The Wedding Card💌

Chapter 2

The penthouse looked like something out of a high-gloss magazine. Sleek surfaces gleamed beneath recessed lighting, minimalist lines whispered of wealth and taste, and floor-to-ceiling windows transformed the city skyline into living, breathing art.

Mia stood near the glass, her arms folded loosely across her chest. Her attention wasn't on the glittering view but on the wedding invitation cards spread across the coffee table like delicate playing cards. They represented everything she had spent weeks planning, every detail she was carefully holding together.

Behind her, Ace poured himself a drink with one hand. The sleeves of his navy shirt were rolled neatly to his forearms, and his phone lit up on the counter beside him. He glanced at the screen before deliberately leaving it unanswered.

That small gesture made her smile.

"I was thinking we could send out the invitations by Friday," she said, turning toward him.

"Friday works." He took a sip before another thought occurred to him. "Actually, hold back a few. I'm still confirming some corporate guests."

"Of course."

The answer came automatically as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her smile lingered, though it no longer reached her eyes.

Silence settled comfortably around the penthouse, polished and refined, yet somehow carrying a distance neither of them acknowledged.

Ace crossed the room and stopped beside her. For a long moment, he simply looked at her before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"You're doing all the hard work," he said quietly. "I should be doing more."

A faint smile touched her lips.

Then do more.

Just... be here.

The words stayed trapped behind her smile.

"You're a very busy person," she replied carefully. "I don't need anyone reminding me of that. Besides..." She gave a small shrug.

"Planning all this has actually been exciting, so don't feel guilty. I've got it covered."

She meant for the words to sound lighthearted, but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her.

Relief softened Ace's features as he slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"Thank you for always understanding."

He pulled away just enough to glance at the time on his watch.

"Want me to have Liam take you home?"

Her eyebrows lifted.

"So soon?"

The disappointment that crossed her face was impossible to hide.

"I thought you wanted to see me for something important."

She looked at him, unable to voice the question pressing against her heart.

"And now you're sending me away already?"

A guilty smile tugged at his lips.

"What could be more important than seeing my bride whenever I want?"

"Bride-to-be," she corrected softly.

He chuckled.

"These invitations are only making it official. You're already my woman."

Something inside her quietly cooled.

She eased herself from his embrace and took a few measured steps away. Not enough to seem dramatic, but enough for him to notice.

"Then if I am..." She met his eyes. "Why doesn't it feel like it sometimes?"

The question escaped before she could stop it.

"I know how demanding your work is. I've never complained because I understand. But today..." She swallowed.

"Today I thought we'd actually spend some quality time together. I mean... you're the one who asked me over."

Her voice cracked slightly on the last word, raw honesty pushing through the careful composure.

Ace looked stunned for a second, her words clearly hitting deeper than expected. He exhaled slowly and walked toward her.

"I don't have an excuse, Mia."

His voice was quiet, filled with genuine regret.

"That was exactly what I planned to do. But something unexpected came up after I called you. I honestly thought I could postpone it." He shook his head.

"I couldn't... and I didn't know how to tell you."

He gently took both of her hands.

"I'm really sorry."

She searched his face, torn between the ache in her chest and the love she still felt in his touch.

"I knew you'd say that," she murmured, her disappointment slowly giving way to understanding.

After a slow breath, she managed a small smile.

"Fine. But don't you dare cancel on me on Friday. No business calls, no emails, no disappearing halfway through dinner..."

He laughed.

"Deal. We'll do everything your way."

She couldn't help smiling.

He drew her into another embrace, holding her a little longer this time.

"I'll have Liam drive you home."

She hesitated.

"That's really not necessary."

"It is to me."

He looked down at her with a teasing smile.

"Or are you still upset with me?"

She shook her head.

"No. Not really."

She didn't want to hold on to the argument any longer.

***

The lobby was cool and quiet, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the penthouse upstairs.

Her heels clicked softly across the polished marble floor as she made her way toward the elevators, already wondering how she would spend the rest of the afternoon.

The doors slid open before she reached the button.

And that was when she saw him.

He stood inside the elevator, tall and broad-shouldered, completely absorbed in whatever was on his phone. A crisp white shirt fit him perfectly, the top button undone and his charcoal tie loosened slightly at the collar.

There was nothing flashy about him.

Yet something about him drew the eye.

Perhaps it was the quiet confidence in the way he carried himself, or the calm self-possession that seemed untouched by the bustle of the building. Whatever it was, his presence filled the space without demanding attention.

He certainly wasn't one of Ace's employees. She was sure she would have remembered him.

As the doors began to close behind him, he looked up.

Warm amber eyes met hers just for a second.

There was no smile, no curiosity, and no attempt to hold her gaze longer than necessary.

Only a brief, steady look that somehow unsettled her more than open admiration ever could.

He stepped past her, their shoulders brushing lightly as they exchanged places.

The contact was fleeting and barely noticeable, yet Mia found herself slowing as she entered the elevator.

When the doors closed, she leaned lightly against the mirrored wall and released a quiet breath.

It was ridiculous.

He was a stranger.

A passing face she would probably never see again.

So why did she have the strange feeling that the moment she'd just walked through was somehow more important than it should have been?