby, and hands a cup to her friend. "Vanilla latte for you."

"Thank you." Luisa grins to Jen as she receives the cup.

"And one big green tea frappuccino for me." The assistant says as she sits down and looks at the laptop. "Any progress on the guy from New Jersey?"

"I'm not sure..." Luisa points to the screen. "What do you think? This one or this other one here?"

Jen grimaces. "Are these really the best ones? What happened to those other photos in which his smile didn't look so creepy?"

"He didn't approve any of them. He said and I quote 'you didn't use the right angle to capture my best side'. Of course I didn't! His best side is the one he didn't want to be photographed!" Luisa fumes.

A giggle escapes Jen's lips and she earns a side glance from her friend. "Sorry." She presses her lips together. "I almost forgot you're under pressure because the model is a piece of work and the deadline is tomorrow."

"Don't forget that your neck is on the line too."

"Point taken." Jen nods. "Maybe flip to the other side? Change it to black and white?"

"I already flipped. He just looks weird from a different angle. And he looks creepier in black and white."

"Sheesh..." Jen makes a face.

"I know! Whatever happened to the nice and hard-working essential workers of this country?" Luisa nags.

"You mean like the Massachusetts paramedic and his medical resident girlfriend?"

"Oh my god, yes! He's so photogenic and sweet. And so is she, by the way. Working with them was so effortless..." The photographer sighs.

"And you say you don't have work crushes." Jen eyes her friend and smirks.

"I do not!" Luisa pushes her friend's chair playfully. "You know what I mean. We're doing a portfolio on real-life heroes, people who dedicate their lives to save others. The viewers want to see nice people, with sweet smiles and compassionate attitudes. Is that too much to ask?"

"Not at all. And I think I have the one you're looking for." Jen says as she puts a folder on the desk.

Luisa opens the folder and reads the profile of a tall, tanned skin Asian man with a broad smile. "Xander Han, lieutenant of Miami Fire Rescue, twenty-eight years old: goes to the gym every day, plays volleyball on the beach, and teaches baseball to kids on his days off."

"What do you think?"

The photographer analyzes the firefighter's smile. "He looks great on paper. I'll give him that."

"Should I set up the interview with him on Tuesday?"

"Make it for tomorrow."

Jen looks at her friend in surprise. "So soon? I thought you'd take a day off after the New Jersey physical therapist."

"No. We can start tomorrow. He's a local, I'll do the interview and start shadowing him on Tuesday."

"All right. I'll make the call."

The next day

Luisa steps into Miami Fire Rescue headquarters and looks around as the office assistant takes her to the lounge area. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"It's okay. He just arrived for the shift." The woman smiles politely and opens the door to the recently renovated place the crew is gathered watching TV and making jokes. "Hey, has anyone seen Han?"

"Here!" He shouts from the kitchen then turns around holding a coffee pot.

"The photographer is here." The woman motions for Luisa to walk into the room and leaves.

"Good morning!" Luisa waves to everyone as she crosses the room and stops by the kitchen counter.

"Oh, hi!" Han smiles shyly. "I didn't think you'd be here so early. Coffee?"

"Yes, thank you."

He pours the coffee into a recyclable cup then stops. "Do you want sugar? Cream? Milk?"

"Just coffee is fine."

He nods and hands the cup to her then pours a mug to himself.

Luisa receives the recyclable cup of coffee and takes a sip. "Is there somewhere quieter here?"

"Sure." He puts down the coffee pot on the counter and motions for her to follow him.

Han walks out of the kitchen and leads her out of the room. As they pass by, he greets every single person with smiles and friendly taps on the shoulder. Then he opens the door to the garage and grabs two chairs before choosing a place to sit.

Once they sit down, his lips curl upwards, but he seems tense and fidgets. Luisa puts down her messenger bag and gazes at him. "We're going to start slow. We have a whole week. No need to rush into anything. Let's get to know each other a little and see how it goes. Is that okay?"

His features soften and the broad smile she saw on his profile finally appears. "Yeah, sounds good to me."

"Great. Let’s start slowly with the basics. Tell me a little about your daily routine."

The conversation flows easily between them. As they talk about becoming a firefighter, family, friends, and hobbies, Han looks more relaxed. "I thought about sending my video application, but I chickened out. Maybe they wouldn't think I'm interesting enough to make the cut."

"I beg to differ. You've got the looks, great energy, you have an amazing personality. I think you'd be a great AME contestant."

"Well, if a talented photographer like you says so, it must be true." A roguish grin spread on his lips.

"Trust me, I have a good eye. The fact that you accepted a compliment, still managed to look humble, and made me a compliment unrelated to my looks says a lot about it."

"I'm just calling how I see it," Han says, gazing at her intently.

Luisa feels her cheeks going warm, but tries her best to keep her cool. He's a charming person modeling for you. That's all. With a smile, she stands up. "Han, this was great. I have enough material to pass along to my friend who's going to transcript the interview and we can start tomorrow if that's alright."

"Oh, you're already going?" He looks surprised and slightly disappointed.

"Yeah, I took a lot of your time. I don't want to impose."

"You're not. We haven't received any calls yet."

"Do you think it's going to be a light day?"

"I don't know. Every day is unpredictable. I'll have to wait until the end of the shift to answer that question. But if you're not too busy, you can stick around."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

As soon as the words leave his mouth, a siren followed by brief information about the emergency is announced in the speakers.

"See what I mean?" He gives a charming smile.

"Yeah, I think I do. Do you mind if I tag along?" She asks as they stand up. "I'll follow you from my car and keep my distance to take some shots if that's okay of course."

"Sure. I'll let the chief know so you won't have a problem."

"Thanks."

"Don’t mention it." Han nods with a smile and leaves.

Less than a minute later, Luisa is on the streets following the fire truck and it doesn't take much longer until she arrives at the scene. From her car, she snaps a few pictures of Han talking to his crew and getting into the building.

To any civilian passing by the street, the building shows no signs of fire risk. But the smoke slowly coming from the windows tells otherwise. Still in the car to avoid the commotion arising in the neighborhood, Luisa watches all firefighters bring people outside the building to be taken care of by the paramedics and return inside a few more times. Han rarely steps outside, as expected. As the lieutenant, it's his mission to lead the search for survivors and guide the others. The work is fast-paced and precise in an attempt to match the fire that starts to take over.

