But strangely…
This time Amara hadn’t waited for him. She hadn’t stayed awake anxiously while checking the clock every few minutes. She hadn’t called him repeatedly asking when he would return.
Instead…
She had slept peacefully through the night. Maybe because over the past three months, she had already grown used to his absence.
Or maybe because after he ignored her for those three months, something inside her had slowly changed too. The space Elias once occupied inside her heart had faded little by little.
What remained now was only a familiar loneliness she had already learned to live with.
Amara quietly stepped out of the mansion.
The sharp sound of her black heels echoed softly against the stone stairs.
But the moment she descended halfway down the massive staircase of the Creed mansion, her steps slowed.
Several black luxury vehicles were parked outside the entrance. A long black Mercedes stood in the center while two more cars remained positioned behind it. Guards dressed in black stood beside each vehicle.
And leaning casually against the Mercedes—
Was Jasper Frost.
He had a youthful, striking look with a mischievous kind of charm. His curly hair fell in loose, slightly messy waves, as if he’d just run his fingers through it and left it at that.
He was dressed casually, in a simple oversized shirt layered over a thin tee, the sleeves slightly pushed up his forearms. A pair of relaxed-fit pants hung loosely at his waist, completing a laid-back look.
One arm rested lazily against the open window while a cigarette burned between his fingers. Smoke curled slowly into the cold morning air.
Hearing footsteps, his head jerked up. The moment he spotted Amara coming down the stairs, his expression changed instantly—his eyes lit up, and a wide, easy grin spread across his face, bright and boyish with recognition.
He immediately tossed the cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath the heel of his shoe, grinding it hard against the pavement until the faint orange glow disappeared completely. Smoke curled briefly around his feet before fading into the cold air.
At the same moment, Amara quietly descended the remaining stairs.
The black fabric of her coat swayed lightly around her legs as the chilly morning wind brushed against the loose strands of hair near her face. Without saying a word, she stepped in front of Jasper and stopped.
Jasper straightened immediately.
“Ready to go? I’ll take you to the cemetery," he said quietly.
As he spoke, he stepped to the side and reached for the car door, pulling it open for her.
However, Amara made no move to enter the car. She glanced behind him toward the line of black luxury vehicles and the guards standing beside them.
Her eyes lingered there for a second before she looked back at Jasper calmly.
“There’s no need,” she said quietly.
Jasper’s hand paused on the car door.
“I’m going alone.”
She lifted a hand slightly, pointing toward the guards and the cars.
“I don’t want all of them following me there. I’ll go first and pay my respects. You can pick me up from there.”
“Got it,” Jasper gave a small nod.
