Chapter 5 When the Heart Speaks

Friday night had unfolded like a dream - one of those rare nights when everything felt effortless. The city lights, the breeze, the rooftop laughter, the way Jake looked at her like she was the only person in a world full of noise.

And now... it was Saturday morning.

Lea stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, toothbrush in hand, a sleepy smile playing on her lips. Her eyes had a glow she hadn't seen in years. A kind of quiet joy. Like a piece of her had returned after being missing for too long.

From the kitchen, the smell of pancakes drifted toward her, and she could hear Linda singing off-key to a worship song on her phone. The house felt alive - more than it had in months.

Lea washed her face, tied her hair back into a bun, and padded barefoot into the kitchen.

"You're up!" Linda exclaimed, flipping a very questionable pancake.

"I am. Barely."

"I take full credit," Linda said, tossing a wink over her shoulder. "I knew that date would light a fire in you."

Lea opened the fridge, grabbing some juice. "It wasn't just a date. It was... different."

Linda handed her a plate. "How different?"

Lea thought about it. "He didn't just listen - he asked the kind of questions that made me feel seen. Like really seen."

Linda raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't feel like a project to him?"

"No," Lea said softly. "I felt like a person. Like a woman worth slowing down for."

They sat at the tiny dining table, the clinking of cutlery and soft music filling the silence. After a while, Linda leaned forward.

"You know he has money, right?"

Lea nodded slowly. "I figured."

"And you know money brings problems."

"Yes."

Linda's eyes were gentle. "So... how do you feel about him?"

Lea smiled quietly. "Terrified."

Linda blinked. "What?"

Because if this is real... then everything has to change. And if it's not... I'll have to let go of something I already started dreaming about."

Linda reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "Whatever happens, I've got you."

Across the city, Jake leaned over his gym bench, a towel draped over his shoulders, his breathing heavy after his morning reps. But it wasn't the weight training that made his chest feel tight - it was the lingering image of Lea's smile as she had said goodnight at her front gate.

She'd looked back once, just before walking in, and waved.

And somehow... that small moment had left him reeling.

He needed to talk to someone - anyone - before his brain exploded.

So, he headed home, grabbed a protein shake, and made a beeline for Mark's office.

Mark was at his desk, going through client reports. When he saw his brother's face, he immediately pushed the laptop aside.

"This better not be about the girl again," Mark said dryly.

Jake dropped into the chair opposite him. "It is."

Mark rolled his eyes. "Bro, it's been one date."

"Yeah, and I feel like I've known her forever."

Mark looked at him, intrigued now. "So what's the problem?"

Jake hesitated. "I like her. A lot. But I haven't told her anything about us. About what we do."

Mark leaned back. "You mean the occasional scamming and business laundering we've been doing since college?"

Jake winced. "Don't make it sound like that."

"That is what it is."

Jake looked down at his hands. "I want to leave it all behind."

Mark's voice sharpened. "You're not serious."

"I am."

Mark laughed - short and cold. "Because of a girl?"

"Because I want to live right. I want something... pure. Clean. Real. And she deserves that."

Mark stood and walked to the window. "And what about me? You want to walk out and leave me to clean up everything?"

"I'm not walking away from you. I'm walking toward something better. And I want you to come with me."

Mark didn't speak.

Jake stood. "Think about it."

Two days passed without contact, and Lea found herself checking her phone more often than she cared to admit. Jake hadn't called or texted since the date.

Her insecurities crept in like uninvited guests.

Maybe he changed his mind.

Maybe I said something wrong.

Maybe I'm not enough.

By the third night, she'd almost convinced herself to forget him.

Then her phone buzzed.

Jake:

Hey, stranger. I've been thinking about you... and praying. Could we talk? Somewhere quiet?

Lea read the message three times.

She took a deep breath and replied.

Lea:

Yes. Tomorrow evening?

They met at a quiet lakeside park just outside the city. The sunset glimmered across the water, casting a soft golden glow on everything. It was the kind of peaceful place you go when the world gets too loud.

Lea arrived in a pale green blouse and jeans, her hair in a loose braid. Jake was already there, sitting on a wooden bench beneath a willow tree.

He stood as she approached.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi."

They sat. The air between them was full of questions neither had yet voiced.

Finally, Jake exhaled. "I need to tell you something."

Lea looked at him, waiting.

"I didn't grow up with much," he began. "My brother and I had to make things happen. We learned how to charm, how to negotiate, how to... bend the rules."

She tilted her head, quiet.

"I've made money in ways I'm not proud of. Legal - barely - but morally... questionable."

Lea didn't interrupt.

"I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to lose you. But I also don't want to build anything with lies."

She was silent for a long moment.

Then she said, "Thank you. For your honesty."

Jake looked at her, startled. "That's it?"

"I didn't say it was easy to hear," she said gently. "But I appreciate the truth. Now I get to decide if I want to trust you."

His voice cracked slightly. "Do you?"

"I think I do," she said. "But it's not just about trust. It's about who you're becoming."

Jake's eyes glistened. "I want to be better. Not just for you. For me. For God."

Lea reached for his hand. "Then we'll grow together. Slowly. Truthfully."

And as the sun dipped behind the trees, they sat in silence, hearts beating a little steadier, breaths a little deeper - two imperfect souls, learning to speak the language of the heart.

Later that night, Maria knocked softly on Lea's door.

"Come in," Lea said, brushing her hair in the mirror.

Her mother entered, sitting on the edge of the bed. "He's serious, isn't he?"

Lea met her mother's gaze. "Yes. He is."

Maria nodded slowly. "Then let me ask you something, daughter. Not as your mother, but as your sister in Christ."

Lea smiled. "Go on."

"Does he point you toward God? Does he give you peace - not butterflies, but the kind of peace that anchors you?"

Lea thought about it. And she nodded. "Yes. Even in his flaws, I see someone who's hungry to grow."

Maria kissed her forehead. "Then I will pray for you both."

In another part of the city, Jake knelt at his bedside for the first time in years.

He didn't have all the right words. He didn't have all the answers.

But he had one prayer:

"Lord, make me worthy of the love You're letting me taste."

And the night, so often cruel and noisy, was quiet.

Because when the heart speaks, heaven listens.