Chapter 20
Jason stood before Kelsey in unprecedented humility. His shoulders, usually squared with confidence, now slumped slightly as he awaited her response. The vulnerability in his eyes was something no one at Culver Academy would have believed possible.
Even with Hannah, he had never spoken with such desperation, never allowed himself to appear so exposed. Each second of silence between them felt like an eternity as he watched her face for any sign of softening.
But Kelsey’s eyes remained unchanged, her expression as calm and distant as if she were observing a scientific specimen. The fire that had once sparked whenever she looked at him was completely extinguished, leaving only cool, analytical detachment.
She looked up, her attention caught by a group of students playing rugby on the nearby lawn. They were playing intensely, their shouts echoing across the courtyard, when the ball flew off course, smashing into a classroom window with startling force.
A sharp crash echoed across the courtyard as glass shattered, fragments raining down onto the pavement, glittering in the afternoon sun.
People around them gasped and exclaimed, but Kelsey simply turned to Jason and asked, “Do you see that broken window?”
Jason blinked in confusion, following her gaze to the glittering shards on the ground. The randomness of the question momentarily threw him off balance.
Kelsey continued, her voice steady and matter–of–fact, as though explaining a simple concept to a child.
“Once glass shatters into pieces, it can never be restored. Trust and feelings between people work the same way. I won’t lie to you–after you deceived me, I can never fully trust you again.”
She gestured vaguely between them. “Without trust, we can’t even be friends, let alone partners for life.”
Kelsey spoke with genuine sincerity. There was no anger in her words, no desire to hurt him in return. Her emotional detachment wasn’t a shield but a reality–the pain had simply faded, leaving only clarity in
its wake.
In the months since she’d discovered the truth, she had come to understand Jason. He was, in many ways, like a child who had been sheltered his entire life. Born into wealth and privilege, accustomed to success in everything, he approached life with a peculiar mix of innocence and cruelty.
That’s why he had so carelessly trampled on her feelings, never considering the damage he left behind.
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Chapter 20
She didn’t blame him anymore–resentment required emotional investment she no longer had to
give–but that didn’t mean she was willing to start over. Some things, once broken, couldn’t be fixed. Her trust in him was one of those things.
So what if Jason had finally realized his true feelings for her? What would happen if one day he grew bored again? Wouldn’t he just hurt her in new ways?
You judge a person by their lowest moments, and Jason had already shown her his. She would never open herself to that vulnerability again.
Jason’s face drained of color as her words sank in. The finality in her tone was unmistakable. This wasn’t a negotiation; it was a closing statement.
“Kelsey, please,” he whispered, taking a step toward her.
But Kelsey had nothing more to say. She turned and walked away, her movements fluid and unhurried. She didn’t look back.
Jason initially moved to follow her, then stopped himself, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
He knew he had hurt Kelsey too deeply. Pursuing her relentlessly now would only make her resent him more. That would achieve nothing except driving her further away.
That was okay. He had time.
Whether it took a month, a year, or even a decade, he was determined to win Kelsey back. The Jason Stan who had manipulated and schemed was gone; in his place stood someone who finally understood what it meant to truly want someone’s happiness above his own.
In the weeks that followed, Jason flew to London at every opportunity, pulling strings with his family’s connections to rearrange hockey practices and even miss games.
Even when he had just a two–day weekend–spending over 20 hours in transit for less than 48 hours in London–he came without complaint. The discomfort of cramped airplane seats was nothing compared to the ache of her absence.
He sought Kelsey out regularly, but was careful not to intrude on her life or make her uncomfortable. He studied her schedule, learned her routines, always keeping a respectful distance.
He would leave her favorite breakfast outside her apartment door without a word.
He sent gifts she loved to her school, always anonymously.
When it rained, he would silently walk behind her with an umbrella, staying far enough back that she might not notice, but close enough to step in if needed.
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Chapter 20
He gave everything he had, but Kelsey’s demeanor remained unchanged–calm, distant, unmoved. She accepted his gifts with polite nods when she saw him, but the spark he desperately sought never returned
to her eyes.
One day, Jason arrived at the Royal Ballet School once again, carrying a bag of Kelsey’s favorite snacks and a small gift he’d brought all the way from America. His persistence hadn’t wavered despite weeks without progress.
But before he could find her, his phone rang.
He answered to hear Derek’s panicked voice.
“Stan, it’s bad. You need to come back right now!”
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