Black smoke escapes from the rooftop. Her eyes dart to the chief of the fire department, impatiently waiting for his crew to return. One by one, the firefighters get out of the building. However, he still looks restless. Luisa searches for the lieutenant among the firefighters, but the chief yelling through the radio confirms her suspicions.

"Han, get out of the building right now!"

Seconds pass by as Luisa holds the camera, constantly adjusting the lens to get a better view, but she doesn't snap a single picture. What she wants is to see him safe and sound.

"Han! Answer me!"

The other firefighters gather around the chief. They seem to be in a heated argument, probably talking about coming back inside and bringing Han, but the chief's tone is loud and clear. The building is no longer safe and might collapse at any moment, thus no one gets in. A cold shiver runs down her spine and her hands begin to sweat. What if he passed out or he's trapped and can't leave? Ever since she started working on this series with essential workers, she hasn't witnessed a moment as tense as this one.

A couple of small figures out of the building coughing. Two children crying and calling their parents. Right behind, two more figures step out. A man being carried by lieutenant Han. The man looks tired and coughs a lot, but he seems fine, all things considered. But his attention is on the children that rush to him for comfort as he looks at the building.

Han removes his mask and the other firefighters greet him with shoulder and back pats before one of the paramedics steps in to check in on him. They hand him a bottle of water as she does a brief examination. They talk briefly, but Han's eyes often drift to the building succumbing to the flames now evident for anyone to see. His lips mouth the words "I couldn't save her…". After a pause, he says "the mother…". Then he looks at the man with children and shakes his head.

Han turns back to the building as the chief commands the crew to put out the fire. The fire ceases in a matter of minutes and some of the firefighters return to the building. Possibly to look for the victims. Soon, they bring out one single body. The last man rescued burst into tears hugging the children. Han's eyes never waver from them.

Just then, Luisa's phone buzzes making her jump. Without losing the lieutenant from her sight, she answers the call. "Hey, Jen…"

"Lu, didn't you get my messages? Where are you?" Jen asks.

"I'm shadowing Florida lieutenant of the firefighters."

"Already?! I thought you were going to start tomorrow."

"Something came up. I asked him if I could follow, he said it was okay. Now I'm in front of a building that was in flames just a few minutes ago."

"Is everyone okay?"

"One person died in the fire."

"Oh…"

Silence settles between them, but it doesn't really bother Luisa. Given everything that has been going on, her mind isn't at work at the moment.

"This is probably not the best time to say I got a call from that client who sponsored your last photography exhibit, right?"

Luisa heaves a sigh. "No, it's fine. What is it?"

"I told her what you've been working on and she wants to see some of the material we have."

As the firefighters finish their work and get back on the truck, Luisa says. "Tell her by the end of the week, I'll show her a sample. I have to go now."

"Go where?! Luisa—"

"I'll meet you in the loft later."

After hanging up, she starts the car and follows the fire truck.

Once she parks the car near the fire department headquarters, Luisa hesitates to leave her vehicle and thinks about just going home. Would it be okay to leave without saying any further explanation and just show up tomorrow? Still, he probably needs space to get ready for another call and deal with paperwork. He certainly doesn't have time to spare now.

Before she could make up her mind, a knock startles her. Luisa gasps then sighs in relief when she sees the person standing outside.

"Sorry, Miss Ramos. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay… Teagan, isn't it?"

"Yes," the woman smiles. "Han was actually wondering if I have seen you around and I came out here to check."

"He was?" Luisa's brows rise in surprise.

"With all the commotion earlier, he kinda forgot he was being shadowed."

"I can't blame him… That was a rough start of the day."

"And now you're wondering if you should go back in there and talk to him."

"Is it obvious?" Luisa wrinkles.

"Not to everybody. But I'm familiar with the feeling of not knowing what to say to a firefighter after a rough day. But if it makes you feel better, Han is the easiest one to talk to."

"Is he?"

"Yeah," Teagan says. "One thing I learned about firefighters is that people easily open up to them. But when it's time for them to talk, not everyone is available to hear them vent."

As Luisa heaves those words, realization dawns on her face.

"Maybe your presence here is just what he needs right now. And if he's not in the mood to chat, you can just say you're leaving and will continue tomorrow."

"But it won't hurt to try..."

"Exactly."

Luisa then opens the door and climbs out of the car, grabbing her bag."Thank you, Teagan."

"No problem." The office assistant nods and guides the photographer to the fire department garage, where lieutenant Han sits on the stairs of the fire truck, staring blankly at the floor.

"Hey there..." Luisa approaches him politely.

"Hey!" His eyes seem to sparkle for a brief moment as they take her in. "I thought you had left."

"I thought about it..." She simpers.

"I get it. I wouldn't have judged you if you did. Not everyone is ready to see what you saw today."

"Yeah... But it'd be wrong not to talk to you before I leave."

"That's very considerate of you," he answers with a weak smile.

"How are you doing?"

"I've been better..." He sighs.

"Of course..." Luisa nods. "You must have a lot on your mind now. We can stop here for today and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Do you have to go now?"

"I believe you must need some space. I'll just leave."

She is about to turn away when he calls.

"No!"

Luisa looks back, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"I don't want you to go now. I mean... Unless you're tired. Or you have something else to do, obviously..." He glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't really like to stay alone with my thoughts when something like that happens."

A smile slowly forms on Luisa's lips as she notices his timidness. "I'll be glad to keep you company then."

Nodding in agreement, he grins. "Thanks."

Four months later

Luisa lifts her champagne flute to her lips and smiles proudly as she takes in her surroundings. When she announced her "The Real Heroes'' photography exhibit, she expected a good response from the viewers. But she had no idea her exhibit would be a success. Miami was the sixteenth and last stop of her tour and she couldn't be happier with the outcome of her journey capturing essential workers facing adversities of their jobs to help their communities.

She strolls around calmly in the gallery main hall, watching people walk around, chatting, and making their comments when Jen stops beside her.

"I think this is our most crowded opening night."

