Jayden's POV
By the time I got home, I was wiped out.
After dropping Jake and Dylan off, my driver headed toward the Hayes estate.
The huge black gates slowly opened as we pulled up.
The familiar stone path stretched out ahead, lined with neatly trimmed hedges and blooming lilies swaying in the evening breeze. A few white dandelions drifted through the air, their tiny seeds floating around.
This place had always looked like something out of a fancy magazine.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Perfect.
Home...
Or at least, that's what everyone else called it.
The car stopped.
I got out with a quiet sigh.
"Welcome home, Young Master."
Aunt Kathy greeted me with her usual warm smile before taking my school bag and neatly folded blazer from my hands.
"Thanks, Aunt Kathy."
She reached up and pinched my cheeks.
"My handsome boy looks exhausted today."
"I'm hanging in there."
She laughed.
"Go freshen up. Lunch is ready."
"What's for lunch?"
She smiled proudly.
"Your favorite."
Okay, that got my attention.
"I love you."
"I know," she laughed, gently shooing me upstairs. "Now go."
After lunch, I headed to my room.
It was exactly how my father wanted it.
Dark wood furniture.
Floor-to-ceiling windows.
A king-sized bed.
A ridiculously expensive chandelier.
Everything looked like it belonged in some CEO's office instead of a teenager's bedroom.
Luxury was everywhere.
And somehow, none of it ever made me happy.
Money could buy almost anything.
Just...
Not peace.
I flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
For a while...
I just existed.
Eventually, I sat up and walked over to my gaming setup.
The familiar glow from the monitors lit up the room.
I logged in.
A few matches later, my teammates were already complaining.
"Dude, Jay. You missed that shot."
"You've been zoning out all game."
"You good?"
"I'm fine," I lied.
After one more round, I logged off.
Gaming wasn't helping today.
The room went quiet again.
Then...
Her face popped into my head.
Olivia.
Without really thinking, I grabbed the sharpie marker sitting on my desk, and slowly wrote her name on the inside of my wrist.
Olivia.
Then, before I even realized what I was doing...
I drew a tiny heart next to it.
...
I froze.
"What..."
My eyes widened.
"No."
No.
No, no, no.
I immediately rubbed at it with my thumb, but the ink barely even smudged.
"Damn it..."
I grabbed my hair in frustration.
What is wrong with you, Jayden?
I shouldn't have learned her name.
And here I was...
Writing it on my own skin.
Pathetic.
---
By dinner time, the front door opened, and a familiar figure walked in.
Tailored charcoal suit.
Silver tie.
Luxury watch catching the light.
A stack of files tucked neatly under one arm.
"Welcome home, Master Jaymes."
One of the attendants hurried over to help him.
The second he saw me, his serious expression vanished.
"There he is!"
Before I could even react, he threw an arm around my shoulders and messed up my hair until it was a total disaster.
"Jayden! Do you know how much I missed you?"
I laughed.
"You saw me two weeks ago."
"So?"
"That's barely anything."
He smelled faintly like expensive coffee and office air-conditioning.
That was my older brother.
Jaymes Hayes.
The future heir to the Hayes Group.
The perfect businessman.
Cold.
Professional.
Respected.
At least...
That's how everyone outside the family saw him, but to me...
He was just my annoying big brother.
"C'mon," I chuckled, fixing my hair. "You're being dramatic."
He put a hand over his chest.
"Whether it's two days or two weeks, every moment away from my little brother is heartbreaking."
"Oh, please."
I nudged his arm with my elbow.
"Don't start acting like you're in a romance movie."
He laughed.
"You wound me."
"You'll live."
"I don't know if I will."
"You definitely will."
But before either of us could keep going..
"Both of you."
Aunt Kathy crossed her arms.
"No talking over your food."
We looked at each other.
"...Sorry."
She shook her head, smiling.
Honestly...
Having Jaymes around always made the house feel a little warmer.
No matter how powerful he got in the business world...
When he was here...
He was just my brother.
Just thhen...
Out of nowhere...
Olivia smiled in my memory again.
That same soft smile.
Those bright eyes.
And I accidentally inhaled my drink the wrong way.
I started coughing hard.
"Jay!"
Jaymes immediately stood up.
"Water!"
Aunt Kathy rushed over with a glass while both of them stared at me like I was about to die.
"I'm... fine..."
I coughed one last time before finally catching my breath.
Neither of them looked convinced.
I forced a smile.
But deep down...
I already knew.
This wasn't just a crush anymore.
Whatever was happening to me...
It was getting impossible to ignore.