The next day began like any other.
On the surface.
Jacob Elordi sat in his office, the city stretching endlessly beyond the glass walls behind him. The sunlight poured in, reflecting off the polished desk, the metallic edges, the quiet perfection of everything around him.
Everything looked in control.
Organized.
Predictable.
But Jacob wasn't.
Not anymore.
His fingers rested on the table, unmoving, his thoughts drifting far from the present moment.
A knock broke the silence.
"Come in."
The door opened, and one of his employees stepped inside, holding a file neatly in both hands.
"Sir, here are the documents Mrs. Diana sent for you."
Jacob didn't look up immediately.
"Keep them on the table."
"Yes, sir."
The employee placed the documents carefully in front of him and walked out, closing the door behind him.
Silence returned.
Jacob's gaze slowly shifted to the file.
For a moment—
He didn't touch it.
Something about it felt… heavy.
Not physically.
But something deeper.
Then, with a quiet exhale, he pulled it closer and opened it.
Page after page.
Legal text.
Signatures.
Stamps.
Official seals.
His eyes scanned quickly at first—
Then slowed.
Then stopped.
His expression changed.
Slightly.
But enough.
"These documents…"
He flipped another page.
"…property transfer…"
Another.
"…ownership rights…"
And then—
His name.
Everywhere.
Jacob Elordi.
Primary holder.
Complete authority.
He froze.
For a brief second, the world outside his office seemed to fade.
"What…?"
He leaned back slightly, his brows tightening as he reread the lines again.
And again.
Just to be sure.
But the words didn't change.
The meaning didn't shift.
It was clear.
Too clear.
Diana had transferred her property.
To him.
All of it.
Jacob immediately grabbed his phone and dialed her number.
The call connected within seconds.
"Yes, tell me, son."
Her voice was calm.
Normal.
As if nothing had happened.
Jacob sat forward.
"What is all this, Mom?"
A small pause.
"What do you mean?"
"These documents," he said, his tone tightening. "What is this?"
"Oh," she replied casually. "Yes, those documents."
Jacob's grip on the phone tightened.
"But why are you transferring everything to my name?"
There was no hesitation in her answer.
"Because I know you will never get married."
The words hit harder than expected.
"And one day," she continued, her voice softer now, "I will leave this world."
Jacob closed his eyes briefly.
"Please stop, Mom."
"Fine then," she said immediately, her tone shifting again—firm, almost challenging.
"Bring me a daughter-in-law… and take the documents back."
Before he could respond—
The call ended.
Jacob lowered the phone slowly.
The silence that followed was heavier than before.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at nothing.
Or maybe—
At everything.
Marriage.
Responsibility.
Loss.
Expectation.
And then—
Her.
The image came without warning.
The pool.
The rain.
The school.
The same girl.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Jacob let out a quiet breath, running a hand through his hair.
"This doesn't make any sense…"
But deep down—
He knew.
This wasn't random anymore.
He pulled his laptop closer and opened it.
For a moment, his fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Then he typed.
The school's name appeared on the screen.
Gregorio Luperón High School for Math and Science.
The same place.
The same hall.
The same moment.
Jacob scrolled slowly.
Images.
Events.
Student achievements.
Then—
He saw it.
A post.
Pinned.
Highlighted.
His hand paused on the trackpad.
A photograph.
Her.
The same girl.
Standing calmly, holding a certificate, her expression composed—almost unreadable.
But unmistakable.
It was her.
No doubt now.
Jacob leaned closer.
His eyes scanned the caption beneath the image.
"A talented girl who did great work in the tech field along with her studies—for her school."
He read it again.
Slower this time.
"Tech field…"
But she was a biology student.
William had said that.
So how—
Why—
Jacob's mind began connecting pieces that didn't fully fit.
Which only made him more certain.
There was something about her.
Something different.
He stared at the screen for a long moment.
Then, without thinking further—
He reached for his phone again.
The call connected.
"Hello, Mr. William?"
"Yes," came the familiar voice. "Tell me. What made you remember me?"
Jacob didn't waste time.
"The school where I gave a speech a day ago…"
A brief pause.
"…arrange another event there."
Silence.
Confused silence.
"But why?" William asked. "You just got a big business deal. You should focus on that."
Jacob's gaze remained fixed on the screen.
On her image.
"Please…"
His voice was quieter now.
"…just do as I say."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
William seemed to sense something unusual—but didn't push.
"Alright," he said slowly. "If that's what you want."
Jacob didn't respond.
He simply ended the call.
The room fell silent again.
But this silence was different.
It wasn't empty.
It was filled with intention.
Jacob leaned back in his chair, his eyes still locked on the laptop screen.
On her.
"Who are you…?" he murmured.
But this time—
The question carried something else.
Not just curiosity.
Not just confusion.
Something deeper.
Something pulling him closer.
Because now—
It wasn't just coincidence.
It wasn't just curiosity.
It was a decision.
He closed the laptop slowly.
But her image didn't leave his mind.
If anything—
It became clearer.
Stronger.
More present.
Outside the glass walls, the city moved forward like nothing had changed.
Cars passed.
People rushed.
Time continued.
But inside that office—
Something had shifted.
Jacob Elordi wasn't just dealing with his mother's expectations anymore.
He wasn't just dealing with responsibility.
Or loss.
Or pressure.
He was chasing something now.
Someone.
A mystery that refused to stay hidden.
And he didn't even realize it yet—
But this wasn't a simple curiosity.
This wasn't a coincidence.
This was the beginning of something that would change everything.