The restaurant's golden chandeliers threw soft light across the room, shimmering against the crystal glasses and polished marble tables. Jason sat there, half-guarded, half-relaxed, with Mariana on one side and Elena directly across from him. He had been trying his best to stay composed, but inside, the storm was building.
The meal had passed with laughter, teasing, and small jokes—Jason making everyone laugh with his unexpected wit. But now, Mariana leaned forward, her eyes sharp, her voice dropping lower.
"Jason," she said softly, folding her hands on the table. "I called you here tonight for more than just lunch. I wanted to apologize… and thank you."
Jason blinked, caught off guard. "Apologize?"
"Yes." Mariana's usual bold tone carried a hint of humility now. "About last time. The party. I realize now I've been careless—chasing fun, chasing men just because they looked good, letting my life get shallow. It… it took meeting you to realize I was doing it wrong. Your words stuck with me." She exhaled and shook her head with a small laugh. "You might be a mechanic, Jason, but you talk like a man who has lived twice as much life as any of us."
Jason didn't know what to say. He leaned back in his chair, eyes shifting away as if her words weighed too much. "It's nothing. I just… spoke my mind."
But Mariana shook her head firmly. "No. It was something. And I wanted you to hear it. I'm sorry if I was too much that night. Truly."
Jason's lips twitched into the faintest smile. "It's alright. I didn't take it personal."
But before he could sink deeper into the moment, Mariana smirked and nodded toward her younger sister, Elena. "Besides… the real reason I was calling you wasn't just me." She turned slightly, her tone light but teasing. "It was Elena."
Jason froze. His eyes flickered to the younger sister who sat quietly with her hands in her lap, the very picture of shy elegance. Elena's cheeks flushed crimson as her older sister exposed her so casually.
"Elena?" Jason asked, tilting his head.
Mariana grinned like she had just revealed a secret she'd been waiting to unleash. "Yes. Ever since she got back, she hasn't shut up about you. She insisted I bring her today. She has been your fan for a while, Jason. Maybe more than just a fan."
Jason's heartbeat stumbled. Elena was already beautiful—more delicate than Mariana, more reserved, with those shy downcast eyes that never held him for too long. He found her attractive, no doubt. But his pride, his situation, his life—none of it could afford distractions like this.
He rubbed the back of his neck and forced a small smile. "Is that so?"
Elena finally lifted her gaze, and when her soft brown eyes met his, it was like she had gathered all her courage at once. "Yes," she admitted quietly, her voice trembling but sincere.
Jason quickly looked away, clenching his jaw. He couldn't let himself fall. Not when his sister depended on him. Not when his pockets were running dry again. Not when women like Elena belonged to a world of Rolls Royces and Ferraris, and he belonged to grease-stained shirts and stubborn engines.
And yet…
"Jason," Elena whispered after a long pause, "I… I wish to speak with you alone. If that's alright."
Mariana raised her brows, obviously amused. "Oh? I see how it is. Fine, fine. I'll give you two a moment." She pushed her chair back, tossed Jason a mischievous smirk, and excused herself from the table.
Now it was just Jason and Elena.
The silence between them stretched, filled only by the soft clinking of glasses and muffled chatter from other tables. Elena's hands trembled slightly as she reached forward across the table, trying to hold his hand. Jason instinctively pulled back.
Her chest tightened. For a second, she thought she had made a mistake. But then she inhaled, swallowed her fear, and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Jason," she said softly but firmly, "I need to say this before I lose the courage. I… I haven't felt this way about anyone before."
Jason's throat tightened. "Elena—"
"Please, let me finish." Her voice cracked, but she pressed on. "I may not know you well yet, but I don't care. I don't care if you're a mechanic. I don't care if people see us as opposites. I don't care about… luxury or wealth. What I see is you. The way you carry yourself. The way you don't bend to anyone. That's what I admire. That's what I—"
Her voice trembled. She took another breath. "That's what I've fallen for."
Jason sat in stunned silence. His system, always in the background, suddenly flickered alive:
[Analysis: Honesty detected.]
[Emotional sincerity: 97%.]
[Trust level: High.]
[Potential ally in mission.]
Jason's heart pounded. The system had never analyzed a confession before. But now it confirmed what he had already felt in her trembling voice—she was real. She was true.
Still, he shook his head. "Elena… I can't."
Her eyes widened, hurt flashing across her face. "Why?"
Jason looked down at his rough hands, hands stained by grease and scars. "Because I'm a man. And a man should stand on his own feet. Not depend on a woman. I don't want to be… mocked. Or pitied. I don't want to drag you down from the world you're used to."
Her jaw tightened. For once, her shy demeanor cracked, and something stronger surfaced. "Why do you make yourself so hard, Jason? Why do you act like luxury doesn't affect you? Why do you push everyone away?" Her voice grew stronger, filled with hurt and frustration. "Why can't you just let someone care for you? Why can't you just let me in?"
Jason froze. No one had ever spoken to him like that.
Elena's breath shook. Realizing how much she had spilled out, she suddenly looked down, ashamed. "I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I—"
But Jason reached across the table, this time willingly, and took her trembling hands in his.
"Elena," he said quietly, eyes steady on hers. "Don't apologize. You're right. I… I like you too. But I'm afraid. Afraid I'll fail. Afraid I'll never be enough for someone like you. That's why I've been resisting."
Her lips parted in surprise, her eyes filling with something brighter. "Jason…"
He tightened his grip gently. "I don't want to get mocked. I don't want to let you down. But if you say you're serious… then I'll believe you."
Her heart skipped. Her cheeks flushed. For the first time, she allowed a smile to bloom across her face. "I am serious. I don't care about wealth. I just want… you."
For a moment, the tension broke. Jason chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're full of surprises. I didn't know you had this little fire in you."
Elena laughed nervously, blushing deeper. "Maybe you bring it out of me."
The two of them sat there, hands linked, finally breaking down the walls that had been holding them apart. The restaurant around them faded into nothing—just two hearts finally daring to meet halfway.
And for once, Jason didn't resist. He let himself feel it.