When Jayden walked back into the mansion, his dad was waiting in his study, looking majorly ticked off. The room was all dark except for this one lamp on his desk, making him look even angrier.
"Where the heck have you been, Jayden?" his dad boomed, like the whole house needed to hear it. "Leaving the Michaelsons hanging! Seriously?"
Jayden just stood there, his jaw tight. He wasn't about to start explaining himself.
"You are unbelievable!" his dad yelled, slamming his hand on the desk. "Do you even get how important those people are? You just screwed everything up!"
Jayden still didn't say anything, just crossed his arms and stared back.
His dad's face went all red. "You think your little feelings matter more than, like, our entire future? You're such a spoiled brat, Jayden!"
Finally, Jayden spoke, his voice low but firm. "I just don't like her, okay?"
"Like her?" his dad scoffed. "Who cares if you like her? This isn't some stupid high school crush! This is about business! You should be thanking your lucky stars Stephanie actually thought you were, get this, 'interesting' after you ditched her."
"Well, I don't like her," Jayden shot back. "I don't want to marry someone I can't stand."
"Oh, boo-hoo," his dad sneered. "Love? Grow up, Jayden. You'll learn to deal. That's how these things work."
Jayden's eyes got this hard look. He laughed, but it sounded bitter. "Did you learn to deal with Mom?"
His dad went totally silent, his face going white. He looked like Jayden had just punched him.
Jayden gave this messed-up laugh. "Yeah, I didn't think so. I'm not gonna be that guy, Dad. Not a terrible husband and a lame dad."
He turned around and walked out, leaving his dad just sitting there, looking shocked.
Upstairs, by the railing, Ashtray had heard the whole screaming match. He had this little smile on his face. Finally, Jayden had stood up to his dad.
Jayden didn't stop at his own room. He walked out of the mansion, the need to get away from all that drama. He got into his car and drove, the city lights blurring around him as he headed towards the familiar sanctuary of his private villa in Tribeca.
*****
The days that followed Jayden's brief appearance at The Gilded Spoon passed without any further contact. Louisa hadn't heard from him, and for a fleeting moment, a knot of worry tightened in her stomach, especially when she didn't see him at Charterhouse for the next two days.
"He's probably just back to his old games," Scarlett had scoffed, rolling her eyes as they walked to class on Thursday. "Just trying to mess with your head."
Ellie had echoed her sentiments. "Yeah, Lou. Don't overthink it. Remember what a jerk he was? This is probably just part two of his master plan."
But Louisa couldn't shake the memory of Jayden's words, his slightly vulnerable tone about "things being complicated... family stuff." It had sounded almost… genuine. A tiny seed of doubt about his usual playboy persona had been planted.
By Friday, the school week finally ended. As the three girls walked towards the gates, ready for a weekend free from classes and (hopefully) Jayden drama, a sleek, convertible Audi A8 pulled up smoothly beside them. Ashtray was behind the wheel, a somewhat harried expression on his face.
"Get in, Wren," he said, his gaze fixed on Louisa. "Jayden wants to see you."
Ellie stepped forward protectively. "Why? What's going on?"
Scarlett crossed her arms, her voice challenging. "Yeah, Louisa's not just going to hop into your car because 'Jayden wants to see her.'"
Ashtray cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I knew this wouldn't be easy. If you want to know why Jayden hasn't been at school, you should come. And let's be real, Wren, we both know you're at least a little bit interested."
Louisa glanced at her friends, a conflict brewing within her. She was curious, despite her reservations. "I… I do want to know. But my friends are coming too."
Ashtray sighed in relief. "Fine, fine. Jason's right behind me in his ride. You two," he gestured to Ellie and Scarlett, "hop in with him. We're all going to Tribeca."
Louisa exchanged a look with her friends. A trip to Jayden's world in Tribeca? This was definitely unexpected.
With a shared shrug of cautious curiosity, Louisa got into Ashtray's car, while Ellie and Scarlett climbed into Jason's that pulled up right behind them.
And just like that, they were heading towards the unknown.
