Chapter 7

JAZZLYN felt like she’d been caught in a trap. She sat there, trying to look calm, but inside she was panicking. She wanted to run, to hide from his judging eyes, but she couldn’t move. Kevin sat next to her, still smiling, clueless about the tension that hung between her and Erwan.

“Anyways, weren't you going to say something important? You mentioned it earlier,” Kevin asked, looking at her with his usual warmth.

Jazzlyn forced a smile and tried to cover her nerves. She was supposed to end with Kevin, but now she couldn't. The words wouldn't come. She was hoping that the moment would pass.

“Oh, yes…I was just going to say thank you for having me here in this restaurant.” Jazzlyn scanned the place, looking for the right word to say. “It's… a beautiful place,” she continued with an awkward smile.

Kevin turned to Erwan. “Camille, this restaurant is owned by Erwan. It’s the finest one around,” he said proudly.

Erwan paused a second hearing the name—Camille.

Jazzlyn felt her heart drop. Erwan’s gaze was piercing. He knew she was lying, and he seemed to judge her for it. She felt a mix of shame and anger. He didn’t know her story, didn’t know why she’d been pretending. But his eyes said it all—he thought she was here to take advantage of Kevin.

Erwan clenched his fist. His heart tightened because of hatred and wanted to stay out from her. Luckily, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw the incoming call of Sean. “It's my assistant, I have to take this call,” he said.

“Yeah, I’m here in the restaurant. Sure, I’ll be there shortly.” Erwan dropped the call and looked at Kevin. “I have to leave now, I’m sorry.”

Kevin looked disappointed. “But you just got here! Why don't you stay and eat dinner with us?”

Erwan shook his head. “Maybe another time,” he said, his tone distant. He glanced at Jazzlyn one last time, adding, “It was nice meeting you, Camille.”

His words felt final, like a door closing in her face. Jazzlyn wanted to explain, to say something, anything, to make him understand she wasn’t who he thought she was. But she couldn’t find the words. She could only watch as he walked away, feeling like she’d lost something important, even though she barely knew him.

Jazzlyn’s chest tightened as he disappeared. She wanted to brush it off, to pretend Erwan’s opinion didn’t matter. But deep down, she knew it did—and that scared her.

After dinner, Kevin held her hand as they walked to a nearby overlook park. The city lights sparkled in the distance. Kevin suddenly stopped and pulled something from his pocket. It was a small velvet box.

Jazzlyn widened her eyes as she saw Kevin open a box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring. “Camille,” Kevin began, his voice gentle but earnest. “I know we’ve only just met yesterday, but I can’t deny that I’ve liked you from the very beginning. I want to give this ring to you as a gift, with no expectations attached. I understand it’s early, so please accept this as a token of my feelings for you.”

Before she could process what was happening, Kevin stood straight, held her finger and put on the ring.

Jazzlyn's heart raced as she held the ring on her finger. “Are you… are you sure? This is really expensive,” she stammered.

Kevin smiled softly, nodding. “Yes. I want you to have it. It’s just a small gift, really.”

Jazzlyn couldn’t believe the special gift she received from Kevin. She stared at the ring and was mesmerized by its beauty. Kevin was so kind, so sincere. She knew her whole presence here was a lie, but when she looked at his hopeful eyes, her resolve crumbled. The truth she’d planned to tell seemed to vanish into the night.

They headed back to the car and there was a heavy emotion on Jazzlyn. Kevin dropped her outside Camille’s mansion, where he thought she was staying. Jazzlyn forced a smile as she waved her goodbye watching him drive away.

A few minutes later, she hailed a taxi and went home. She stared at the ring on her finger, the diamond glinting in the dim light. It felt like fate was working against her, forcing her deeper into a life she wanted to escape but couldn’t.

As the taxi sped through the quiet streets, Jazzlyn clenched her hands. She was wondering how she would ever find the strength to end things with Kevin—especially now.