It's Over

Gigi straightened her back, her eyes flicking between me and Rowan. Her mask of civility slipped for just a moment, but it was enough for me to see the irritation bubbling underneath.

I took a step closer, my voice firm but calm. “You know, Gigi, for someone so confident about her place in Rowan’s life, you spend a lot of time trying to intimidate me. Why is that?”

Gigi’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t need to intimidate anyone, least of all you.”

“Really?” I said, crossing my arms. “Because it seems to me like you’re threatened. And you know what’s funny? That’s not my problem. That’s yours.”

Her lips twitched, as if she was holding back an angry retort.

“I’m here because I care about my work, my research, and the people I’m trying to help,” I continued, my tone steady. “Whatever issues you have with Rowan and me? Sort them out with him. Leave me out of it.”

Rowan’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might jump in. Instead, he stood there, his gaze fixed on Gigi.

“Gigi,” Rowan said finally, his tone low and measured. “That’s enough.”

She blinked, visibly startled by his sharp tone. “Rowan, I—”

“I said enough,” he repeated, cutting her off. “This isn’t the time or place for whatever game you’re playing.”

“Game?” she said, her voice rising slightly. “I’m not playing any game—”

“Then stop acting like you are,” he said, his words cold and precise.

I watched her, waiting for her to lash out, but instead, she clamped her mouth shut, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Rowan turned to me, his expression softening. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Before I could respond, he reached out, his hand brushing against mine. The gesture was firm but gentle, and despite myself, I let him lead me away.

\---

The car ride was quiet, the soft hum of the engine filling the silence. Rowan didn’t say much, and I wasn’t sure if I should thank him or tell him off for intervening. When we finally reached my apartment, he pulled the car to a stop and turned to me.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice soft.

“I’ve dealt with worse,” I said with a small smile, unbuckling my seatbelt.

He nodded, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary. “Goodnight, Remi.”

“Goodnight, Rowan,” I said, stepping out of the car.

As I walked to my door, I felt a strange mix of emotions—relief, exhaustion, and something else I couldn’t quite name.

\---

The moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by the sight of Jo sitting cross-legged on the couch, a wide grin plastered across her face.

“Please don’t tell me you’ve been here this whole time,” I said, closing the door behind me.

“Who, me?” she said innocently. “Of course not. I’ve only been here for… an hour or two. Maybe three. Definitely not four.”

I groaned, kicking off my heels. “You’ve been spying on me, haven’t you?”

“Spying is such a harsh word,” she said, her grin widening. “I prefer... observing.”

I rolled my eyes, heading to the kitchen for a glass of water. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re glowing,” she called after me. “Did something interesting happen at the ball?”

“No,” I said quickly, grabbing a glass. “Nothing happened.”

Jo snorted. “Uh-huh. Sure. Because women always come home giggling to themselves for no reason.”

“I wasn’t giggling,” I said defensively, though I knew it wasn’t true.

“Whatever you say, Lady Persephone,” she teased, her voice sing-song.

I groaned again, shaking my head as I downed my water. “You need a hobby, Jo.”

“I have one,” she said, leaning against the kitchen doorway. “It’s called making sure my best friend doesn’t let a perfectly good Handsome Uncle slip through her fingers.”

I set the glass down, giving her a pointed look. “Go home, Jo.”

She laughed, grabbing her coat. “Fine, fine. But this isn’t over.”

***

Rowan leaned against the cool marble countertop in his penthouse, staring at his phone. The conversation he’d just had with Gigi at the ball replayed in his mind, her manipulative words cutting deeper than they should have. He needed to put an end to this, to all of it.

With a deep breath, he dialed her number. The phone rang twice before her voice came through, sweet and sharp all at once.

“Rowan,” she said, her tone laced with surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you to call tonight.”

“I’m coming over,” he said without preamble.

There was a pause, and he could hear the faint sound of music in the background. “Coming over? To my place? At this hour?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “We need to talk.”

Her laughter was light but tinged with something darker. “You know I’m always happy to see you, darling. Should I chill the champagne, or is this more of a whiskey kind of night?”

“Neither,” Rowan said, his tone flat. “This isn’t a social visit, Gigi.”

