BLURRY | SPRINA

Chapter Eighteen

San Juan, Puerto Rico
Friday
6:55 p.m.

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the beach in a soft, golden light. Trina stood with her feet buried in the sand, taking in the sound of the waves and the salty air. It was peaceful here, quieter than anything she'd experienced in weeks. She felt the tension in her shoulders start to ease, but it still clung to her — Spencer, Esme, the mess of her life back home.

Jasper unpacked their picnic basket a few steps away, his voice breaking her thoughts. "I'm telling you, the food here is something else. Wait until you try the mofongo."

Trina laughed lightly, glancing over her shoulder. "You've been hyping the food all week. I'm starting to think you're just trying to convince me to stay."

Jasper grinned, walking over to sit beside her. "Maybe I am. This place has a way of making people forget their troubles."

Trina couldn't help but smile at his easy charm. There was a calm in his presence, something that was easy to be drawn to. It wasn't like Spencer — complicated, intense, full of unspoken emotions — but she couldn't ignore the pull she felt.

They ate in silence for a while, the only sound the gentle crashing of the waves and the occasional call of a distant bird. Trina tried to let herself enjoy the moment, but her mind kept drifting back to Port Charles, back to everything that had led her here.

"You okay?" Jasper asked, his voice softer than before, like he sensed her unease.

Trina sighed, staring out at the ocean. "I don't know. I'm trying to be, but it's hard to turn off everything that's been going on."

"I get that," Jasper said, his voice gentle. He paused, then added, "But you're here now. Just for a little while, let yourself breathe, yeah?"

She nodded, grateful for his understanding. He wasn't pushing her, but he was giving her the space she needed to just...be. For a moment, she allowed herself to do just that — forget about Spencer.

________________________

Cassadine Industries – Victor's Office
5:55 p.m.

Spencer sat at the long, polished table in Victor Cassadine's office, pretending to listen as his great-uncle droned on about international markets and Cassadine assets. The walls were lined with bookshelves, and the air smelled of expensive cigars and aged whiskey — things that should have made him feel important, powerful even.

But all Spencer felt was distracted.

His fingers tapped restlessly against the sleek surface of the table, his mind a thousand miles away. He should be focused — Victor had made it clear that stepping into the family business was more than a privilege; it was an obligation. A responsibility to uphold the Cassadine legacy, to cement his place in the world.

But he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Trina.

She was in Puerto Rico. With Jasper.

Jasper, who had the advantage of distance, of being far away from the wreckage Spencer had left behind. Jasper, who didn't have a past with her tangled up in betrayals, manipulations, and Esme's destruction. Jasper, who got to stand next to Trina under the sun, make her smile, see her relax in ways Spencer hadn't in weeks. Jasper, who got to lay next to her and do the things Spencer only could dream about.

The thought made his stomach tighten with something ugly.

"Spencer," Victor's voice cut through his thoughts, sharp and unimpressed.

Spencer blinked, straightening in his chair. "What?"

Victor gave him a pointed look, clasping his hands in front of him. "I was asking for your thoughts on our investment in the Dubai development. Unless, of course, you were too busy sulking over your girlfriend to care about the empire you're set to inherit."

Spencer clenched his jaw, ignoring the heat creeping up his neck. "She's not my girlfriend."

Victor's eyebrows jumped, "When did you and Ms. Prince break up?"

Spencer paused.

Victor smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Although I was indeed teasing you about Ms. Robinson, it's not wise to mix up your women, nephew.."

Victor continued, "But you're right, Ms. Robinson is not your girlfriend..whose fault is that?"

Spencer's teeth pressed together, and he looked away. He hated how easily Victor read him, how he peeled back the layers Spencer tried to keep in place. He wasn't about to discuss Trina with his great-uncle — Victor was ruthless, and love had never been something he valued. To Victor, feelings were weaknesses, distractions that ruined men before they even had a chance to win.

And yet, Spencer couldn't shake the frustration bubbling inside him.

"What does it matter?" Spencer muttered, staring at the papers in front of him like they could somehow ground him. "Let's just get on with this."

Victor watched him for a long moment before sighing, shaking his head. "You've always been impulsive, Spencer. Quick to act, slow to think. I had hoped that stepping into this role after the disappearance of your father would force you to grow up."

Spencer's grip tightened on the pen in his hand, but he didn't respond.

Victor continued, his tone smooth but cutting. "Tell me, do you think Jasper is hesitating right now? Do you think he's wasting time wallowing in regret? No. He's where he wants to be, doing what he wants to do." He paused, letting the words sink in before adding, "While you're sitting here, brooding like a child."

Spencer's eyes snapped up, his chest tightening with irritation.

He knew Victor was trying to get a reaction out of him, trying to poke at the rawness he was already feeling. But it didn't change the fact that he was right.

Jasper wasn't hesitating.

And Trina was slipping further and further away.

"Do you want to be a Cassadine, or do you want to be a fool chasing after something you already lost?" Victor pressed, his voice like steel.

Spencer didn't answer right away. He forced himself to exhale, gripping the pen tighter. He wanted to say that he didn't have to choose — that he could be both. That he could hold onto Trina while stepping into the life his family had laid out for him.

But he wasn't so sure anymore.

And that terrified him.

Without looking up, he muttered, "Let's just finish this meeting."

Victor gave him a knowing look before nodding, satisfied for now. But Spencer barely heard a word for the rest of the conversation.

Because no matter how much he tried to push it down, his mind was still on Trina. And it was driving him insane.

________________________

Later, as the sky darkened and the stars began to emerge, Jasper took Trina's hand as they walked along the beach. The gentle pull of the waves at their feet felt grounding, like a tether to this small slice of peace.

"You know," he said, his voice quieter now, "I don't want to rush anything. But I like being here with you, Trina."

She looked at him, searching his face, and something in his expression made her heart soften. "I like being here with you too," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.