"Me too."

"Mrs. DuPont is really pleased with the results. So is her husband, by the way. They're already asking about your next plans."

"What did you say to them?"

"I pitched them the street artists idea. They loved it and want to schedule a meeting soon to talk about Paris Fashion Week."

"Hmm... Good to know. Anything else?"

"Yes. You have company tonight."

"Who?"

Jen nods towards the main entrance, where the couple Luisa became friends with after shadowing them in Boston walks into the main hall and saunters over to her.

"See you around, Lu," Jen whispers as she takes her leave.

"Hey you," Evelyn greets the photographer warmly.

"Hi!" Luisa beams and greets Evelyn and his boyfriend, Rafael, with a hug. "It's so good to see you both!"

"Good to see you too, Lu," Evelyn grins.

"How come you two didn't tell me you'd be here?"

"Well, this trip was a bit last minute. My boss was invited to be a keynote speaker at a scientific conference, but he had a family emergency and asked me to fill in for him. I brought Raf with me since they have some panels related to physical therapy too."

"Oooh, power couple goals!" Luisa cheers.

"Exactly." Evelyn winks.

"We also recalled the time you were in Boston for the exhibit and we showed you the best parts of the city. Back then, you promised you'd return the gesture whenever we visit Miami. Now that we're here for the conference, we want to take up that offer," Rafael says with a cheeky smile.

"Of course! Depending on what you are in the mood for tonight, I can think of some great options for later."

"Excellent!" Rafael agrees. "Now back to you and the exhibit, I really like how you organized every section here, giving the spotlight to the firefighters of the city."

"I second that. The interview with the lieutenant is so good!" Evelyn exclaims.

"And it's so relatable to all of us. The people of Miami must be proud to have a guy like him leading a fire rescue team."

"Plus, he's so easy on the eyes..."

The three of them chuckle.

Just then, Luisa's eyes meet the lieutenant's across the room. Looking dapper on a charcoal suit perfectly combined with a yellow shirt and handkerchief, Han smiles at her, grabs a champagne flute from a waiter passing by, and raises his glass to her. Her heart skips a beat. But as fast as he showed up, he disappears in the middle of the crowded hall, making a beeline to the room where Miami firefighters are featured.

"Lu?" Evelyn calls, bringing the photographer back from her trance.

"Huh?" Luisa turns to her friends. "Sorry, did you say something?"

"We're just wondering why you didn't go talk to the firefighter," Rafael says.

"I'll talk to him later."

"Later? What don't you go now?" Evelyn asks.

"Because I'm here with you."

"That's very sweet of you, but don't. Go find him." Evelyn says.

"What? I can't do that!"

"But you should," Rafael suggests.

"I don't know..."

"What is there to know? Girl, everyone saw the sparks flying across the room." Evelyn nudges the photographer.

"I was working with him. I don't date people who pose for me."

"That's your excuse?! I thought you were going to say he's married, or a womanizer or he hates Black Pink. Because a jerk we already know he isn't."

"No..." Luisa heaves a sigh as she glances at the room dedicated to Miami firefighters. "He's most likely the most handsome man I've ever photographed and he's even better on the inside."

"Luisa..." Rafael places a hand on her shoulder. "Just go."

"But—"

"We can go to the bar tomorrow, Lu. Go!" Evelyn insists.

Mustering all her courage, she waves goodbye to her friends and walks towards the biggest room of her photography exhibit.

As she steps inside, the crowded room is silent watching the interview she recorded four months ago on the first day shadowing the lieutenant.

"I never thought about becoming a firefighter. I was just the athletic guy at school who still didn't know what to do when Chief Michaels said I Miami Fire Rescue could use someone like me. So I did. It gave me a sense of purpose."

Goosebumps form over her skin as she watches people hanging on his every word.

"I can't say my job is boring. Some days, I fill out paperwork just to say someone decided to clean the attic and got stuck. Some other days, it's just like it was today. Burning buildings, almost touching a victim's hand only for a beam to make it impossible for me to reach her."

"You did save her children and husband."

"But it wasn't enough… It never is when I have to choose who to save before the building collapses."

"Do days like today ever make you think about giving up?"

"Sometimes... Many of the other guys have side jobs. I know there are many other people out there who could take my position. But if I find another job, I won’t let myself forget my duty to the city of Miami. Losses like the one that happened today push me to try harder. And hopefully tomorrow, there won't be any victims."

Applause erupt in the room before the crowd disperses. Yet, there's no sign of him. Han was getting more popular each day and he has mentioned how so restaurants and bars in the city pay him just to drop by for a few minutes to attract more people. Most likely, he had already left.

"I'm not that good with speeches, you know..."

Luisa freezes in place. As his melodious voice rumbles in her ear, her heart races inside her chest.

"Is that so?"

"I used to stutter in elementary school."

Luisa turns to find him smiling, holding two champagne flutes. "How come you don't stutter now?"

"Speech therapy and acting classes." He hands her a glass. "I did a great Romeo back in a high school play."

"Wow... You're so much cooler than I thought you were."

"Am I?" He grins. "I guess all those people who teach flirting techniques online don't know a thing about dating, huh?"

"Nope."

The two of them chuckle.

"We should make a toast."

"You're right. What should we toast to?"

"To the success of your photography exhibit. You've been traveling for a while... I don't even remember the last time I saw you in person, Luisa. Though I can't deny that I like the late-night texting."

"Me too..." Her cheeks heat at the comment, but she brushes it off quickly. "But about the toast, maybe we should toast the big financial help Miami Fire Rescue received after the city recognized the heroes working tirelessly to keep everyone safe."

"That's a good toast too. But I have another one."

"Oh?"

"I got a few invitations to work as a model."

"A few? How many?"

"Seven. But I checked with a friend on PD. Only five are legit. One is for a fashion magazine. Also, AME casting crew called me."

"Look at you getting modeling jobs and an invitation to AME! Are you going to accept any of those offers?"

"Maybe... I'm not sure."

"Why not?"

"I don't know if I'll feel comfortable being photographed by someone who isn't you. So I said I'll only do it if you're my photographer."

"That's bold of you."

"I know."

