Se connecterUnder Felix’s steady gaze, Miranda suddenly realized what she had just said.She turned her face away, the tips of her ears warming.“Nothing,” she muttered, then quickly walked ahead.Behind her, Felix caught up with a smile and took her hand.“Then I’ll take that as you agreeing to be responsible for me for the rest of your life.”Cornered by him, Miranda had no choice but to look up at him.She did not answer.She only smiled, her eyes carrying a soft trace of compromise.Felix froze for a second.Then he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.Just then, Gigi ran over to them with her leash in her mouth, her tail wagging happily.Felix took the leash in one hand and Miranda’s hand in the other, then walked with them into the distance.*On Monday, Miranda was on her way to the lab when her phone rang not long after she left home.It was Keith.“Ms. Stone, are you not coming to the board meeting today?”Miranda had seen the email he sent, but she hadn’t planne
But Felix reached out, slipped an arm around her waist, and kissed her forehead.“So?” he asked. “Do I look good?”Miranda laughed and pushed him lightly.“Stop it. We’re supposed to be running.”After they left the house, Gigi followed along too.The two of them jogged along the path outside the gated neighborhood. The late fall morning carried a chill, but the sunlight was warm. It fell softly over them, and a thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground, giving the quiet path a different kind of beauty.After running a little over a mile, Miranda was tired enough to slow to a walk.They sat down on a bench to rest. Leaning against Felix’s shoulder, Miranda saw a few older residents exercising not far away.For a moment, something shifted quietly in her heart.Felix followed her gaze.An older couple was walking slowly hand in hand.Felix smiled and asked, “Do you think we’ll be like that when we’re old?”Miranda’s lips curved slightly.“Maybe.”Felix suddenly took h
“No,” she said.“Anyway, it’s getting late. We can talk in person in the next day or two. You should get some rest.”James had decided it was better to end the call.Miranda could only answer, “Okay. We’ll talk in person.”After hanging up, Miranda picked up her mug and took a sip of tea. Then she glanced at the time.It was ten.She went upstairs and heard water running from the bathroom in the guest room. Felix was showering there.Miranda went back to the study and shut down her computer.She had already showered, but she wasn’t sleepy yet, so she sat in the upstairs sitting area and planned to read for a while.A short while later, Felix walked out in a set of pajamas.When he saw her reading under the light, a smile flickered in his eyes.“Done talking to James?” he asked, clearly still teasing her.“We’re done.”Miranda looked up and shot him a glare.Felix walked toward her while drying his damp hair.The couch was huge, but instead of sitting anywhere else, he in
Miranda was silent for a few seconds.Mrs. Gibson Sr.’s collection had been the work of her entire life. Her collection was filled with museum-quality pieces, from porcelain and paintings to other rare antiques. Every item had been carefully chosen and preserved over a lifetime.After thinking for a moment, Miranda said, “Then let’s keep it for now. In the future, we can pass it on to Mia and let her take care of it.”Felix looked at her and smiled.“Then I’ll build a private gallery for the two of you and have specialists manage and preserve everything.”Miranda froze slightly and looked up at him.“A private gallery?”Felix nodded.“A lot of the pieces in Grandma’s collection are museum-grade antiques. Ordinary storage conditions won’t be enough. A dedicated, climate-controlled gallery is necessary. In the future, anything you like can be added to it too.”Miranda really didn’t understand much about this, so she nodded.“Then I’ll leave it to you.”Just then, Mia came in h
Outside the window, the night deepened.Inside the room, the air grew warmer by the second.The light was dim, but Felix’s eyes were bright. Even as he kissed her, he still seemed determined to take in every expression on her face.Miranda noticed.She lifted a hand and covered his eyes, refusing to let him look.Felix let out a low laugh, his throat moving.“You won’t let me look?”Miranda didn’t answer. She only pressed her hand more firmly over his eyes.His thick lashes brushed against her palm like feathers, sending a faint tickle through her skin.Felix lowered his head. His kisses moved along the side of her neck, then to her earlobe, then her jaw.Each one felt like a spark landing against her skin.Miranda could feel the tension in his body, restrained and coiled tight, as if it might snap at any moment. Her breathing grew unsteady too.Without realizing it, her hand loosened.Felix lifted his head.There was something dark and intense in his eyes now, like a bea
Just like how he used to find his way into any meeting she attended.Even if he didn’t understand the topic, he still wanted to be there, just to hear what she had to say.But over the past three years, what he had received most from Miranda was annoyance and cold looks.Still, he had never given up.He had shamelessly kept appearing around her.And Miranda had never known how many important meetings he had pushed aside just to make it to hers. She had never known how rushed he had been on the way, all so he could arrive in time.Back then, whenever he looked at her with all that quiet affection, she would either ignore him or look at him with dislike.So all he could do was pretend to be calm.Felix gently pulled the woman beside him into his arms and said in a low voice, “Do you know how grateful I am that you didn’t actually marry someone else?”“When we got divorced, that extra clause of yours was pretty awful,” Miranda said, looking up at him.Felix suddenly hugged her t
At the restaurant, after they had placed their order, Miranda’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the message. It was from Ben.“Miranda, the afternoon meeting has been moved up to one o’clock. Please return to the office as soon as you’re done with lunch.”Miranda frowned slightly. That was sudden.“
Miranda picked up on it right away. If a company like that was investing in Zion’s lab, it actually made sense. The brain-computer interface project extended beyond medical applications. It had significant implications for aerospace development as well.“Leo, do you think this company has any conne
Miranda got back into her car. It was already 4:30 p.m., and it was time to pick up Mia. Just then, a message came in. She picked up her phone to check it, but it was not the message she had been waiting for.She let out a quiet sigh. There was still no word from Mike.Given the nature of his wo
Jacob had been looking for a chance to speak with Miranda. Seeing her standing beside Felix, he asked politely, “Mr. Gibson, may I borrow Dr. Stone for a few minutes?”Miranda paused, then heard Felix let out a light laugh. “Of course.”She turned and walked with Jacob toward the floor-to-ceiling







