Maya took a slow breath the moment she stepped outside.
Cool afternoon air brushed against her skin immediately.
The enormous front doors closed softly behind her, muting the sounds from inside the mansion.
For the first time since arriving, she was alone.
Or at least she tried to be.
The vast estate stretched endlessly before her.
Ancient trees swayed gently in the breeze.
Perfectly maintained gardens spread across the grounds in every direction.
The fountain near the entrance continued its steady rhythm, water cascading elegantly into the stone basin below.
A few employees stationed nearby immediately bowed their heads respectfully when they noticed her.
Maya smiled automatically.
Then looked away.
Her chest tightened.
She should have known.
The signs had always been there.
The way people treated Rege.
The way doors opened before he reached them.
The way employees straightened when he walked into a room.
The way everyone seemed to instinctively defer to him.
Even his family.
Especially his family.
And somehow she had never questioned it.
Never dug deeper.
Never wondered why.
A bitter laugh almost escaped her.
Because the answer had been standing right in front of her all along.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Maya didn't turn.
She already knew who it was.
Seconds later, Rege stopped beside her.
Close enough that she could feel his presence.
Close enough that his familiar scent reached her again.
Neither spoke immediately.
The silence stretched.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
For perhaps the first time between them.
Maya stared ahead.
Rege stared at her.
His jaw remained clenched.
His hands flexed once beside him.
He had faced billion-dollar negotiations with less anxiety than this.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Her voice was so quiet he almost missed it.
Almost.
Rege swallowed.
"It wasn't important."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without calculation.
Simply the truth as he saw it.
Maya finally looked at him.
And for one brief moment—
peace returned.
Because her eyes were on him again.
God.
He had missed her eyes.
It had only been minutes.
Yet it felt much longer.
Maya held his gaze.
Then looked away.
"You still didn't trust me enough to tell me."
The words struck harder than anything else could have.
Because that wasn't true.
Not even remotely true.
Rege lowered his eyes briefly.
Defeat settling heavily inside him.
"I trust you, Krasota."
Maya closed her eyes.
Opened them again.
Then shook her head.
"I don't know what that means."
Her voice softened.
"But please don't call me that."
That finally made Rege look at her fully.
Maya continued quietly.
"I don't think you call somebody you don't trust that."
Something painful twisted inside his chest.
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Firmly.
With complete certainty.
"I trust you, Krasota."
The sincerity in his voice made Maya's throat tighten.
Yet it wasn't enough.
Not this time.
"Fine."
She folded her arms loosely across herself.
"Maybe you trust me."
The words hung there.
Dangerously.
Then came the part that hurt.
"But I don't know if I can still trust you."
Rege froze.
Maya stared at the gardens.
Anywhere except him.
"I trusted you enough to tell you who I am."
Her voice remained calm.
Too calm.
"You know I'm Maya Windget from London."
The sound of her full name coming from her own mouth suddenly felt strange.
Personal.
Vulnerable.
"You know where I grew up."
She swallowed.
"You know things about me I've never told other people."
Rege's chest tightened.
Every word landed exactly where she intended.
"And yet..."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"...you couldn't even tell me your surname."
The breeze moved through her hair.
Neither noticed.
"Not just any surname."
She laughed softly.
Humorlessly.
"A surname like yours."
Still she didn't look at him.
"I understand being discreet."
Her voice softened further.
"I understand privacy."
She finally turned toward him.
The hurt in her eyes made breathing difficult.
"But I thought I wasn't an outsider."
Silence.
Maya smiled.
A sad little smile.
"I guess I thought wrong."
Rege's jaw tightened so hard it hurt.
The thought of Maya believing she was an outsider to him felt unbearable.
Without thinking, he reached for her hand.
His fingers closed around hers immediately.
Gentle.
Firm.
Certain.
As though letting go wasn't an option.
Maya looked down.
Then slowly tried pulling away.
Not aggressively.
Not angrily.
Just enough to make her point.
For one brief second Rege almost refused.
Almost.
Then loosened his grip.
Maya withdrew her hand.
The loss felt immediate.
"I'll stay for dinner."
Her smile returned.
Still not reaching her eyes.
"I don't want to disrespect your mum."
Rege hated that smile.
Because it wasn't real.
Then she added quietly,
"But after dinner..."
She looked away.
"I'll find my own way home."
The words hit harder than anything else she'd said.
Because suddenly she wasn't talking about dinner anymore.
She was talking about distance.
And Rege couldn't bear it.
The moment Maya turned toward the mansion—
his hand closed gently around her arm.
Stopping her.
Maya glanced back.
Rege held her gaze.
A thousand emotions moved beneath the surface of his aquamarine eyes.
Regret.
Fear.
Desperation.
Something dangerously close to panic.
"I'm sorry."
His voice had lowered considerably.
"I didn't think it was relevant."
He stepped closer.
"Please."
Maya blinked.
The intensity almost pulled her back in.
Almost.
She looked away first.