"How many accepted your condition?"

"Five. The legit ones."

She nods in approval. "Nicely done."

"Thanks. But two of them asked if I only want you as the photographer because we're dating."

"Did you tell them the truth?"

"Yeah. I said 'I wish...'"

Her jaw drops immediately.

"It's the truth." He shrugs with a smile. "So, will you accept the offer too?"

"Um... I'll be happy to."

"Cheers to the success of the work we've been doing and will keep doing together."

"Cheers."

Raising their glasses, they clunk the champagne flutes together and took a sip, without taking their eyes off each other.

"What about the AME invitation?"

"I'm thinking about saying no."

"Why?"

"Because I'm hoping you'll say yes to another offer I have for you."

"Really?" She can't help but smile.

"Yeah..." He places his glass on the table nearby and takes her hand in his. "Luisa, will you go out with me tonight, and on many other nights we yearn to be together?"

She steps closer to him beaming. "Yes."

“Well…” He closes the distance between them and whispers against her lips. "I guess it's a no to AME then."

“Sorry you just disqualified.”

"Are you now?" He arches an eyebrow in amusement.

"Not at all."

Peace, however, wasn't the best word to describe that particular morning. That day started with the incessant buzzing sound of notifications on Daphne's phone, which she managed to ignore. Yet, it was getting on everybody's nerves.

"Daphne, I noticed you received six letters of acceptance from different universities, including one in France, one in Cordonia and  one in America?" Dominique stressed the last word, trying to ignore the electronic device vibrating on the buffet table.

"I applied to Cornell to see if I could get in. I'm not planning on leaving Europe."

"But are you planning on leaving England?" The Dowager Countess arched an eyebrow.

"I don't see why this could be a problem, ma'am. Dad won't be resigning any time soon.  I would have plenty of time to learn about my functions as the future leader of the county."

"While leaving England for four years?" Dominique pursed her lips.

"Living abroad on her own would also be a valuable experience for her," Edmund commented.

"I agree," Vincent nodded.

"All I'm saying is we have great schools in our country. I don't see why Daphne would choose to go anywhere else," The Dowager Countess responded, sipping her tea.

"I'll take all your arguments into consideration. Thank you, grandmother."

Daphne's phone buzzed again.

"Dear, who's calling you so much?" Vincent asked.

"I don't know. I haven't checked my phone since I took Drake for a walk."

"Can you shut it down? This buzzing sound on the sideboard is giving me a headache," Dominique said before taking a cup of tea to her lips.

"Of course, grandmother. My apologies." Daphne received her phone from her maid and glanced at the notifications from unknown numbers, eyes going wide at the content of each message. "What the fu—"

"Daphne, watch your language and shut down your mobile!" Dominique chided.

"I'm sorry," she replied looking at everyone. " I'm shutting it down." She did what she was told and returned her phone to her maid.

Then again, the sound of a phone vibrating on the wooden sideboard came up.

"Ah, bloody hell... " Edmund grumbled, glaring at Daphne.

"It isn't mine!" She objected.

"Daphne has a point. Both of you, shut down your electronic devices and let's try to finish this meal without any more interruptions," Dominique demanded.

Following the dowager countess's orders, both men reached for their phones to shut it down, but Edmund stared at his device for a while.

"Edmund, will you put your mobile down?" Dominique scowled at him.

He was about to say something when two more text notifications came up.

"Edmund!" Lord Vincent called.

Edmund's eyes scanned the room, searching for his father's phone. As soon as he spotted the device, he cleared his throat. "Forgive me, but something just came up and Harry needs my help. May I be excused?”

"Is everything all right?" Dominique asked.

"Yes, it's just girl trouble. He needs someone to vent."

"Oh, go on then."

"Thank you, father," he said as he stood up, discreetly grabbed Vincent's phone, placing it inside his trousers pocket, and left the dining room. When he arrived at the Earl's office, he disconnected the WiFi and called Harry. "I did what you asked, now tell me what is this about."

Harry hesitated for a moment. "Mate, I can't. I don't know how to say this to you. Did you receive any videos?"

"Yeah. Theresa sent one to me."

"Shit..." Harry grumbled. "Are you still with Dad's mobile? If you are, check to see if he received the video too and delete it."

"Why?"

"Just do it. You can't let dad see this."

"What the hell is in this bloody video, Harry?" Edmund hissed.

"All right. You already got it, so there's no point in telling you not to watch it. Just make sure Dad learns about it from Daphne, okay?"

"Why? Is it about her?"

"Yeah..."

Behind closed doors, shame washed over Daphne's body. Tears streamed down as her face as she watched a video herself on Briar's mobile. The footage was long and image quality was clear. On her knees, with her wrists tied on her back, she used her mouth to give pleasure to the only man she has ever been intimate with, whose face was conveniently blurred and voice modified. By her side, her friends wrapped their arms around her in silence, allowing her to simply feel their support through the embrace.

"I can't believe this," Daphne sobbed.

"We did what we could to stop this video from going viral," Briar said softly.

"I sent a message to our school subreddit moderator to take down the posts. But by the time Reddit staff took it down, someone posted the video anonymously on a porn website and sent it to the tabloids," Annabelle explained.

"I'm sorry we couldn't help more," Briar hugged her friend tighter.

"How am I going to tell dad and grandmother about this? How can I even look at them in the eye?" Daphne covered her face with both hands.

"Hey, we know you did nothing wrong, we believe you when you say you were with Ernest and you didn't know you were being recorded. But Sinclaire has some real explaining to do." Annabelle's features hardened.

"We're going to find a way to face this, okay?" Briar added, caressing Daphne's hair.

A knock startled the three of them.

"We don't need anything, Irina!" Annabelle shouted.

"It's me!" Edmund announced himself.

Annabelle opened the door and locked it again after he got in.

On the bed, the lady hid her face behind a pillow, her cries muffled by the feather-stuffed object.

Edmund took cautious steps towards the chair near the bed. As his stepsister looked at him, he began to speak. "Dad knows. I tried to stop him from receiving the video deleting some of his texts and emails, I forbid mother of talking about this to anyone else, but the Duke of Norfolk called him and he made me show the video. Lady Dominique found out through Theresa on the knitting club though I told her not to. Her blood pressure went a bit high, but she's medicated and resting."

