Daniel broke the silence first.
"Come on," he said, his tone softer than before.
"I'll take you back to the penthouse."
Jade turned toward him, surprised.
Was that… teasing in his voice?
She smiled, relieved.
"Oh? Look at you," she said lightly.
"Is the cold, distant husband taking the night off?"
He sighed, but the corner of his lips twitched.
"Get in the car, Jade."
She shook her head.
"No."
He stopped.
"No?"
"I don't want to go back yet," she said.
"I want ice cream."
Daniel blinked.
"Ice cream?"
"Yes. Ice cream."
"You're not a child," he said flatly.
She crossed her arms and leaned closer.
"That's perfect then," she replied sweetly.
"It'll match your ice-cold heart."
He stared at her.
"…You're unbelievable."
"And you're coming with me," she added.
"I know a place that makes amazing ice cream."
"I have meetings early tomorrow."
She grabbed his sleeve.
"Daniel."
He looked down at her hand.
Then at her face.
He exhaled slowly.
"Fine."
Her smile widened instantly.
"See? Progress."
They drove through quieter streets until Daniel stopped near a small ice cream truck, glowing under the streetlights.
He frowned.
"Here?"
"Yes."
"There are germs."
She burst out laughing.
"Oh please," she said, dragging him by the hand.
"Don't be a killjoy."
"I am not—"
Too late.
She had already pulled him forward.
They ordered their ice cream and stepped aside.
Daniel studied his cone like it was a foreign object.
"I've never eaten ice cream like this," he admitted.
"When I was a child, it was always served properly. Large quantities. Rarely."
She tilted her head.
"That sounds… incredibly sad."
"It was efficient."
She rolled her eyes.
"Some things are meant to be inefficient."
She took a bite, then looked at him.
"You're supposed to lick it."
He hesitated, then did as told.
Awkward.
Careful.
She laughed.
"This is priceless."
He shot her a look.
"Enjoy it while it lasts."
As he spoke, a drop of ice cream melted and settled at the corner of his mouth.
She noticed.
Without thinking, Jade stepped closer and gently wiped it away with her thumb.
Their eyes locked.
The world seemed to slow.
"There," she murmured.
"You missed a spot."
Daniel didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
Her hand lingered for a second too long before she pulled it back.
"…Thank you," he said quietly.
She smiled.
"You're welcome."
They continued eating in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
For the first time in a long while—
something warm was melting between them.
And neither of them wanted to stop it
The ride back was quiet.
Not the awkward kind of silence.
The soft kind—
the one that settles when words would only ruin the moment.
City lights reflected on the windshield as Daniel drove, one hand steady on the wheel.
Jade watched him from the corner of her eye.
He looked… lighter.
Still reserved. Still distant.
But not cold.
"So," she said casually, breaking the silence,
"should I add ice cream thief to your list of secret identities?"
He exhaled softly.
"You dragged me."
"Details," she replied.
"You enjoyed it."
He didn't answer.
But this time, he didn't deny it either.
She smiled to herself.
Back at the penthouse, the elevator ride felt shorter than usual.
The doors opened.
They stepped into the quiet apartment.
Jade slipped off her shoes and stretched.
"That was a good night," she said.
"Unexpected. But good."
Daniel loosened his tie.
"Yes," he replied.
"It was."
She turned toward him, surprised by how… sincere it sounded.
"Well," she said lightly,
"good night then, mister philanthropist with a frozen heart."
She started toward her room.
"Jade."
She stopped and looked back.
"Yes?"
"For the ice cream," he said.
"…Thank you."
She blinked.
Then smiled.
"You're welcome."
Then, suddenly, her smile faded.
The woman.
The grip on her wrist.
The haunted eyes.
Jade turned toward Daniel.
"Daniel?"
He loosened his tie slightly.
"Yes?"
She hesitated.
This time, no sarcasm.
"There's something I didn't tell you earlier."
He looked up.
Attentive.
She swallowed.
"That morning… on my way to my mother's house for the meeting with riguel, we almost hit a woman with the car."
His posture stiffened almost imperceptibly.
"She grabbed my hand," Jade continued.
"She said strange things. About the sky. About fate."
Daniel's fingers paused against his cuff.
"She talked about an Ooman she loved," Jade said softly.
"And then… she said a name."
She took a breath.
"VESPERIS."
The world stopped.
Daniel froze.
Completely.
The air between them turned sharp, heavy, as if the apartment itself had gone silent.
"…What did you say?" he asked slowly.
Jade frowned.
"VESPERIS," she repeated.
"Do you know what it means?"
He didn't answer.
His eyes—usually calm, distant—had darkened.
Dangerously.
"She said the man disappeared," Jade went on, unaware of the storm she had unleashed.
"That there are things written in the stars that can't be escaped."
Daniel turned away abruptly.
"Enough."
The word cut clean.
Jade took a step back, startled.
"Daniel?"
"You shouldn't repeat things like that," he said, his voice low.
"Especially names you don't understand."
His expression was controlled—too controlled.
"Forget what she said," he stated.
"It's nonsense."
She studied him.
He wasn't calm.
He was holding himself together.
"Okay," she said softly.
"But… you froze when I said it."
A beat.
Then he answered evenly,
"You imagined it."
"I know what VESPERIS is… or who she is," Jade said quietly.
Daniel stopped.
Jade took a breath, then decided not to hold anything back, it has been few days that she knows about vesperis.
"It's not the first time I've heard that name," she continued.
"When we were at your parents' house… she called me."
Daniel's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
"I mean—VESPERIS," Jade added.
"Every time she speaks to me… I faint."
Silence.
"All those fainting spells," she went on, her voice trembling now,
"they're because of her."
Daniel still didn't look at her.
But when he finally turned, what he saw made him pause.
Jade was scared.
Really scared.
Jade—the woman who always fought back with sarcasm, who never showed weakness—
was standing there with fear written all over her face.
And that frightened him more than her words.
"I did some research," she said softly.
"All I found is that she's a constellation.
For some, a goddess.
For others… a devil."
Daniel wondered how she had gotten so close to the truth.
"Enough, Jade," he said firmly.
"You're terrified. Stop talking about this."
"But I need to understand," she insisted.
"What's the connection between you, me… and VESPERIS?"
"There is none," he replied calmly.
Too calmly.
"Just go to sleep," he added.
"Forget all of this."
He turned and started walking toward his room.
Then he stopped.
"Oh—and don't forget my nightly kiss."
He glanced back at her then turned back to go into his room his eyes darkened