Anna woke up before the sun had fully risen. The golden light seeped through the curtains, soft and drowsy. She slipped out of Jace's embrace, careful not to wake him, and tiptoed to the small kitchen. With quiet hands, she brewed two cups of coffee, the warm aroma curling through the air like comfort.
She walked back to the bed where Jace still lay half-asleep, his hair tousled and a peaceful expression on his face.
Gently, she leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to his forehead. "Wake up, Jacy," she whispered softly, placing the cup in his hands. "I made coffee."
He blinked his eyes open, a lazy smile spreading across his face as he saw her.
And in that moment—simple, real, and warm—Anna felt safe. But the storm within her had not yet passed.
Jace stirred with a soft groan, blinking as the scent of coffee filled the room. Anna leaned in, placed the warm cup on the bedside table, and kissed his forehead, then his cheek, and finally, his lips—soft and lingering.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," she whispered with a gentle smile.
Jace slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light and then at her glowing face. "Is this a dream?" he mumbled with his raspy morning voice, pulling her closer by the waist.
Anna giggled, placing her head on his chest. "If it is, I don't want to wake up."
Jace smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You taste like coffee," he teased.
"And you smell like home," she replied softly, her voice cracking slightly from the weight in her chest.
He lifted her chin, sensing something in her eyes. "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"
Anna hesitated. She looked at his messy hair, his sleepy smile, the love in his eyes. Her heart beat a little too fast, too conflicted. But she smiled and said, "Just... thinking about how lucky I am."
As Anna leaned in to kiss him, their lips just a breath apart, Jace's phone rang loudly on the nightstand, shattering the quiet intimacy.
He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" he muttered, reaching for the phone without looking at the screen.
Anna sat back, crossing her arms playfully. "Wow, Jace. Who's more important than this kiss?"
Jace checked the caller ID—his brows furrowed. "It's an unknown number."
He hesitated.
Anna leaned closer, her smile fading just slightly. "Answer it. Maybe it's important."
Jace nodded and picked up. "Hello?"
There was silence at first. Then a smooth, royal voice spoke on the other end, "I believe Anna is with you. Tell her... fate doesn't knock twice."
Jace sat up straighter. "Who is this?"
But the call ended.
Jace looked at Anna. She could see the color slowly drain from his face. "Jace? Who was it?"
He swallowed hard. "Someone who knows your name… and mine."
Jace looked at her, eyes searching. "Do you know who it is?" Ana hesitated, fingers tightening slightly around the warm mug. "Maybe… I know." His brows furrowed. "Who?"
She set the cup down gently, as if the words she was about to say might crack the silence between them. "Jace, Jacy… you know you're precious to me. You always were. But…"
Ding-dong. The doorbell rang—slicing through the moment like a sudden wind. They both turned toward the sound.
Jace stood up slowly, something tightening in his chest. Outside that door… could be fate, could be the past, could be him.
Jace stood up behind Anna, concerned, shirt half-buttoned, tension building in the air. Anna slowly opened the door, her hand trembling slightly.
A tall, graceful girl stood there — dressed in an elegant navy-blue dress, heels clicking softly as she shifted. Her honey-blonde hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail, and her piercing green eyes scanned Anna from head to toe before offering a small, formal smile.
"Is this the residence of Miss Anna Collins?" the girl asked in a distinctly posh British accent.
Anna blinked. "Yes, I'm Anna. Who are you?"
The girl stepped forward, offering a letter sealed with an ornate wax crest bearing the symbol of the Scottish royal family. "I'm Lady Evelyn. Tristan sent me. He thought… you wouldn't listen to him, so he sent someone you would listen to."
Anna stared at the letter in Lady Evelyn hands.
Anna's heart raced as the letter sat heavy in her hands, the wax seal almost daring her to open it. Tristan wouldn't leave without her—she knew that. He never would. But how could she face Jace now? She had no answer. The dream, the kiss, everything that had happened between them—it felt so real, yet here she was, standing in front of Jace, someone who had shown her care, affection, and warmth when she was at her lowest.
Jace, sensing the tension, stepped closer. "Anna, what's going on?" he asked softly, his voice uncertain but filled with worry. "Who is Tristan? What does he want from you?"
Anna hesitated, glancing at Lady Evelyn, who stood silently, arms crossed, watching with a knowing gaze. She didn't know what to say. Could she tell Jace the truth? Could she explain the man from her dreams—the one who seemed to exist beyond the veil of reality? She swallowed hard.
"I—" Anna started, her voice shaky, "I don't know how to explain it, Jace. Tristan is… someone from my dreams. But he's real, and I don't know why he's here, why I can't stop thinking about him."
Jace's expression turned to one of confusion and hurt, his jaw tightening. "From your dreams? You're telling me you've been dreaming about this guy, and now he's showing up at our door, sending people to deliver messages?" His voice cracked with emotion.
Lady Evelyn watched silently, letting the silence hang in the air before she spoke again, her tone calm but firm. "Anna, Prince Tristan is waiting for you."
Jace looked at Anna, his eyes full of desperation. "Anna, what are you going to do?" Jace's voice was softer now, "Anna… do you want to read it?"
Anna looked between the two of them. She felt like she was standing at a crossroads, with no clear path ahead. The letter burned in her hands as the weight of the decision pressed on her chest.
Anna's world spun as everything around her blurred. The stress, the confusion, the weight of the choices she had to make—it all became too much.
(To be continued…..)