"Oh my god..." Daphne blurted, hiding her face again.

Briar glared at Edmund and shook her head.

"Hey, I know this looks bad, but we know you. You're just a girl who had an intimate moment leaked. You can't keep your head down now," he tried to reason.

"He's right," Annabelle approached the bed and leaned down to whisper in her friend's ear. "You will not let yourself become a victim. You won't take shit from chauvinist wankers sending you texts or hypocrites who can't stand the fact that women enjoy sex. You're a fighter. You'll fight against everything and we'll be right here with you. Is that understood?"

Silence loomed over.

"Daphne, is that understood?" Annabelle said it louder.

She lifted her head up, eyes bloodshot red, face marked with tears, but determination radiated from her when she stared at her friend. "Yes."

"Good. Let's wash your face," Annabelle said, helping Daphne out of the bed and turned to Edmund. "Tell Lord Vincent to wait for her to calm down. She'll talk to him when she's ready."

Edmund nodded and left the room.

The family didn't have lunch together that day. Lady Dominique stayed inside her room the whole day, Lord Vincent and Edmund cancelled all appointments downtown and they worked from their home office, Countess Henrietta spent all day shopping blatantly ignoring the crisis and Daphne managed to eat something after her friends ordered her favourite dishes. At night, the family gathered in the living room with a lawyer recommended by one of Vincent's friends at the Parliament.

"My lords and ladies, the legal request was accepted by Judge Henderson and the video was taken down from social media websites and tabloids. I appealed for the right to be forgotten so search engines will remove any compromising data involving Lady Daphne's name from the database, as she requested," the lawyer informed.

"Thank you, Mr. Woods," Vincent nodded.

"What about the people sharing the video through text messages?" Edmund asked.

"Judge Henderson requested a professional team to monitor all social media and other forms of electronic communications. All the people who shared the videos will be notified in the next twenty-four hours and they will be charged for criminal offence."

"And the man on the video?" Henrietta asked.

"Also answering Lady Daphne's request, the man's identity will remain anonymous, but I assure you he's cooperating with the investigation."

"I wonder what's your fiancé's opinion about this," the Countess sniggered only to earn glares from everyone in the room.

"Is there a way to find out who's the author of the video?" Briar inquired.

"Yes, there is. Judge Henderson also hired a special team to track down the IP address the video came from and once we find the perpetrators, they will also be charged for criminal offence and we will request for the maximum sentence."

"Which is...?" Henrietta asked.

"Two years in jail. Their only chance not to face a jail sentence will be if Lady Daphne shows mercy."

"Huh," the Countess fiddled with the teaspoon on her hand.

Daphne and Dominique exchanged glances.

"You did a good job in such short notice, Mr. Woods. Thank you," Lord Vincent approached the lawyer and gave him a firm handshake.

"You're very welcome, sir. Rest assured I'll do everything in my power to bring justice for Lady Daphne and your family," the lawyer affirmed.

"Thank you once again, Mr. Woods," Daphne extend her hand to him.

"It's an honour to have you as my client, ma'am." He shook her hand. "Call me if you need anything."

Dominique looked at her granddaughter, who simply nodded. She stood up and addressed to the lawyer. "Let me escort you out, Mr. Woods."

"Thank you, ma'am." Biding a polite farewell to everyone, Mr. Woods followed the Dowager Countess.

After Henrietta excused herself to go back to her bedroom, Edmund also headed back to his ensuite. But unlike most days, Briar didn't follow. "Do you need anything, Daph?"

"Just some time to rest."

"I called mom to tell her I'm staying with you and we can chill and binge anything you want. Ann will be back soon."

"Thank you. I don't know what I would've done without you," Daphne's eyes welled up.

"We just gave you a little nudge. It could've taken you a little more time on your own, but you'd definitely be on your feet, fighting just like you are right now," Briar encircled her arms around her friend and kissed the top of her head before saying goodnight to the Earl and climb up the stairs.

Daphne looked at her father, gazing out the window. "Dad?"

"Yes?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you this question?"

"Just because this happened to me it doesn't mean I don't want to know how you're doing. After all, the entire family's reputation on the line again," Daphne shrugged.

"Well, I can't say this was how I expected my day to be, but as far as our family's reputation is concerned, I have to admit I couldn't care less.

"But you're a businessman and a politician!"

"I'm a father first and foremost and my main concern is my children's well being. So, to answer your question properly, no. I'm not okay. My daughter was publicly shamed today for simply enjoying a private moment with her fiancé. I will never be okay with this."

"Dad..." her lip quivered as she slid closer to him on the couch.

"What society thinks about us now doesn't matter to me. What I need is to be sure you will be all right to face the backlash again. Your safety, health, and happiness are and always will be my top priority," he smiled warmly at his daughter.

"Thank you." She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Have you talked to Ernest after the conversation with Arthur Woods?”

"No. I don't know how to face him."

"Why not?"

"Because I know I'm bringing trouble to his life again. He already has some much going on with the insurance company, Mrs Sinclaire's disease, my first scandal." She looked down her hands. "How bad do you think this is going to affect him?"

Lord Vincent's expression grew somber as he pondered his daughter's question.

"Dad, please." She placed her hand atop his. "I need to know."

He looked into his daughter's eyes and caressed her cheek. "His situation won't be easy, financially speaking."

"How come?"

"After Ledford Park Inc. lost an important business partner who helped finance the company to be established in Cordonia, Ernest sought the investment of other banks. The one which offered his company the most beneficial deal belongs to Viscount Lochdale. But to officiate the contract, he agreed to include a morality clause. If Ernest gets involved in any sort of scandal, he will be obligated to step down from his position or the company will lose the financial aid."

"Just like that?! But Ernest's whole life is about the company! It's his livelihood!" Daphne exclaimed.

"As you may recall, cancer treatments are expensive. If he steps down from his position, his family will face a big financial debt. But if he remains as vice president, the company will suffer and the board can force him to step down before another deal is settled."

"Is this why Mr. Woods said his identity should be kept anonymous for now?"

"Precisely."

