Chapter Four: The Voice on the Balcony

The next morning, they said goodbye to Margot with warm hugs.

The old woman held Jacob’s hand longer than expected.

“Thank you for taking care of my girl,” she said.

“She’s the one taking care of me.”

On the drive back, Khloe stayed quiet.

Jacob gave her space.

But something had changed. A light tension stretched between them.

Ever since they left her grandmother’s house, she couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d answered the family’s questions.

Calm. Confident. Elegant.

That kind of elegance doesn’t come from life on the streets.

She decided not to ask. Not yet.

---

The apartment felt smaller when they got back.

Khloe kicked off her shoes. Dropped her purse on the couch.

“I’m exhausted.”

“I’ll cook dinner.”

She looked at him, surprised. “You cook?”

“Depends what you call cooking. Omelets. Pasta. That’s pretty much it.”

“Perfect. Omelets sound great.”

The kitchen was too small for two people.

They bumped shoulders reaching for spices. Laughed when Jacob grabbed salt instead of pepper.

Jacob chopped ingredients with precise, practiced movements.

Khloe paused to watch.

“You have an interesting way with a knife. Ever worked in a professional kitchen?”

“I watched a lot of videos.” He smiled. “And I had time to practice.”

“Too much time?”

“Let’s just say life gave me a few forced breaks.”

She didn’t push.

They ate on the couch, watching a random romantic comedy.

Jacob pointed at the screen.

“Look at this. They hate each other. Then she trips. He catches her. They stare. Boom. In love. The famous love trap.”

Khloe laughed. “Doesn’t happen like that in real life.”

“No.”

She looked at him sideways. “Real life has bills. Chaos. No one’s there to catch you when you trip. You just fall.”

Jacob looked down.

Something in her words had touched him.

“Sometimes someone holds on,” he said quietly. “Rarely. But it happens.”

The silence was full of meaning.

---

After dinner, Khloe washed dishes. Jacob dried.

“It’s getting late. I work all day tomorrow.”

“Want me to sleep on the couch?”

She paused.

“No. You can sleep on the mattress. I’ll take the couch.”

“Khloe. It’s fine. You need rest too.”

“Okay then. But if you want to switch later, just wake me up.”

While Jacob showered, she made up the mattress with clean sheets.

When he came out, he wore a loose t-shirt and shorts.

The shorts barely hid how strong he was.

Khloe pretended not to notice.

But it was impossible to ignore.

She turned off the light. Lay down on the couch.

Sleep didn’t come.

Then his voice. Soft in the darkness.

“Khloe?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“All of this. The marriage. The craziness.” A pause. “Me.”

She stayed quiet for a moment.

“No. Not yet.”

“Not yet?”

“Well. There’s still time, right?”

They both chuckled softly.

The silence returned.

She got up. Went to the window. Pulled the curtain aside.

The city breathed under soft lights.

“Can’t sleep?” Jacob appeared beside her.

She shook her head. “My mind won’t shut off.”

“Mine either.”

They stood there side by side.

Shoulders brushing. His breath warm against her cheek.

She turned her head.

Found him looking at her with those intense eyes.

Jacob moved closer.

His nose brushed hers.

The silence was thick. Filled with unspoken desire.

Their lips almost touched.

Almost.

Khloe closed her eyes.

But at the last second, fear spoke louder.

She pulled back. Lowered her head.

“Sorry,” she murmured.

Jacob nodded. Small smile.

“It’s okay. It wasn’t the right time.”

She returned to the couch. Heart pounding.

Lay down without another word.

---

The next morning, Khloe woke to soft light.

She turned on the couch. Looked toward the mattress.

Empty.

She sat up quickly. Looked toward the door.

It was slightly open.

She stood. Walked over. Peered through the crack.

Jacob stood on the balcony. His back to her. Phone pressed between his shoulder and ear.

His posture was tense. His voice low.

“I know he’s moving funds from the holding account. I’ve already had last month’s transfers checked. We’ve got almost everything. We just need one more recording.”

Pause.

“No. I can’t come back yet. One wrong move and it could all fall apart. You know that.”

Khloe stepped back.

Her heart raced.

That wasn’t the voice of someone trying to start over.

That was the voice of someone on a mission.

She slowly backed away. Returned to the living room.

When Jacob came in a few minutes later, she acted natural.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Morning. You were up early.”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

She went to the kitchen. Started making coffee.

Her mind wouldn’t stop spinning.

One more recording. Holding account. Can’t come back yet.

She didn’t know much about Jacob’s past.

But she was starting to realize that what he was hiding was much bigger than she’d imagined.

👉 [Tap here for Next Part] 👈