The air in the bedroom still carried the weight of their late-night conversation, but Jane Blackwood had never been one to let heaviness linger longer than necessary. Morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting golden stripes across the bed where Ryan Ashworth lay, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting in a haze of exhaustion and emotion.
Jane, ever poised even in her nightwear, leaned over him with a mischievous smirk. "You know," she murmured, voice low and silky, "if I'd known all it took to get your attention was a little jealousy, I'd have staged a love triangle weeks ago."
Ryan's eyes widened. "Wh-what? Jane…"
Her grin deepened as she trailed a finger across his collarbone. "Look at you. All flustered. You're too cute when you stutter."
He turned his face away, ears burning. "I-I'm not stuttering."
"You just did."
He groaned into the pillow, but even that couldn't hide his shy smile.
She giggled and kissed his cheek before standing. "Come on, we're not staying in today. You've got two days of freedom, and I intend to spoil you."
After , She goes to bathroom for a shower and Ryan goes back to his room for taking his clothes back and showering but as he checks his phone there was four updated chapters of his novel as he reads all the updated chapters of the Novel and he showers and as he was wearing a shirt he caught the figure of Jane who was looking absolutely stunning as he was a bit dazed .
She was wearing a silken robe that clung to her figure just right, Jane leaned against the doorframe of their shared bedroom with her arms folded and a teasing smirk playing at the corner of her lips. Her silver-grey eyes studied Ryan Ashworth, who was struggling with the buttons on his shirt like they were coded puzzles.
"You know," she drawled, "for someone who's been through hand-to-hand combat and ice baths, buttons shouldn't be this terrifying."
Ryan's fingers fumbled again. "It's... not the buttons," he muttered, face already heating.
"Oh?" Jane walked in slowly, like a lioness approaching a flustered cub. "Then what is it?"
Ryan avoided her gaze, but when he finally looked up, she was inches away. The scent of her perfume—orchid and spice—wrapped around him like a net. He could barely manage a sentence.
"I—I mean… you look… beautiful," he stammered, heart hammering in his chest.
She arched an elegant brow. "Do I now?"
He nodded, eyes darting to the floor like it might save him.
"You're adorable when you stutter, Mr. Ashworth," she whispered.
Before he could say anything more embarrassing, she tapped his chest lightly and turned away. "Hurry up. We've got a movie to catch and then some shopping to do. I want today to be fun. No more frowns, alright?"
Ryan just nodded, still pink in the face.
They arrived at an upscale cinema complex in Mumbai's iconic Palladium Mall. Jane had, of course, booked the platinum lounge—leather recliners, gourmet popcorn, and champagne on request. The movie itself was a slow-burn romance, but Ryan barely noticed. Every time Jane's arm brushed against his, or when she leaned in to whisper a comment, he forgot the plot entirely.
By the time the movie ended, Ryan had barely registered the plot, but Jane looked smug.
"You liked it?" she asked as they stepped out.
"Uh, yeah," he replied, unsure. "The… story was nice."
Jane giggled. "Ryan, the main character died in the first half."
"Oh."
She looped her arm through his and leaned in. "It's okay. I was watching you more than the screen."
That only made things worse for Ryan, who was now certain she was doing this on purpose.
After the movie, they strolled through the glittering walkways of the luxury wing of Palladium. Jane walked with her arm looped through Ryan's, confident and elegant. Ryan, meanwhile, was trying to look like he wasn't entirely out of place amid Mumbai's elite.
They stopped at the Armani store, where sleek counters and polished decor set the tone. A polite attendant welcomed them inside. Jane walked straight to the watch display.
"Pick one," she said to Ryan.
He blinked. "Me?"
"I want to get you something. A memory of this trip."
Ryan hesitated, then looked at her seriously. "Can I borrow the money instead?"
Jane paused. "You want a loan?"
He nodded. "I'll repay you soon. I… want to choose something with my own means."
That softened something in her gaze. "Okay. A loan it is."
He selected a simple but elegant couple's watch set—silver metal bands, minimal black dials, timeless and quietly refined. He handed one to Jane, and though she didn't say anything, her fingers brushed his slightly as she took it. She wore it without protest.
As they waited at the counter, a sharply dressed man in his early thirties strolled in, phone in hand. He stopped mid-conversation when he noticed Jane.
"Well, this is a surprise Jane Blackwood?"
Jane turned with a calm nod. "Yes?"
The man smiled, confident and polished. "Aditya Singh. My family runs Singh BioCare. We've crossed paths at a few conferences, though I doubt you'd remember."
"I remember the name," she replied coolly.
Ryan stood beside her, watching.
Aditya turned toward him briefly, giving a nod, before looking back at Jane. "Shopping with your… friend?"
Jane's expression didn't flicker. "Yes, just enjoying the day."
Aditya's smile widened. "Well, if you're free later, maybe we could grab lunch. Just to talk business… or not."
Ryan stepped forward, the edge of possessiveness threading into his voice before he could stop himself. "She's got plans."
Aditya gave him a sideways glance, then smirked. "That so? I didn't realize her schedule had a secretary."
Jane still didn't speak. She simply looked between the two men—one amused, the other seething—and waited.
Ryan's voice dropped lower, steadier. "You think money and charm mean something to her? She's already got all that. What she wants can't be bought."
Aditya studied him a moment, then laughed. "That was poetic. Well, good luck… whoever you are." He turned to Jane, gave a nod, and said, "If you change your mind, my number hasn't changed."
He walked away, still smiling.
Ryan turned to Jane, trying to slow his breathing. "He's insufferable."
Jane chuckled softly. "You were possessive."
"I—I wasn't," Ryan replied, cheeks burning.
"You definitely were."
She leaned close, her voice teasing. "And I liked it."
Although Jane tried not to show but today she was very happy as Ryan has showed that he was possessive of her .