"But it will look like I cheated on him."

"Yes, but Albert had a terrible history with betrayal and would be sympathetic to Ernest if it looked like he was cheated on."

Daphne stood in silence for a minute, chewing on a nail. Reluctant to what she was going to say, she took a deep breath before speaking. "Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Can you get the jet ready for tomorrow? I need to talk to Ernest in person."

"Of course, dear."

The following day was a nightmare. To avoid any more rumours, Daphne arrived in Cordonia in the middle of the night and she had to be escorted by the Cornodian Kingsguard to the Royal Palace instead of going to a hotel to keep the paparazzi away. With security reinforced for his own wedding, King Liam made sure his cousin would have all the privacy she needed. But while she waited for Ernest to have some time to meet her, the lady spent most of her days in her room or at the Royal Library.

"I knew I would find you here." King Liam smiled as he closed the door. "Can I come in?"

"Hey... Of course." Daphne closed the book she was reading and patted the seat beside her.

The king chuckled before joining her on the couch. "You seem a little better today."

"Yeah, sort of. You were right, your friends are really fun. Jade is amazing. It's like she's the opposite of you, but you complete each other. You both will be great rulers."

"Thank you. I like to think so too."

"Liam, I know you faced a lot of criticism because of the scandal involving her name. Have you thought about giving up?"

"Yes."

"Are you serious?"

"I thought about putting her on a plane back to the States so she could move on, I considered abdicating the throne and fleeing the country with her."

"Did you tell her that?"

"Yes. More than once, actually."

"How did she react?"

"The first time I told her we were still meeting in secret. She cried a lot, we thought about our lives would be if we eloped, but she said she couldn't let me abdicate or let go of me, that we had to fight against the odds together. After my father died, I talked to her about it again. She told me to shut up and get over myself because she isn't going anywhere."

Both of them laughed.

"I know it seems selfish to choose love before my duty to the Kingdom, but it turns out the two of them can coexist. Jade helps Cordonia thrive with her people skills, her ideas, her support to my role."

"It still was a risky move."

"But it was worth everything."

Daphne looked down her hand, toying with the engagement ring on her finger.

"I know why you're asking me about it and it wouldn't be wise of me not to remind you that you're nineteen. There's so much you don't know about life. What you think, how you feel now... Everything can change. You have so much ahead of you. And you have to be sure of what you want before you commit to something that may change your life forever."

"Yeah..." Daphne chewed on a nail.

"I apologise if this conversation got more serious than it should have been. I thought about encouraging Leo or Jade to talk to you instead." 

"It's fine. I appreciate your honesty, Liam. And I did talk to them about it."

"What did they say?"

"Something similar to what you said, minus your wise kingly voice." She smiled softly.

Liam chortled. "I hope we could help you, somehow."

"You did. Thank you."

"Anytime, Daphne."

Palms sweating, heartbeat racing, stomach fluttering. Daphne had days to think things over and consider her options and she thought she was ready to do this. She was not. She would never be ready to say it to the first man she fell in love with.

The door to her private suite opened and Ernest walking in. He looked as dashing as always, but as if he has aged years since she last saw him. Without saying a word, he approached her and his arms encircling her petite frame, pressing her against his chest.

As their lips met, mixed feelings clouded her thoughts. Maybe they should've kept some distance. Maybe she shouldn't be trying to memorize the colour of the shirt he was wearing, the undertones of his cologne or the taste of his kiss. But it was hard to resist it.

He pulled away to look into her eyes and caressed her cheek. "I know what you're going to say."

"You do?"

He nodded. "It's okay."

Her lips trembled. "Is it?"

"In a way, yes. I can't say I want to let go of you or hear you say what you're struggling to tell me, but I understand how you feel. It's too much for both of us. And as much as I care about you, I can't allow you to carry this burden for me." His eyes went glossy.

Daphne closed her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks as she reached for the engagement ring and took it off. Opening her eyes, she placed the ring on his palm and closed his hand. "I'm so sorry."

"You couldn't be more wrong, Lil," Samantha's bubbly voice calls their attention, making the three of them turn around.

Wearing in a tight mini black dress that hugs her curves perfectly covered by a white coat, orange stilettos, black purse and earrings and her usual natural makeup look with a little more glow on her cheekbones and cupid's bow, she saunters over to them with a smile. 

Jax's jaw drops as his eyes grow dark roaming over her body.

"FYI, my old man is an excellent dancer and we're going to show you on the dancefloor," she grins then laces her arm with Jax's. "Hi," she whispers to him as she rises on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Sorry for the delay.” 

"It’s fine," he utters, struggling to find words as he inhales her perfume when he leans in to speak. "You look..."

"Stunning? Gorgeous? Sexy as hell?" She grins.

"All of the above," he says, kissing her temple.

"Ugh... Get a room, you two," Lily teases.

"Oh, I fully intend to," Jax winks.

The four of them laugh before stopping at the nightclub door and enter after giving their IDs to the bouncer.

To Lily's surprise, Jax is a great dancer. He easily moved in time Samantha as they let the beat of the songs guide their bodies in a fluid motion. As they return from the bar to grab more tequila shots for everyone, Jax gazes at Samantha while she asks the drinks and drinks a glass of water, thinking about how good it feels to be with her.

"Penny for your dirty thoughts?" She asks, smiling at him as she puts her glass on the table and sits back on the couch.

His eyes go wide and he clears his throat. "What? I wasn't—" 

"Please... You've been staring at my ass all night," she grins, crossing her legs suggestively. "I don't mind. I'm proud to know I achieved my goal."

"Goal?"

"Yeah. My goal was to look so good you couldn't take your eyes off me. And I succeeded. Yay me!" Samantha beams.

"Why am I not surprised?" Jax laughs, pulling her close. "You do look amazing tonight, but then again you look hot even when you wear my old college T-shirt."

"Aww..." She places a hand on his neck, fingertips playing with his hair. "But tell me: do you like my dress?"

One of his hands travels down to her hips. "It's great. It's new, isn't it?"

"It is! I can't believe you noticed." Her smile grows bigger.

"I always do," he brushes a strand of hair off her face and captures her lips in a searing kiss.

