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PROLOGUE

❝I'M NEVER GONNA LET YOU CLOSE TO ME EVEN THOUGH YOU MEAN THE MOST TO ME.❞

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Winnie looked up at Justin through her long black eyelashes that Justin had grown to love every time their eyes locked with each other's. He didn't know what he liked more about her, it was too hard, she was a walking masterpiece.

With a small hesitation and a strong gut feeling if he didn't do it, he'd regret it, Justin placed his palm onto Winnie's soft cheek as she hummed softly as she leaned her head into the euphoric touch.

"I don't know what to say, Winnie. . ."

"Goodbye, Jay."

"No. . .I hate goodbyes." Justin speaks in a whisper and before he knows it, his other palm is touching Winnie's other cheek and cupping her beautifully sculpted jaw.

"Well how about see you later?"

Justin realized ever since his hands had touched Winnie's face, she didn't bother to make eye contact with him again — it hurt. But she wouldn't let Justin know that.

He'd only ask her to stay.

"Yeah. . .I-I like that."

Winnie smiled softly with Justin feeling her dimple form an indent in her cheeks in the process as her small hands made their way to his to rub softly.

"Jay—"

"Yes?"

In that moment, Winnie finally took the opportunity to let her beautiful brown colored eyes meet Justin's hazel ones in awe making his heart thud.

He hoped she'd say something that could make her stay, something that could change her mind, anything.

"I. . .I—"

Before Winnie knew it, her taxi had pulled up into the driveway of the beach house just a few centimeters away from Justin and Winnie.

Justin cleared his throat and regrettably dropped his palms from Winnie's face as she bit her bottom lip softly and grabbed her two black suitcases with the help of Justin getting her bags.

Once they loaded the taxi drivers trunk, Winnie walked over to the taxi driver and told him to wait a moment, he agreed with a nod as Winnie went to her bag and searched through her things.

Justin watched from afar until Winnie finally grabbed what she needed, she closed her bag back, and turned around to face Justin with a stack of papers in her grasp.

"I want you to have this."

Winnie gently placed the stack of papers into Justin's hands and watched his thick eyebrows crease and meet her eye contact.

"Your manuscript?"

Winnie smiled and nodded as she watched the corner of Justin's lips curl upwards when he looked from her to the first page of the manuscript to read the title.

Ocean Eyes

Justin's smile suddenly got wider with a small chuckle following behind it and before he knew it, he had his arms wrapped around Winnie's waist.

Of course she hugged him back — she even closed her eyes tight to prevent a tear to slip out and pray that it would last her.

It was her last time smelling Justin's great smelling cologne he wears, the last time messing with the ends of his dirty blonde hair, the last time for everything.

The two let go of each other finally and Winnie waved to Justin one last time as he watched her from somewhat of a distance back as she jumped into the taxi.

Just as the engine began to start, Winnie scooted over to the window and leaned her hands into the window and pursed her lips momentarily. "Let me know how it is?"

"Of course."

Winnie smiled wide with that beautiful smile that drove Justin crazy every time he saw it as the taxi drove off and Winnie removed herself from the window and rolled it up.

Scooting back over to her seat, she plopped down in a comfortable position as she pulled her dress down a bit and looked at her extra copy of her manuscript.

She smiled softly and rubbed her thumb over the title and bit her bottom lip softly, enjoying the silence, until the taxi driver spoke up.

"Boyfriend?"

"Excuse me?"

"Was that your boyfriend?" He asks as he gives Winnie a side glance through the mirror and turning his attention back to the road with one arm out the window.

"I'm not really sure how to answer that."

"Ah, complicated relationship, I get it."

Winnie kept quiet and bit the inside of her cheek as she rolled down the window to the right of her and stuck her arm out and made waves with it as the air touched it with no effort.

She leaned her head back and let her lips go into a thin line with her arm still out of the window as she waited for the taxi ride to end.

Meanwhile, Justin watched the taxi leave the long dirt pathway with one of his hands in the pocket of his slacks and the other holding Winnie's manuscript protectively and wary look on his face.

He just let her go.

Justin felt a pang in his chest as he creased his eyebrows and turned around to see his chauffeur, Frank, standing at the door waiting patiently for Justin to get inside.

He puffed out a breath and climbed inside while he thanked Frank making him nod and shut the door and make his way into the driver's seat and buckle up when he heard the sound of the window roll down from behind him.

"Ms. Stone seemed to be very important to you, no?"

Justin chuckled to himself as he poured himself a glass of vodka into a small glass and gulped it down quickly — not caring about the burning sensation he created in his throat.

"More like. . .the one that got away."

And indeed. . .Winnie Stone became a magnificent enigma to Justin Bieber.

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