Rege's chest tightened immediately.
Because he wanted her eyes.
Needed them.
Needed her.
"What else are you hiding from me?"
The question came softly.
She wasn't accusing him.
Which somehow made it worse.
Rege stared at her profile.
At the sunlight catching strands of her hair.
At the woman who had somehow become more important than anything else.
"I would never hide anything important from you."
Maya rolled her eyes.
The gesture felt painfully familiar.
Painfully Maya.
"Important."
The word dripped with disbelief.
"So if something isn't important..."
She looked at him.
"...you don't trust me enough to tell me?"
For perhaps the first time in a very long time—
Rege genuinely didn't know what to say.
He dragged a hand through his hair.
Frustration settling heavily inside him.
Not frustration with her.
With himself.
Because suddenly he saw it.
Saw exactly what she saw.
And hated himself for it.
"I am sorry, Krasota."
His voice softened.
He stepped directly in front of her now.
Close enough that she had to tilt her head slightly upward.
Close enough that he could see every emotion crossing her face.
"Ya ne khochu tebya teryat', moya Krasota."
The words emerged quietly.
Almost broken.
His hand lifted.
Fingers brushing gently against her cheek.
The touch was warm.
Tender.
Maya's eyes closed instinctively.
A dangerous reaction.
One she didn't entirely appreciate.
When she opened them again, she immediately stepped back.
"You're not hypnotizing your way out of this."
Rege almost smiled.
Almost.
Instead he reached for her hand again.
Holding it carefully.
"Forgive me."
Maya stared.
"So you magically trust me now?"
The question carried genuine confusion.
Which somehow hurt more than anger.
"I have always trusted you."
Rege lifted her hand slowly.
Pressed his lips against the back of it.
The gesture stole her breath.
"You are moya Krasota."
Maya blinked.
Completely confused.
Completely affected.
An unfortunate combination.
"Please."
The word sounded different coming from him.
Lower.
Softer.
Almost pleading.
And Rege Hastings never pleaded.
Not with anyone.
Maya stared at him.
For a long time.
Long enough for the fountain to continue singing behind them.
Long enough for the breeze to carry the scent of flowers through the estate.
Long enough for Rege to genuinely fear her answer.
Then suddenly—
she moved.
Her arms wrapped around his neck.
Her body pressed against his.
She rose onto her tiptoes to reach him.
And every thought inside Rege disappeared instantly.
"Please don't make me feel like I don't deserve your trust again."
Her voice trembled against him.
Something inside Rege shattered completely.
His arms wrapped around her waist immediately.
Pulling her flush against him.
Holding her impossibly close.
"Never."
The answer came instantly.
Fiercely.
"Never, Krasota."
He buried his face against her neck.
Against her hair.
Against her.
Her sweet vanilla scent engulfed him completely.
God.
He loved this.
Loved her.
Loved everything about her.
He wanted to remain exactly like this forever.
Just her.
Just them.
No family.
No business.
No expectations.
No Hastings name.
Only Maya.
"I trust you."
His voice became quieter.
Rawer.
"You deserve all the trust in the world."
Maya melted against him.
Completely surrounded by his familiar agarwood scent.
Completely enclosed by his arms.
Safe.
Protected.
Wanted.
She hated how much she loved being there.
Yet one small fear remained.
A stubborn one.
A lingering one.
"Rege."
"Mmm."
She smiled faintly.
Even now.
Even here.
He answered like that.
"I still think you don't trust me completely."
The confession came quietly.
Honestly.
"But..."
She tightened her arms around him unconsciously.
"I don't want to and can't seem to be away from you."
Rege closed his eyes.
Pain and relief colliding simultaneously.
"Moya Krasota."
His grip tightened.
"I'm sorry."
The sincerity nearly broke her heart.
"I'll tell you everything."
He pulled back enough to look at her.
Every insignificant thing.
Every stupid thing.
Every meaningless thing.
"I promise."
Maya looked into his eyes.
Really looked.
And suddenly—
the fear disappeared.
Because he meant it.
Every word.
Every promise.
Every apology.
Emotion overwhelmed her unexpectedly.
Before she could overthink it—
she leaned forward.
And kissed his cheek.
Rege froze.
Actually froze.
A faint blush appeared immediately.
Maya laughed softly.
The sound wrapped around him like sunlight.
God.
That laugh.
Those eyes.
That smile.
He would hand her the entire world without hesitation if it meant seeing that smile again.
She was beautiful.
Impossibly beautiful.
Unfairly beautiful.
"Ty takaya krasivaya."
The words escaped before he could stop them.
Maya blushed instantly.
She didn't understand.
Not really.
Yet somehow she felt the meaning anyway.
A shiver ran through her.
And her smile widened.
Rege's breath caught.
Again.
He leaned forward.
Pressed a kiss against her forehead.
Then her cheek.
Then buried his face against her neck once more.
And this time—
Maya simply smiled.
Wrapped her arms tighter around him.
And held on.