Gloria’s smile widened, revealing a warmth that softened her aristocratic features considerably.

"You’re quite adorable. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Neville’s reddened face deepened another shade.

"But seriously, with all this romance talk around, surely you would have some thoughts too, right?" Gloria continued, seemingly oblivious to his internal crisis, "I know quite a few good ones. I’d be more than happy to introduce you to someone suitable."

Something in her barely concealed eagerness and casual curiosity made Neville slightly wary.

"That’s very kind of you," he said carefully. "But I’m... not particularly interested in introductions at the moment."

Gloria’s eyes sharpened with the intensity of a predator catching the scent of prey. "Oh? And why is that? Do you have someone in mind already?"

Unwanted thoughts surfaced despite his best efforts to suppress them.

He doesn’t remember, he reminded himself harshly. It meant nothing to him. Let it go.

"No," he replied too quickly, but he didn’t care.

"No?" She tilted her head.

Neville’s footsteps didn’t slow, but something in him tightened. He kept his eyes forward, his smile stiffened.

Gloria obviously noticed, and her expression changed from curious to keenly interested.

"There is someone," she said, more statement than question.

"I’m..." Neville’s jaw tightened. "I’m just... not looking for a relationship right now."

"That’s not the same thing as not having someone in mind." She pointed out.

Neville could feel her words pressing against the walls he had carefully constructed.

"Even if I did," he said slowly, "it wouldn’t matter. Some things aren’t meant to be."

Gloria’s eyes flickered a little, and she was quiet for a long moment.

"Is it difficult to talk about?" she asked gently.

Neville’s throat tightened.

He shouldn’t be having this conversation with someone he just met.

"It’s not that it’s difficult..." he struggled to find words that wouldn’t reveal too much. "It’s complicated."

"Complicated how?" Gloria’s voice held no judgment, only curiosity.

Neville considered changing the subject, making some excuse to end this line of questioning.

He found himself blurting out, "It’s just... pointless."

Gloria tilted her head and asked, "Is he married?"

Something about her presence made the words slip out before he could stop them.

"He’s..." Neville paused, choosing his words carefully. "He’s single. No past relationships that I know of.

"Then what’s the problem? Does he not like you?"

If only it were that simple.

"It’s not about like or dislike." He said with his hands clenched slightly at his sides as he felt the hollow space in his chest. "He... there seems to be someone in his heart. Someone he’s waiting for a long time. Someone from his past.

A ghost of a person that Neville couldn’t compete with.

Understanding dawned in Gloria’s eyes. "I see. That is complicated."

"Yes."

"But have you ever tried confessing your feelings?" Gloria said, "Sometimes, the people we think we know best can surprise us. Perhaps this person he’s waiting for is just a memory, but you’re the person beside him now."

Neville felt his face flush again, but this time the heat was accompanied by a bitter ache in his chest.

He recalled those days when he accompanied Grayson—all of the things that happened between them in his penthouse.

It was like a sweet dream that seemed endless but still ended the moment Grayson woke up. Those eyes filled with confusion, wary, guarded, and somewhat hostile.

Ah, he felt like crying. But his eyes couldn’t muster up a single tear.

Gloria could see Neville’s eyes reddening at the edges.

"I..." His voice cracked slightly. He cleared his throat, fighting to keep his composure. "It’s not important anymore."

"Why?"

"He didn’t remember anything anyway." Neville’s voice came out harsher than intended. "I can’t exactly force him to remember something that, to him, never happened, right?"

"Ah." Gloria’s sigh carried the weight of understanding. "A drunken impulse?"

Close enough, but Neville just nodded, not trusting his voice.

Feeling incredibly wronged for Neville, Gloria asked, "Is there really nothing you can do? Maybe if you talk—"

"Talk? Why would we even need to talk about it?" Neville cut in, more sharply than he intended. "So he can accuse me of taking advantage of the moment when he wasn’t himself?"

"Even if he did remember, what would that change?" He struggled for words, then settled on the simplest truth. "So he could take responsibility for me out of pity?"

Neville looked at Gloria with bloodshot eyes, "This is enough for me."

The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken things.

Gloria stared at him for a long moment with an unreadable expression. Then, slowly, she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. The touch was so gentle that Neville felt something in his chest tighten and relax at the unexpected comfort.

"Oh, sweetheart." The endearment was so unexpected, so sincere, that Neville had to blink rapidly to clear the sudden burning in his eyes. "You’ve been through a lot."

"It’s fine," Neville said, his voice steadier than expected. "He’s... out of my league anyway. Someone like him would never see someone like me in that way. I just don’t want to be called a gold digger if he even remembers that."

"You seem very certain of that."

"Because it’s true." Neville managed a small, self-deprecating smile. "I’m just... me—a barely risen personal secretary with little to no assets in name.

"Meanwhile, he’s—" like the sun which this entire world orbits around. "—someone I can never reach."

Gloria was silent for a long moment. Then, she reached out to his shoulder and turned him to face her directly.

"You know, I think you’re selling yourself short, Neville," she said quietly. "I’ve only known you for a few minutes, but I can already tell you’re someone special.

"You’re smart, capable, kind—and clearly devoted to whoever this person is who’s captured your heart." She squeezed his shoulder lightly. "Don’t give up on yourself just because the situation seems impossible. Sometimes the things that seem most out of reach are the ones worth fighting for."

"That’s... a nice sentiment," Neville said with a weak smile.

"It’s the truth." Gloria released his shoulder, her amiable demeanor returning slightly. "Though I do understand that you want to protect yourself from those things. Because holding onto the rope of hope is a dangerous thing when you’re not sure it’ll be reciprocated."

You have no idea, Neville thought silently.