“Oh,” she said softly, the playful edge in her voice disappearing. “I see. Well, I’ll be waiting.”

\---

When Rowan arrived at her apartment, Gigi greeted him at the door in a silk robe that clung to her frame, her makeup perfectly applied despite the late hour. She smiled, leaning against the doorframe like she was posing for a magazine cover.

“Rowan,” she purred. “You look tense. Let me help with that.”

He stepped past her without responding, heading into the living room. The space was immaculate, every detail curated to perfection, just like Gigi herself.

“We need to talk,” he said, turning to face her.

She closed the door and sauntered toward him, her smile never faltering. “Can’t it wait until morning? You know how much I hate serious conversations at night.”

“No,” Rowan said firmly. “It can’t.”

Her smile slipped slightly, and she crossed her arms, leaning against the back of the couch. “Alright, then. Let’s talk. What’s so important that you had to rush over here in the middle of the night?”

“I think it’s time we ended this,” Rowan said, his voice steady.

Gigi blinked, her lips parting in surprise. “Ended this?”

“This,” Rowan repeated, gesturing between them. “Whatever it is we’ve been doing. It’s not working, Gigi. And honestly, I don’t think it ever has.”

She laughed, the sound sharp and brittle. “You’re breaking up with me? Just like that?”

“I’m not breaking up with you,” Rowan said, exhaling slowly. “Because we were never really together. Let’s not pretend this was something it wasn’t.”

Gigi’s eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” he said, meeting her gaze. “This isn’t healthy—for either of us. You deserve someone who actually wants to build a life with you, and I—”

“And you don’t?” she interrupted, her voice rising slightly. “You don’t want a life with me? After everything we’ve been through?”

“Gigi—”

“No,” she said, cutting him off. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to throw me away like I’m nothing.”

“This isn’t about throwing you away,” Rowan said, his tone calm but firm. “It’s about being honest with ourselves. We’re not good for each other.”

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her expression a mix of anger and desperation. “You’re only saying this because of her, aren’t you? That woman from the ball. What’s her name? Remi?”

Rowan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond.

“I knew it,” Gigi said, her voice dripping with venom. “You’re infatuated with her. Do you really think she’s better than me? Smarter? Prettier? More deserving?”

“This has nothing to do with her,” Rowan said, his voice low and steady. “This is about us, Gigi. Or rather, the fact that there is no us.”

“You’re lying,” she hissed, taking another step closer. “You’ve been distant ever since she showed up. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

Rowan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Believe what you want, Gigi. But this isn’t up for debate.”

She stared at him, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to maintain her composure. Then, without warning, she softened, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Rowan,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “Please don’t do this. I love you.”

His heart ached at the vulnerability in her voice, but he knew better than to let it sway him. “Gigi, I—”

“I’ve always loved you,” she continued, stepping closer. “Ever since we met. I’ve stood by you through everything—your accident, your recovery, your struggles with your memory. I’ve been the one constant in your life.”

“Gigi, stop,” Rowan said, his voice firm but not unkind.

“No,” she said, her tears spilling over. “You don’t get to do this to me. You don’t get to just walk away.”

“This isn’t about walking away,” he said, his tone softening. “It’s about doing what’s right—for both of us.”

“What’s right?” she said, her voice breaking. “How can this be right? How can you just throw away everything we’ve built?”

Rowan closed his eyes briefly, trying to find the words. “Because holding on to something that isn’t real will only hurt us both in the long run.”

Gigi stared at him, her tears streaking her perfect makeup. For a moment, she looked as though she might collapse. Then she straightened, her expression hardening.

“Fine,” she said coldly, wiping her tears away. “If that’s how you feel, then go. But don’t come crawling back when you realize what you’ve lost.”

Rowan nodded, his chest tight. “Goodbye, Gigi.”

He turned and walked toward the door, his footsteps echoing in the silence. As he reached for the handle, her voice stopped him.

“Rowan.”

He glanced back, his expression unreadable.

“Just remember,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “You may think you’re free of me, but I’m not someone you can just forget.”

He didn’t respond, closing the door behind him without another word. As he stepped into the cool ni
ght air, he exhaled slowly, feeling both relief and a lingering sense of unease.

The chapter with Gigi might have been closed, but something told him the story was far from over.