Samantha straddles him, grinding on him slowly as the kiss deepens. He grabs her hips, encouraging her to move faster on him. She gasps as his mouth travels down her neck, his fangs grazing on her skin, the clothes separating their bodies from deep connection becoming each second more uncomfortable.

"Jax, I want you," she pants.

"I know," he whispers in her ear. "But keep going."

She keeps moving against him, heat rising through bodies, pushing them closer to the edge. She guides his lips back to hers and moans in his mouth as she comes.

Jax holds her close, waiting for her to catch her breath as she buries her face on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she smiles, still in deep bliss.

"How about we finish what we started here somewhere else?"

"Can we go now?"

He chuckles. "Sure. Let's go."

After a couple of blocks and a few texts sent to Lily and her girlfriend, Jax produces a key from his jacket pocket, opens a door and takes her hand, leading her into the dark safe house until they enter a bedroom. Samantha smiles as she sees some of her favorite scented candles lighting the place, a futon, pillows, blankets, and body oils. 

"And I thought you were joking when Lily said we should get a room."

"I would never joke about spending time with my girlfriend," he replies as he takes off his jacket and boots. He walks over to her, encircling his arms around her. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"Yeah." She turns to look into his eyes. "Your come."

His eyebrows rise in surprise.

"But I can do that later. Now, can you give me a hand?" She turns away from him again.

Jax helps her out of her coat, kissing her neck and shoulders. He unzips her dress and his kisses growing hungry as his lips explore every inch of her bare skin. After discarding her clothes, she returns the gesture, removing each piece of his clothing and kissing his toned body while her hand strokes his member.

Guiding her to the futon, he lies down and she gets on top of him, trailing kisses over his body as she goes lower and takes his cock into her mouth. His fingers dig into her hair, pushing himself further into her. 

"Fuck, Sam..." He groans as she kneads his balls and bobs her head on his shaft. Cupping her face, he guides her lips back to his as she places her legs on each side of his hips and lowers herself onto him. 

Samantha sits up and moves back and forth as his hands reach for her breasts, squeezing them, pinching and twisting her nipples.

"Ah, yes!" She whimpers.

Jax looks at her and watches the small signals of her arousal grow as she gets closer to the edge again. "Sam, are you going to come again?"

"Yeah," she meows. "Are you?"

"Yes. I need you to come again."

"But—"

"No need to worry. I'll give you what you want." He smirks. "But you have to come first." His hand slides down her body and he presses his thumb on her core. "Come for me, Sam."

Soon, her body convulses, pussy tightening around his cock as she wails, finding her release. 

"That's it, baby," he groans. "Now come here. Let me taste you while you get your little treat."

She does as she is told, moving back so he can eat her out and she can blow him again. She dips her head between his legs as he devours her folds. 

He grunts, his body tensing as she takes him further, but he continues to flicker his tongue on her core, holding her legs. Yet, he can't fight his need for much longer. Seconds later, he comes, spilling his seed into her mouth. 

Lying down by his side on the mattress, Samantha smiles contently and pulls him close, pressing her lips on his. He cradles her in his arms, still breathing heavily, but satisfied.

"Did you get what you wanted?"

"Yup," she grins looking up at him. "You?"

Liam used the three-hour flight as an excuse to take a break from work and read a book. Jade tried to join him and also tried playing Dopey Cat. And the mobile version of Go Fish. And also the mobile version of Double Agent. However, nothing seemed to keep her mind occupied. She looked for ways to hide it, but she was so nervous she could barely manage to be quiet and kept fidgeting, drumming her hands on her armchair, chewing her nails and clicking her Manolo Blahnik heels on the floor.  

Noticing his fiancee's nervous tells, the King placed a hand on her bouncing knee.

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly.

"It's fine, my love. But you have to stay calm."

"Liam, I drank too much last night, I barely slept and somehow I let Madeleine pack my clothes because  I couldn’t find anything I liked and we were running late. God, I must look awful right now."

She picked up her travel tote bag and searched for a mirror.

"Ugh... Look at these dark circles!"

"I don't see anything. You look as stunning as always to me."

"You always say that because you love me. Shut up..."

Liam chortled. "My love for you doesn't make me blind. You are beautiful. But you can always get some rest in the suite. We still have two hours of flight," Liam said as he took her hand in his.

"That's a pretty good idea. I'll take a nap and maybe then you can continue your date with Mr. Joyce."  

"I'd rather have a date with you, but your impatience wouldn't let you enjoy it."

"Plus my heels are getting on your nerves."

"I did not say that."

"You didn't have to." Her lips curled up into a grin.

His cheeks turned pink. As much as he tried to hide it, her impatience made him restless.

She giggled. "It's okay, honey. You should enjoy your free time without my heels disturbing you. I'll go to the suite to take a nap and change clothes before we land."

"Sleep well, my love."

"Have a happy reading," she said and leaned in to give him a sweet kiss.

The taste of mint gum lingered in Liam's mouth as he watched her walking to the suite. The idea of Jade relapsing pained him and he thought about following her and ask. But part of him knew he shouldn't push it. It was a morning after a Beaumont Bash and she did drink more than usual. She just needs some rest.

Liam returned to his book, but he couldn't stop noticing the flight attendant constantly walking from the suite to the kitchen. At first, she took tea. Then a bottle of champagne. But as she passed by with a tray filled with muffins, petit fours and cookies, he gestured for her to stop.

"Is Jade still awake?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Are all of these for her?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Alright." He stood up. "I'll take these to her. Thank you," he said picking up the tray.

The attendant bowed and left. Liam walked to his room and knocked on the door. He heard her steps around the room and she cleared her throat before partially opened the door.

"Liam?!?"

Her face went pale for a moment, yet her nose and eyes were red.

"Can I come in?"

"Uh..." she looked behind the door then looked at him.

"You know that even if you don't let me in, the staff is obligated to tell me what they saw in this room if I ask them."

Jade frowned and opened the door to let him in.

His blue eyes widened as he saw her clothes, shoes and some of her beauty products scattered across the room. The champagne bottle was half empty on the floor, but there were no champagne flutes next to it. He put the tray on a table nearby and turned to her. "What is this?"

