Page 113 of Modern Romance September 2025 5-8

‘Oh, Jane,’ he sighed softly. ‘If I could take back that morning—’ he held his hands up, palms towards her, in a gesture of conciliation ‘—believe me, I would.’

She bit into her lower lip, heart popping like fizzing candy. She wanted to believe him, but how could she?

‘The idea of having been lied to by you , the idea that I had been so damned foolish and mistaken what we were for something else entirely, it just made me feel so stupid. So angry. So hurt. And I took all of that out on you, instead of letting you explain. Instead of hearing what you were saying.’

‘You did—’

‘No, I mean really hearing you. Hearing you when you spoke about Charlotte’s life, and how my father’s choice to shield her from the world was a daily abandonment she has had to live with.

How you saw that and moved in to mop up the pieces again and again, because even though she is strong and courageous, you see the same vulnerabilities in her that you feel in yourself.

I wish I’d listened to you when you’d explained that she’s your best friend, that you felt obligated to help her, even when you questioned the wisdom of her plan.

And mostly, I wish I’d believed you when you said you wanted to change her mind, that you were planning to tell her that this was all wrong. ’

Jane’s eyes widened with shock and surprise. ‘How did you—’

‘Charlotte,’ he said, dragging a hand through his hair.

‘You got your wish. We ended up meeting, spending some time together these last couple of days. She made me see what a monumental ass I’d been.

Which is why I’m here.’ His brow furrowed.

‘Actually, I don’t know if that’s true. I suspect that even without Charlotte, I would have come to my senses eventually.

She just dragged me there ahead of schedule. ’

Jane blinked at him, her gut throbbing.

‘I was never engaged to anyone else, Jane. I said that because I was lashing out. It is one of the biggest mistakes of my life. To know that I hurt you, that I inflicted that wound on you, because of my own pain, is something I will always be unbearably ashamed of.’

She groaned, dropping her head forward, because he had hurt her. Those words had tortured and tormented her every minute since. The prospect of him marrying—even when she’d contemplated that before.

‘I didn’t come here expecting that we could just get past this. I know it will take time. But I wanted to come to apologise first, and then to ask if you would even consider giving me another chance?’

Her head lifted of its own accord, her eyes locking to his.

And she felt all the uncertainty there—an uncharacteristic emotion for a man like Zeus—the sense that he was putting himself so far out on a limb for her.

But Jane’s heart was so battered, and her doubts so huge.

Not about whether or not she loved him, but about what they could do next.

For as much as he was begging for forgiveness, didn’t she owe him the same?

‘I wish I’d never agreed to do it,’ she said softly, twisting her hands in front of her. ‘But Charlotte was so sure—’

‘And she’s hard to say no to. I’ve seen it, believe me.’

A half smile lifted one side of Jane’s mouth before dropping abruptly.

‘If you hadn’t agreed to it, we never would have met.’ He closed the distance between them and this time, Jane held her ground, knowing he was going to touch her, and welcoming that. Needing it.

Slowly, so slowly she had time to avoid him if she wished it, he reached down and added his hand to hers, where they were still knotting at her front. ‘From the moment we met, it was never about your promise to Charlotte, was it?’

Her eyes were round as they flew to his face, and she shook her head quickly. ‘It was always about you.’

‘And you,’ he murmured, eyes dropping to her lips. ‘And the kind of love that’s rare and special and deserves to be fought for.’

Her breath rushed out of her lungs. ‘Love?’

‘Love. Obsession. Desire. Need.’

She laughed then, a laugh that was filled with the levity of a heart that was starting to glow with warmth once more. ‘All that, huh?’

‘And so much more. The kind of love that lasts a lifetime,’ he promised, squeezing her hand then growing serious.

‘Jane, before I found out about your connection to Charlotte, I felt as though I was walking on air, because I’d finally realised how I felt about you.

I knew I’d met the love of my life, and that the kind of future I’d never allowed myself to hope for was suddenly all I could focus on.

I had every intention of proposing to you that very morning, my agapeméni , in the shadows of the island that will soon be ours. ’

Stars filled her vision, and she moved then, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him closer to her body. ‘Is that your way of asking me to marry you, Zeus?’

‘It’s my way of begging you to relieve this enormous, crippling pain I’ve felt since you walked out of my life. How ever you can be in my world, whatever role you’re willing to play, I want you there. I love you, and I am, and always will be, completely and utterly yours.’

A tear slid down her cheek, but for the first time since the yacht, this was a tear of joy, of giddy, blinding happiness and contentment.

‘Well, then,’ she murmured. ‘I don’t know how I could refuse,’ she said, kissing him until her breath was burning in her lungs, a kiss that grew steadily more and more intense and passionate, so it was Zeus who pulled away, breathlessly, to suggest they move inside her flat rather than continue giving Hampstead a show.

And those were the last coherent words either of them spoke for several hours.

Afterwards, though, Jane realised there was one question she hadn’t brought up.

‘What will happen with the company?’ Something heavy pressed against her chest, a weight that threatened to jeopardise the sheer joy she felt.

‘I know it’s yours, but at the same time, if our wedding meant Lottie couldn’t be a part of it… ’

‘My father is having documents drawn as we speak. We cannot change the contracts of ownership, but we can redesign the organisational structure. I haven’t discussed it with Charlotte yet, but my hope is that she’ll agree to come on board with the Foundation, in the first instance. It seems like a natural fit.’

‘Foundation?’

‘I’m surprised I didn’t mention it,’ he said, his shoulder nudging hers.

‘We run a large charity as part of our business, though I’m not surprised you’re unaware.

Silent philanthropy has always been important to my father, as it is to me.

The charity is active in the US and much of Europe.

As luck would have it, we’re on the lookout for a director of operations.

I think Charlotte would be perfect for the job. ’

Jane’s heart soared. ‘Oh, she would be.’

‘As would you,’ he said, eyes roaming her face. ‘There are other roles…’

She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

‘I’ll find another job,’ she said. ‘When I’m ready.

But for now, if I’m completely honest, I’d like to focus on this.

’ She gestured from herself to him. ‘For the first time in my life, I feel happy, and I feel loved, and I feel as though when I’m with you, I’m right exactly where I’m meant to be.

I’d sort of like to just soak that up for a while. Does that sound weird?’

‘ Agapaméni , it sounds perfect.’ And he reached down then, to the side of her bed, pulling his pants up and rifling through the pockets to remove a black velvet box.

‘I didn’t come here holding any hopes,’ he promised.

‘Well, maybe a very small hope, based on what a kind and forgiving, and generous-hearted angel you are. But if there was any chance that you might agree to marry me, I wanted to have this to give to you.’

He popped open the black velvet box to reveal an enormous diamond ring encircled by sapphires. ‘It was my grandmother’s,’ he said, voice a little thick.

Her eyes were filled with moisture as she extended a shaking hand towards him, so that he could slip the ring in place. It fit like a glove.

‘I have my mother’s ring, too, but my father has asked that he be allowed to give that to you—to welcome you to the family.’

‘The family,’ she breathed out, and then fell back against Zeus’s chest, a smile stretched from ear to ear. Yes, she was just perfectly, exactly where she wanted to be.