VANESSA POV

The moment the Ferris wheel door closed behind us…

Everything shifted.

Not completely silent—

but quieter.

Like the world outside had been pushed away… like it no longer mattered.

It was just us.

Kay sat across from me at first, his posture relaxed, but there was something in his eyes…

Something intense.

Something that made it hard to breathe.

The ride started moving slowly, the cabin lifting us higher with a soft creak beneath us.

I turned toward the window, watching the lights below blur into soft gold and warmth.

“It’s beautiful…” I whispered.

And I meant it.

For the first time in days—

I felt calm.

Safe.

Like I could finally breathe again.

And I didn’t want that feeling to end.

“It is, isn’t it?” he said quietly.

Something shifted beside me.

I turned my head—

And my breath caught.

He wasn’t looking outside.

He was looking at me.

Fully.

Intently.

“You’re not even looking out the window, K—Jake…”

Damn it.

Not again.

I almost said Kay.

My heart stumbled in my chest.

“Yeah,” he murmured, his voice low.

“My view is right here… my beautiful fiancée.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks instantly.

God—

Why did he always do that?

Why did he always make me feel like this?

“That’s not fair,” I muttered, trying to sound annoyed—but it came out softer. “Are you always this shameless?”

A small smile curved his lips.

“Only when it comes to you.”

And then—

He moved closer.

Closer than necessary.

My breath hitched.

The space between us disappeared so easily, so naturally, like it had always been meant to.

Suddenly, I couldn’t focus on the view anymore.

Only him.

His presence.

His scent.

The way the air felt heavier… warmer.

His hand lifted slowly—

Then gently cupped my cheek.

My breath caught.

His thumb brushed softly over my skin, and I was sure my face was burning under his touch.

His other hand rested beside my head, trapping me in a way that didn’t feel like a cage—

But something far more dangerous.

Something I didn’t want to escape from.

“Can I kiss you, sweetheart?” he asked softly.

And just like that—

I forgot how to breathe.

I knew this wasn’t real.

I knew he wasn’t truly mine.

I knew everything between us was built on a lie.

And yet—

“...Yes,” I whispered.

Before I could stop myself.

Before I could think.

Before I could remember I wasn’t supposed to want this.

And then—

His lips were on mine.

Warm.

Soft at first.

Gentle.

Like he was giving me time to pull away.

But I didn’t.

I didn’t want to.

And something in him shifted.

The kiss deepened.

Slowly.

Then all at once.

It stole the air from my lungs, leaving me breathless as I instinctively leaned into him, my hand gripping the fabric of his shirt.

I kissed him back.

And I didn’t know why.

Was it to keep the act going?

Or because I wanted this?

Wanted him?

The thought terrified me.

But I didn’t stop.

I couldn’t.

Not when he kissed me like that—

Like I was something precious.

Something he had been holding himself back from.

When he finally pulled away, it was only enough for us to breathe.

Our foreheads almost touching.

Our breaths tangled.

“I’ve wanted to do that…” he admitted quietly, his voice rougher now.

“Since the day I brought you home from the hospital.”

My eyes widened slightly.

That—

I hadn’t expected.

“Then why didn’t you?” I asked softly, surprising even myself.

His thumb brushed my cheek again.

Gentler this time.

“Because I wanted your consent first.”

Something in my chest tightened at that.

Something unfamiliar.

Something dangerous.

And for a second—

I forgot everything.

The lies.

The betrayal.

The truth I was hiding.

Because right now—

All I could feel…

Was him.

AUTHOR POV

Back at the mansion—

The atmosphere was completely different.

Heavy.

Tense.

Suffocating.

Jake and Emily sat in the living room, the silence between them sharp and restless.

“I can’t believe Kay actually sent his bodyguards to watch us,” Emily snapped, her voice laced with irritation.

She crossed her arms, clearly annoyed.

“Jake… is he really on your side anymore?”

Jake didn’t answer immediately.

His expression was unreadable, his mind clearly somewhere else.

“I don’t know anymore, Emily,” he said finally, his voice quieter than usual.

His grip tightened around the cushion in his hands.

“Jake…” Emily leaned forward slightly. “What if Kay wanted Vanessa from the start?”

That made him look at her instantly.

Sharp.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Emily held his gaze.

“I mean… what if he agreed to all of this just to get closer to her?”

Her words hung in the air.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Jake frowned slightly.

“You really think that?” he asked, though doubt had already crept into his tone.

“That’s impossible,” he added quickly. “Vanessa isn’t his type… she’s not any guy’s type.”

But even as he said it—

He didn’t sound convinced.

Emily tilted her head slightly.

“And how would you know that?” she asked calmly. “Kay never told you what his type is, did he?”

Jake went silent.

Completely.

“…No,” he admitted quietly.

Emily’s gaze sharpened.

“You might be right,” he muttered, frustration slipping into his voice. “Maybe he did want Vanessa from the beginning.”

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly unsettled.

“Wait,” Emily suddenly said, something calculating flashing in her eyes. “We could use that.”

Jake looked at her like she had just lost her mind.

“You want to manipulate Kay Rosewood?” he asked sharply. “Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?”

His tone hardened.

“Kay is not someone you manipulate.”

Emily frowned.

“Why not?”

Jake let out a frustrated breath.

“Because he’s the last person you want to provoke,” he said firmly.

And there was something in his voice—

Something serious.

Something almost… cautious.

Emily fell silent for a moment before speaking again, her tone quieter now.

“Fine,” she said. “But what happens when Vanessa gets her memory back?”

Jake froze.

“What happens when she realizes Kay isn’t you?”

The question hit harder than anything else.

Jake looked away.

“To be honest…” he admitted slowly, “I don’t know.”

Emily’s brows furrowed.

“Wait—so you didn’t even think about that before asking Kay to pretend to be you?”

Frustration filled her voice.

Jake didn’t respond.

Didn’t even try.

“Unbelievable, Jake,” Emily scoffed. “You started this whole plan without thinking it through?”

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Because for the first time—

Even Jake was starting to realize…

He might have made a mistake he couldn’t fix.