"This is your regular Duchess Jade Bourbon's mess. I'm surprised you haven't got used to it already," she answered in a humorless and slightly tremulous tone.

He folded his arms and stared at her impassively.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, slumping on the bed.

He sat beside her. "I'll forgive you, but you have to tell me what's going on."

"I was picking out a dress for later and nothing fits because I let my press secretary pack my bags. Apparently, I forgot she hates me and only added clothes that make me look awful. I should've asked Hana to help me yesterday since Maxwell and Jules were organizing the party, but I didn't remember. And now she hates me and I couldn't ask her. That’s it. Hana hates me, I had four hours of sleep and I only have outfits that will make look like a fat clown to visit my family for the first time.” Her eyes welled up. “Everything is a mess and I don’t know what to do."

Liam encircled his arms around her and she sobbed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It's not a mess. Hana doesn't hate you, you still look beautiful and I’m sure we can find a way to get you new clothes."

"It is! You know it is," she wailed hugging her legs and covering her face with her arms. "God, why do still put up with me?"

"Because I love you," he replied, kissing her shoulder. "And because I've put through a long and tedious competition to marry me, an engagement tour with the woman who now is your press secretary and two assassination attempts. If you stood by me through all these moments, I guess I can be a little more patient when you act out."

She sniffed. "You're so perfect and I'm a fucking mess..."

"I wouldn’t call such a strong woman a fucking mess and I am not perfect."

She narrowed her eyes. "You're probably right. I'm a mess and you still love me. You're a weirdo."

"Precisely," he chuckled, brushing a lock of hair away from her face.

"I'm sorry I keep doing this."

"It's fine. Nothing has been easy for us. But I believe in us and I think we can get through anything together."

"I think so too."

"Good. How about we start by calling your therapist to see if she can clear her morning sometime next week and come to Calenvia to have one session with you?"

"Okay."

"And can we get rid of that bottle of Dom and instead of the tray filled with sugar and simple carbs, you can have one muffin to help you get sober and you can finally rest?"

"I still need clothes."

"We'll get you new ones at the airport once we land. I'll call Maxwell on FaceTime to help."

"Thank you."

Liam kissed her forehead and stood up to pick up the tray, handing her a blueberry muffin and opened the door to return the tray with baked goods. He closed the door and turned to her with a smile and a few cookies in his hand.

"Did you give up your date with James Joyce in Ireland?" She asked, sitting by the headboard with her muffin.

"Dubliners can wait. Right now, I'm only available for my queen and chocolate chip cookies."

Parents: Luis Fernando Bourbon [de Borbón], Elaine Bree Bourbon.

Siblings: none

Grandparents: Sofia (Queen Mother of Calenvia), Juan Carlos (King Father  of Calenvia)

Family Background: Jade lived happily with her parents [Elaine Bree Bourbon and Luis Fernando Bourbon (de Borbón) - former crown prince of Calenvia and journalist] until her father's death when she was six. With Luis' assassination, Elaine became an overprotective mother and tried to isolate Jade from the world. She was forbidden to play with the kids in her neighborhood and could only interact with other people at school. Jade developed a need to be around people all the time. Loneliness makes her feel uneasy and anxious. 

Elaine had depression and Jade took care of her mother during her teenage years, creating a desperate need to be a good daughter. She started eating compulsively and throwing up. Elaine died when Jade was 18 and her grieving process intensified her compulsive eating behavior and led her to engage into risky activities like alcohol abuse and promiscuity. Her high school friend, Juliet, encouraged her to go back to mental treatment. When she got better, she moved in with Juliet, enrolled in Music Bachelor at Julliard School and got temporary jobs as a waitress, bartender and music tutor for kids.

Best Childhood Memory: On her sixth birthday, Jade had chickenpox, so she couldn't go to school or have friends over for a party. But her parents and grandmothers were eager to make that day the best birthday ever. Luis and Elaine took a day off from work and they spent all day together playing board games, watching Disney movies and eating ice cream, chocolate cake, cheesecake and blueberry pie. Jade has a picture of her family on that day on her nightstand.

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 138 lb

Ethnicity: Hispanic/Caucasian

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Chestnut/red ombré (Book 1); blond (Book 2); chestnut (Book 3)

Skin color: Tawny

Ideal Career Path: Musician, music teacher, philanthropist

Academic Inclination: Arts/Music

Education: Music Composition graduate student at Julliard School - graduation in Music Bachelor (dropped out to go to Cordonia)

How does he/she dress: Street/bohemian during informal moments, elegant/classic during formal events

Habits: Drinking, stress eating, chewing nails

Hobbies: Watching TV series, writing music, listening to music, playing piano/guitar, singing, reading, taking photographs, surfing on the internet.

Religion: Catholic 

Greatest flaw: Audacious, blunt

Best quality: Extrovert, charming, eloquent

Sexual orientation: Bisexual (more inclined to men)

Relationship status: Married

Love Interests: King Liam Rys

What initially attracted her to her partner?

She fell in love with Liam right away. Jade was immediately drawn to Liam's kindness, politeness, and elegance.

Relationships background: At age sixteen, Jade had a three months sexual affair with a high school friend, Jennifer, and some casual dates along the years. When she was seventeen, she fell in love with a friend's older brother, who was married and tended to be abusive. They had a one-year affair. After the breakup, she spent two years single, then she resumed to casual dates and flings, focusing mostly on herself and her career until she met Liam.

Close Friends: Hana Lee, Maxwell Beaumont, Juliet Rossom.

How does she express affection? 

Jade was raised in a very affectionate family. She loves hugging and kissing people on the cheek. People tend to misunderstand her actions and say she's a flirty person, but she's just genuinely friendly.

Does she have/want children? How many? 

Jade and Liam have three children: Louis, Elise, and Sophie.

Pets: Sir Bowie and Lady Shirley (corgis) and Lady Bianca (a mixed breed cat).

Does she have a temper? 

Jade is usually a laid-back and friendly person, but don't ever try to cross her or hurt anyone she loves.

Does she exercise? 

She has a three-hour work out (six days per week): Jogging (1h)+ Dancing or Swimming (1h) + Crossfit or MMA (1h)