NEVER GIVING UP ON US

Lucian nodded, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She didn't know what to make of Ace's words, or how to feel about him. A part of her still loved him, but another part was scared of getting hurt again.

As she stood there, trying to process everything, Ace reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. The touch sent shivers down her spine, and Lucian felt her heart skip a beat.

"I'll give you space, Lucian," Ace said, his voice low and husky. "But know that I'm not giving up on us. I'll be waiting for you, whenever you're ready."

With that, Ace turned and walked away, leaving Lucian feeling confused and uncertain. She watched him go, her heart heavy with emotion.

As she stood there, trying to make sense of everything, Lucian realized that she had a decision to make. She could either take a chance on Ace, and see if he had really changed, or she could walk away, and try to move on with her life.

The question was, which path would she choose?

Lucian stood there for a long time, weighing her options. She thought about all the pain Ace had caused her in the past, and how she had sworn to never let him hurt her again. But she also thought about the way he had looked at her, with such sincerity and emotion in his eyes.

As she stood there, a voice in her head kept whispering "what if?" What if Ace was telling the truth? What if he really had changed? What if they could make it work this time?

Lucian took a deep breath and tried to shake off the doubts. She knew she couldn't make a decision based on "what ifs". She needed to think about what she wanted, and what was best for her.

Just as she was starting to make up her mind, Lucian's phone buzzed with a text message. She looked down and saw that it was from Ace.

"I mean it, Lucian," the message read. "I'll be waiting for you. Always."

Lucian felt a flutter in her chest as she read the message. She couldn't help but wonder what Ace meant by "always". Was he promising to wait for her forever? Or was it just another one of his manipulative tactics?

Either way, Lucian knew she had to make a decision. She could either take a chance on Ace, or she could walk away for good.

Lucian stood there, her phone still clutched in her hand, as she tried to make up her mind. She thought about all the pros and cons, all the what-ifs and maybes.

As she stood there, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. She realized that she didn't have to make a decision right now. She could take her time, think things through, and see how things played out.

With a newfound sense of clarity, Lucian typed out a response to Ace's message. "I need time to think," she wrote. "Don't contact me for a while. I'll reach out when I'm ready."

As she hit send, Lucian felt a sense of relief wash over her. She knew she had made the right decision, at least for now.

Over the next few days, Lucian threw herself into her work and her hobbies, trying to distract herself from thoughts of Ace. She didn't hear from him, and she was grateful for the silence.

But as the days turned into weeks, Lucian began to feel a sense of restlessness. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was meant to be with Ace, that they had unfinished business to attend to.

One night, as she lay in bed, Lucian found herself wondering what Ace was doing, if he was thinking of her. She reached for her phone, her fingers hovering over the screen as she debated whether to reach out to him.

And then, just as she was about to make a decision, her phone buzzed with an incoming message. Lucian's heart skipped a beat as she saw Ace's name on the screen.

Lucian's heart skipped a beat as she read Ace's response. "No second chance, I want you," he wrote. "I want all of you, forever."

Lucian felt a shiver run down her spine as she read the words. She had been expecting him to apologize, to beg for a second chance. But instead, he was being bold, telling her that he wanted her, all of her, forever.

Lucian couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction at his words. She had always been drawn to Ace's confidence, his boldness. And now, he was being more bold than ever.

As she sat there, staring at the message on her screen, Lucian felt her heart racing with excitement. She didn't know what to do, or how to respond. But she knew one thing - she couldn't ignore Ace's message. She had to respond, had to let him know how she felt.

With trembling fingers, Lucian typed out a response. "I want you too," she wrote. "But I'm scared."

As she hit send, Lucian felt a sense of vulnerability wash over her. She had just admitted her true feelings to Ace, and she had no idea how he would respond.