At the victory celebration, Remi couldn't stop the tears from spilling over.

"It wasn’t easy, but we finally saw the rainbow," she sobbed.

Evangeline laughed softly, pulling a tissue from her clutch to gently dab at her friend’s eyes. "You didn't cry when we were running ourselves ragged, so why the waterworks now that we’ve finally made it?"

"It’s just… we didn't waste these past few months for nothing. You don't get it, Evangeline. When I go home for Christmas, my parents are going to be so proud of me!"

Remi lifted her chin, a defiant glint in her eyes. Everyone had mocked her when she refused her family's arranged path to stay in London, claiming she was chasing a "dream"—a word people only used for things that never actually came true.

But now? She could finally go home with her head held high.

Noah watched the two resilient young women, his heart swelling. He had been a deserter once, trading his ideals for the hollow comfort of his ego, hiding away in that tiny, suffocating world. He was grateful these two, who seemed so delicate on the surface, had reached out and dragged him from the mud. Without them, he’d likely still be wasting away in some forgotten backwater town, watching his life slip through his fingers.

Being around people who reached for the stars changed you. It mattered who you kept in your corner.

Noah raised his glass. "Thank you both. For not giving up on me, and for bringing some light back into my life." He downed the drink in one go.

Neither of them had ever seen their colleague this emotional. They clinked their glasses against his and drank deeply.

"Hey, Senior," Evangeline said, her voice slightly blurred by the wine. "Why don't you bring your mother out here? We’re making money now."

"Next year," he promised. "Once everything is steady."

Evangeline nodded, her head feeling heavy. "I need to go home, too. It's been a long time since I've seen my parents."

They were all in their early twenties. No matter how fiercely they fought to survive in the city, the moment they thought of home, they were still just kids, aching to curl up in their mothers' arms and be spoiled.

***

As the winter break approached, Remi packed her bags, her excitement palpable.

Damian pulled her into his arms, his voice dropping into a wheedling, low rasp. "Remi, are you really not going to take me home with you?"

"I can't. I’m not ready for that kind of commitment yet. If you come back with me, my whole family is going to start grilling us. Be a good boy, okay?" She reached up, brushing his cheek in a gesture meant to soothe.

"If not now, then when?"

Seeing the man insist on a concrete timeline, Remi scoffed. "Damian, are you trying to force my hand into a marriage?"

The moment the words left her lips, Damian’s expression turned to ice. His gaze sharpened, his entire aura shifting from the playful, doting partner into something cold and predatory.

"Is that all this is to you?" he demanded, his voice chilling the air. "Just a game?"

Remi surged to her feet, her own temper flaring. "Damian, are you losing your mind?!"

For the first time, they glared at each other, the air in the room turning brittle and heavy. After a long, agonizing silence, Damian let out a jagged, self-deprecating laugh.

"Fine. I get it."

He turned on his heel and stormed out, the door slamming with a violence that shook the walls.

Remi collapsed back onto the bed, her chest heaving as she pounded her fists into the pillows. "What is his problem?!"

The silence that followed was deafening. The echo of the slamming door seemed to hang in the air, and the scent of his cologne still clung to the room. Her anger slowly bled out, replaced by a dull, aching soreness. Her eyes filled with tears, her lower lip trembling as she bit down on it, feeling deeply wronged.

"Stupid jerk," she sobbed into her pillow. "Acting like that... I'm never forgiving you!"

Eventually, the exhaustion of the outburst took hold, and she drifted into a restless sleep.

Damian had spent the last hour driving aimlessly, the cold air and the road doing little to temper his frustration. But as his blood cooled, his mind drifted back to her. He had seen the way her eyes reddened the moment he walked out.

He couldn't leave it like this. He gave in and turned the car around.

When he unlocked the apartment, the silence was absolute. Panic gripped his chest. Had she left?

He pushed the bedroom door open, his shoulders sagging in relief when he saw her curled up on the bed. He stepped closer, his heart breaking at the sight of her tear-stained pillow and her puffy, reddened nose. Every sob she had let out seemed to be a silent indictment of his behavior.

He let out a long, weary breath, his jaw tight with regret. He shouldn't have pushed her. He knew better.

He leaned down, his finger tracing the line of her nose. "You’ve completely ruined me, haven't you?"

Remi sensed the movement and flicked her eyes open. The moment she saw him, the tears came flooding back. She turned away, burying her face so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"I’m sorry, Remi."

She struggled when he reached for her, trying to wiggle away, but Damian pinned her gently, pulling her firmly into his chest.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong," he whispered into her hair, his voice rich and steady. "If you aren't ready for marriage, I’ll wait. As long as you’re here, I don't care how long it takes."

Remi felt a shiver run down her spine, the sheer sincerity of his tone melting her defenses. She told herself she needed to stay tough—if he got away with this level of temper now, what would the future look like? She kept her eyes shut, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

Damian panicked, pressing his forehead against hers and nudging her gently. "Remi... I really messed up. It won’t happen again!"

Remi’s mind was screaming, but her heart was already yielding. Suddenly, she felt his lips brushing against her face—first her temple, then her eyes, then her cheek. She snapped her eyes open, her hands flying up to push against his chest.

"Damian, stop it!"

He kept his face miserable, grabbing her hand and pulling it firmly against his heart. "Remi, it hurts right here."

"Oh, please! Save the drama. Where was that 'predatory' energy from earlier?"

"I'm sorry. I just... I was just so impatient."

Remi straightened her face, trying to sound firm. "Damian, can we just let things happen naturally?"

She was a free spirit, the kind of person who moved through life by intuition. And right now, her intuition was screaming that she wasn't ready to walk down the aisle.

Damian stroked her eyebrows, his throat bobbing as he forced out a ragged, "Okay."

The tension finally snapped. Remi pulled her hand away from his chest, her expression softening.

"So," he murmured, a hint of his usual playfulness returning. "Can I kiss my princess again?"

Remi tilted her chin up, a smug, haughty look crossing her face. "Fine. I suppose I can allow it."