Cole Fay had always been an enigma, even as a child. Reserved, indifferent, and wrapped in the aloofness that his father wore so well, Cole was a boy of few words and fewer emotions.
He didn't need to be anything else. His family's name carried enough weight to shield him from the world, and he lived within that shell, perfectly content to remain detached from everything and everyone.
That is, until the day Eve Rosette came into his life.
They met at one of those grand parties where important families gathered to discuss business ventures and alliances over sparkling glasses of champagne and laughter that never quite reached the eyes.
Cole was only six years old, standing next to his father, Cain Fay, watching the endless parade of wealthy faces blur into one another. His father was speaking with Mr. Rosette when a small, timid voice broke through the chatter.
"Cole?"
He turned to see a girl about his age standing before him, wearing a simple yet elegant dress, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Her name, as he would learn soon after, was Eve Rosette, the only daughter of the Rosette family. Her father had nudged her forward, encouraging the introduction.
At first, Cole barely acknowledged her, giving her a cold nod before looking away. He wasn't one for company, and certainly not one for childish play.
But Eve didn't seem to mind his indifference. In fact, she seemed fascinated by it. Where other children would have been put off by his cold demeanor, Eve drew closer, like a moth to a flame.
From that day on, wherever Cole went, Eve followed. It was as if she had attached herself to him, clinging to him like glue. She would chatter endlessly, telling him stories about her favorite books, the garden her mother tended to, or her dreams of visiting far-off places.
Cole, for his part, never encouraged her. He would respond in monosyllables or not at all, yet Eve would continue to stay by his side, unfazed by his coldness.
For the first time in years, Cole realized he missed her.
He missed the way she would hum softly to herself while arranging the snacks she brought. He missed her quiet laughter, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about something that excited her. He even missed the way she would occasionally prod him, teasing him gently for his serious demeanor. He missed the warmth that her presence had always brought, even if he had never acknowledged it.
The realization hit him hard. Eve had always been there, unconditionally, no matter how cold or indifferent he had been toward her. And now, she was gone.
It was then that Cole understood something about himself that he had never considered before. Eve wasn't just a fixture in his life—she had been the one person who made him feel . . . something.
In her absence, he realized how much he had taken her for granted. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that maybe, just maybe, he didn't want her to go.
Cole wasn't one to act on impulse, but as he stared at his phone, Eve's name glowing on the screen, something inside him stirred.
His thumb hovered over the dial button, heart pounding with an unfamiliar urgency. He was seconds away from pressing it when a wave of hesitation crashed over him, freezing him in place.
What was he about to do?
Miss her?
After all this time?
His mind raced, a torrent of conflicting thoughts swirling through him.
Did he love her? No, that couldn't be it—he had never allowed himself to entertain that possibility before.
Love wasn't something Cole understood. He love his family but loving another was entirely a new concept.