Jenna's POV
That evening, after visiting Riri's grave, I headed straight to Felix's house, hoping to find him. I had so much on my mind, and I needed to talk to him about everything that had been happening. But when I arrived, the atmosphere felt off.
I knocked on the door, and the housemaid answered. “Good evening, Miss Jenna,” she greeted politely but with a hint of concern in her eyes.
“Hi, is Felix home?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light.
The maid shook her head. “I’m sorry, Miss. He hasn’t returned yet. He’s been out since this morning, and we don’t know where he went.”
I frowned, a knot tightening in my stomach. Where could he be? I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail. It was now 7 PM, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. “Is he working late?” I asked, my voice tinged with worry.
“I’m not sure,” she replied, glancing down the hallway. “He didn’t mention anything before leaving.”
I nodded, trying to mask my concern. “Thanks anyway.” With a heavy heart, I turned and headed up to his room.
Once inside, I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, letting out a sigh. The room felt strangely empty without him there, and I couldn't help but think about the conversation we had at the café. Felix had been so understanding, yet now I felt the weight of his absence more than ever.
I sat on the edge of his bed, glancing around the room. It was filled with memories of our time together—photos, little mementos, and the lingering scent of his cologne. I felt a mix of frustration and worry. Was he angry with me for spending time with Aiden? Did he need space?
Just then, my phone buzzed, and I quickly grabbed it, hoping it was Felix. But it was a message from Sam. “Hey! How are you holding up? Just checking in.”
I typed back, “Not great. Felix is missing in action, and I’m worried.”
“Missing? What do you mean? Is he okay?” Sam replied, her concern palpable even through the screen.
“I don’t know. I went to his house, and he hasn’t come back since this morning.”
“Maybe he’s just busy. He’ll turn up,” she reassured me, but her words did little to ease my anxiety.
I put my phone down and decided to wait. I told myself to be patient. Felix would show up; he always did. But as the minutes dragged on, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
After what felt like hours, I stood up and started pacing the room. The uncertainty gnawed at me. I wanted to talk to him, to figure out where we stood, but all I could do was wait.
Then, just as I was about to lose hope, I heard the sound of the front door opening. My heart raced as I rushed out of his room, my feet carrying me down the hallway.
I reached the living room just in time to see Felix step in, looking worn out but relieved to be home. “Jenna!” he exclaimed, surprised to see me.
“Felix!” I rushed to him, relief flooding my senses as I took in his familiar presence.
He ran a hand through his hair, a mixture of exhaustion and concern on his face. “I’m sorry for not telling you where I was. I got caught up with some things, and my phone died.”
“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice laced with worry. “I didn’t know where you were.”
He stepped closer, his eyes searching mine. “I’m fine, really. Just had to take care of some stuff.”
I frowned, sensing there was more to it. “You look exhausted. Did something happen?”
Felix sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Just some family issues. Nothing I can’t handle, but I didn’t want to drag you into it.”
I felt a surge of empathy for him. “Felix, you can talk to me…”
“It’s okay, I’m just tired. Just take a rest, okay?” he said wearily, walking away and leaving me behind.
A month had passed, and I had been doing my best to avoid Aiden, even though he was my client. It was a strange situation, navigating our professional relationship while trying to put distance between us personally. I had been communicating mostly through Mara, asking her to relay any feedback or issues regarding the project I was working on for him.
The truth was, the more I avoided Aiden, the more complicated my feelings became. I had begun to develop deeper feelings for Felix, something I knew I shouldn't do. It felt wrong to like him while I was still tangled up in my past with Aiden. It was as if I was merely a consolation prize for Felix because of Aiden, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn’t deserve him.
Every time I saw Felix, my heart would flutter in a way I hadn’t experienced in a long time. He was kind, attentive, and understood me in a way that Aiden never did. But every time I felt that warmth, guilt would follow close behind. Was I really ready to move on? Was it fair to Felix to be with someone who was still emotionally tied to her ex-boyfriend?
Despite my internal conflict, I found myself spending more time with Felix. We had been meeting up for coffee or lunch under the pretense of discussing work, but it felt more like a date each time. He had a way of making me laugh, and I cherished those moments. But whenever I thought about taking things further, I’d push those thoughts away, reminding myself of the mess I was in.