Chapter 249

Eleanor's POV

I stirred slightly, turning over in a daze. The empty space beside me felt vast and cold. Opening my eyes, I stared at the vacant spot where the sheets had long since lost their warmth. A bitter smile crossed my lips. Wasn't this exactly what I had expected?

I forced myself to sit up, and as the duvet slipped away, I caught sight of the tender bruises marking my skin. If it weren't for these violet-tinged reminders, I might have convinced myself that last night was nothing but a figment of my imagination. That version of Jace-so different from his usual composed self-might have been just another creation of my desperate mind.

My entire body ached as I gathered the scattered clothes from the floor. Pieces of last night's passion lay strewn about like evidence of a crime scene: my blouse draped over the reading chair, his shirt crumpled by the dresser. I placed them aside without much thought and headed straight for the bathroom.

The hot water did little to ease my physical discomfort, but at least it helped clear my mind. Steam filled the bathroom as I stood under the shower, watching rivulets of water trace paths down my body. Each drop seemed to carry away a piece of last night's memory, yet somehow made them more vivid at the same time.

After drying my hair and changing into fresh sleepwear, I returned to tackle the bedroom. The morning light was harsh now, illuminating every detail I'd rather not see. As I began stripping the bed, my hands froze at the sight of small bloodstains on the sheets. The physical proof of my lost innocence stared back at me, a stark reminder that there was no going back from this moment.

I quickly bundled up the sheets, desperate to erase this evidence of vulnerability. Just as I turned to leave the room, something caught my eye-a note on the bedside table that I hadn't noticed before. My heart skipped a beat as I picked up the small piece of paper. In Jace's distinctive handwriting were five simple words: "Wait for me. - Jace"

The clock on the wall showed just past nine in the morning. My mind wandered back to last night. Now, in the cold light of day, I couldn't help but wonder about his early departure. Was he seeking space to collect his thoughts? Would he return with some final decision about us?

I stared at the note for a long moment. I dropped it into the trash can.

Squaring my shoulders, I continued with my morning routine as if this were any other day. I made the bed with fresh sheets, their crisp corners and smooth surface erasing all evidence of last night's passion.

Jace's POV

Seven in the morning, and I finally had to leave. My heart ached with every movement as I tried to extract myself from the warmth of Eleanor's embrace.

My assistant had been calling repeatedly to remind me about the mountain location shoot. Truth be told, I had been incredibly selfish yesterday, dropping everything just to see her. The entire production schedule was thrown into disarray because of my impulsive decision. We were supposed to depart before six this morning for the remote filming location.

But I couldn't bring myself to leave Eleanor's side.

Watching her sleep so peacefully in my arms, I felt an overwhelming desire to stay. I bent down and softly kissed her forehead, encouraged by how deeply she slept. Growing bolder, I couldn't resist the urge to kiss her lips.

The moment our lips touched, an electric current seemed to course through my entire body. I lost all self-control and deepened the kiss, savoring every second of contact.

"Mmm..." she let out a soft, protesting whimper.

I knew I was disturbing her sleep, and she showed slight signs of displeasure, her body offering weak resistance. But exhaustion had claimed her, leaving her without the strength to properly object. I understood that Eleanor wanted nothing more than to continue sleeping, but I found myself helpless against the allure of her soft lips. I wanted more, so much more, and indulged in the kiss for far longer than I should have.

Just like last night.

Again and again, I had surprised even myself with how carried away we'd gotten. So much so that Eleanor had asked me, with that mix of shyness and teasing in her voice, "Don't you think you might be overcompensating a little?"

The memory of her expression last night made me smile involuntarily as I continued kissing her. Only another insistent phone call finally forced me to reluctantly break away from our stolen moment.

I carefully extracted myself from the warm cocoon of blankets. Before leaving, I placed a handwritten note on the nightstand and, on impulse, picked up a small ribbon that had caught my eye.

When I emerged from the building, I could see my assistant practically jumping with anxiety next to the car. He rushed forward as soon as he spotted me. "Director, everyone's already at the location, and both lead actors are on their way."

"Mm-hmm," I responded casually, feeling too content to share his sense of urgency.

Once in the car, my assistant began rattling off the shooting schedule and today's scenes. I interrupted him: "You won't need to come to the location with me today. Get out before we leave the city. Just give me the schedule."

I handed him the ribbon I'd taken. "Find a ring that matches this size. Send me photos of the styles you find." I paused, then added, "And order flowers - 999 roses, the freshest they have. Based on today's shooting schedule, I'll be back quite late. Wait for my call."

"Of course," my assistant nodded quickly, making notes on his phone.

After dropping him off, I headed toward the filming location.

The biting winter wind whipped across the film set as I directed the final scene of the day. Every second counted-this film was slated for international festivals, and we couldn't afford any delays. The pressure weighed heavily on my shoulders as I watched the actors move through their marks with practiced precision.

"Cut!" I called out, checking my watch. 10 PM. The crew had been working tirelessly since dawn, and exhaustion was evident on their faces. All around me, people were starting to gather for the late dinner the production had arranged. The savory aroma of hot food wafted through the air, but my stomach was too knotted with stress to feel hungry.

"Director Gillard, won't you join us for dinner?" Sarah, one of the production assistants, approached me with concern in her eyes. The harsh set lights cast long shadows across her face.

"I need to head back," I replied, already gathering my things. The medications in my pocket rattled-I hadn't eaten properly all day, surviving on coffee and antacids.

"Back to the city? But we have an early call time tomorrow-7 AM sharp." Sarah's brow furrowed. "The weather report's predicting snow, and the mountain roads are treacherous at night. We've arranged accommodations nearby. The inn's quite comfortable-"

"I appreciate the concern, but I need to return tonight." I cut her off, perhaps more curtly than intended. "I'll be back in time for tomorrow's shoot."

Sarah opened her mouth as if to protest further but thought better of it. I could read the worry in her expression, but she merely nodded and stepped back. The crew knew me well enough by now to recognize when my mind was made up.

I swallowed two more antacids, their chalky taste bitter on my tongue, before climbing into my car. The engine hummed to life, and I pulled away from the set, watching the bright production lights fade in my rearview mirror. The darkness of the mountain road swallowed me whole.

My phone rang, breaking the silence. I switched it to speaker mode.

"Is everything prepared?" I asked my assistant without preamble.

"Yes, everything's ready as requested," came the quick response. "But director, are you sure about driving back tonight? The weather-"

"Meet me at the entrance of my residential complex in ninety minutes," I interrupted. "Bring everything we discussed."

"Please be careful. The roads-"

"I know what I'm doing." I ended the call, focusing on the winding road ahead. The first few snowflakes were beginning to fall, dancing in my headlights like wayward stars.

My thoughts drifted to tomorrow's scenes, mentally reviewing the shot list, when a flash of light suddenly filled my rearview mirror. Before I could react, two blazing headlights appeared around the bend, heading straight for me. They were on the wrong side of the road.

Time seemed to slow. The other driver's horn blared, a desperate warning. I jerked the wheel hard to the right, trying to avoid collision. My tires lost traction on the snow-slicked road. The guardrail appeared in my headlights, then disappeared under my car.

For a moment, I was floating. The world spun in a dizzying kaleidoscope of snow and darkness. The crunch of metal filled my ears as my car tumbled down the steep embankment.

Everything went black.