The drive to Tribeca was a whirlwind of cityscapes and unspoken tension. Ashtray, clearly on a mission, navigated the Friday evening traffic with a practiced ease, occasionally glancing at Louisa in the rearview mirror.
She watched the familiar streets of her neighborhood give way to the sleek, modern architecture of Tribeca, a world that felt both alluring and intimidating.
Ellie and Scarlett, in Jason's car behind them, kept pace, their expressions a mix of concern and protective curiosity. They had exchanged worried glances with Louisa before getting into the other car, a silent promise to stick together.
Ashtray finally pulled up in front of a discreet, modern building, its entrance exuding an air of understated luxury. He cut the engine and turned to Louisa. "He's waiting upstairs."
Louisa took a deep breath, her heart pounding slightly. She had so many questions, so many conflicting emotions swirling within her.
Why hadn't Jayden been at school? Why did he want to see her? And why Tribeca?
Ellie and Scarlett joined her on the sidewalk, their presence a reassuring anchor. "We're coming with you," Scarlett stated firmly, her gaze fixed on Ashtray.
Ashtray sighed. "Look, I don't make the rules. But yeah, fine. The more the merrier, I guess." He led them inside the building, where a sleek elevator whisked them silently upwards.
The doors opened into a spacious, minimalist penthouse apartment. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking panoramic view of the city skyline. The air was quiet, almost sterile, a stark contrast to the bustling energy of the streets below.
Jayden was standing by the window, his back to them. He was dressed casually in jeans and a dark t-shirt, his usual polished appearance slightly undone.
He turned as they entered, his blue eyes meeting Louisa's with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat. He looked… different. Not arrogant or aloof, but something akin to… vulnerable?
"Thanks for coming," he said, his voice softer than she'd ever heard it. His gaze flickered to Ellie and Scarlett, offering a brief, almost apologetic nod. "And thanks for bringing reinforcements."
The awkward silence that followed hung heavy in the air, thick with unspoken questions and unresolved tension. Louisa waited, her gaze fixed on Jayden, a silent demand for answers in her eyes.
Jayden took a hesitant step forward, his gaze fixed on Louisa. The bravado she'd witnessed at school and the fleeting charm at the diner seemed to have receded, replaced by a raw vulnerability that surprised her.
"I haven't been at school because..." He paused, taking a deep breath. "I had a pretty massive blow-up with my dad." He offered a wry, humorless smile. "It wasn't pretty."
Ellie and Scarlett exchanged concerned glances, while Louisa simply waited, her expression carefully neutral.
"It was about... my future," Jayden continued, his gaze dropping for a moment before returning to hers. "And... about someone he wanted me to be with." He hesitated, then met her eyes again. "It was about Stephanie Michaelson."
A flicker of understanding crossed Louisa's face. He had mentioned a complicated family situation before.
"I... I didn't handle it well," Jayden admitted, his voice low. "I bailed on the dinner. And then... I said some things to my dad. Things that needed to be said, maybe, but... it wasn't exactly a civil conversation."
He looked around his apartment, a hint of discomfort in his eyes. "He's... not happy. And things at the mansion are... tense. So I've been staying here for a couple of days, trying to... decompress."
He finally met Louisa's gaze again, his blue eyes earnest. "And the reason I wanted you to come here... it's because what happened between us... at the beach... and afterwards... it got caught up in all of that. And that wasn't fair to you."
He took another step closer. "I was a jerk, Wren. I know that. And I'm really, truly sorry."
He held her gaze, his sincerity palpable. "I wanted you to hear it properly, without the backdrop of your work or the school hallways."
Louisa absorbed his words, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place. The angry departure, his absence from school, the cryptic text message... it all made a strange kind of sense.
Scarlett, ever the protector, stepped forward slightly. "So, what's the point of all this, King?" Her tone was still wary.
Jayden turned to her, his expression earnest. "The point is... I messed up. And I... I'd really like a chance to try again. If you'll let me." His gaze returned to Louisa, a hopeful question in his eyes.