MasukMiranda paused.Felix only smiled at her.The two of them shook hands with the principal, and Miranda couldn’t very well correct him on the spot.The principal was in his early fifties and had previously served as the head of a well-known international elementary school. He had years of experience in education.A gentle homeroom teacher took Mia by the hand and led her to her classroom.Miranda waved goodbye to Mia and watched her small figure walk away, her heart filled with pride and a little reluctant worry.After all, Mia was starting at a new school. As parents, they couldn’t help worrying.Part of them worried about whether she would adjust well.The other part simply struggled with the anxiety of letting her go.After dropping Mia off, Miranda and Felix walked side by side toward the parking lot.“Do you need me to take you to the lab?” Felix asked.“No, it’s fine. You should go to the office.”Miranda did not want to take up his time.Especially now that she knew t
Miranda was still caught off guard when Mia took her hand and said, “Mommy, you have to say good night to Daddy too.”Only then did Miranda realize what Mia had whispered to him earlier.She held Mia’s hand and, without looking at the man beside her, said quietly, “Good night.”Then she led Mia away.When they returned to Miranda’s side of the house, Mia lifted her little head and said, “Mommy, I remember Daddy used to say good night to us every night. He used to kiss us too.”Miranda could tell Mia was thinking about the past.She gave a soft hum.“Okay.”Mia immediately bounced happily on her toes, then went upstairs to brush her teeth and get ready for bed.That night, Mia lay in Miranda’s arms, her big eyes blinking.After a while, she suddenly hugged Miranda and said in a small, hurt voice, “Mommy, I don’t ever want you and Daddy to separate again.”Mia’s sudden words were like a tiny hammer, tapping the softest part of Miranda’s heart.Her breath caught slightly, and
That evening, Mrs. Young happily prepared dinner for the three of them.Felix clearly no longer thought of himself as a guest. Even Mrs. Young had started keeping a mug ready for him in the kitchen.After her nap that afternoon, Mia was full of energy again.Miranda was a little tired, so she stayed in the small sitting area on the second floor and read. Mia took Gigi with her and went to find Felix.Miranda let her go.It wasn’t until around ten that Mia still hadn’t come back, so Miranda had no choice but to go next door and look for her.In the playroom on the second floor of Felix’s side of the house, Mia was playing house with her dolls.Felix sat lazily on the play mat beside her, his legs stretched out comfortably. He held a small toy in his hand and played along with her.“Mommy, you’re here! Come play with us!” Mia called happily.The night had turned a little cool, so Miranda had put on a light cardigan. Her long hair fell loose to her waist, making her look especial
Miranda looked up, and the two of them smiled at each other.Their eyes were filled with the joy and love of being new parents.After the video ended, Miranda’s nose suddenly stung, and her eyes grew warm.It had been three years.For three years, she had almost never dared to look back at these old videos. She had been afraid the memories would hurt too much.But now, on this quiet fall afternoon, watching the video again brought her more than pain.It brought a little bit of longing too.As it turned out, some things had never truly been forgotten.They had only been buried deep in a sealed-off corner of her heart, waiting for the right moment to break through the surface again.“What are you watching?”A low, gentle male voice suddenly sounded above her.Miranda startled and quickly locked her phone. Then she looked up.“Why are you back?”“Mia’s thirsty. I came to get her water bottle,” Felix said.His gaze fell briefly on the phone she had just shut off, but he didn’
More than that, when Leo saw the tenderness and devotion in Felix’s eyes, all he felt now was happiness for them.Some people were meant to be the center of someone else’s life.As for him, he was willing to remain a passing figure in Miranda’s story, someone who stood at the edge and watched her be happy.The three of them pulled the picnic food and the wagon toward the lawn.Gavin jogged over.“Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Gibson, Dr. Stone, our tent is over there.”Mia held Gigi’s leash in her hand, looking every bit like a proud little owner.The wetland park was beautiful in the fall.The sky was high and brilliantly blue. In the distance, wide stretches of golden reeds swayed gently in the wind, and the lake reflected the blue sky and white clouds. It was the perfect place for a fall picnic.The canopy tent Gavin had set up was spacious. Inside, there was a small table and play mats for the children.Miranda laid out the food.Everything looked delicate, colorful, and delicious.
Felix turned back to look at her, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Finally decided to take care of me?”“Do you want me to pick everything up for you?” Miranda asked, looking up at him. She knew he probably didn’t have time.“Sure,” Felix said, not bothering to be polite. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”Miranda nodded. “Okay. I’ll get what you need.”Felix watched the gentle way she answered, and his throat tightened slightly.His gaze fell to her smooth forehead, then drifted lower to her softly pressed lips. They still carried a faint rosy sheen.Tonight, she seemed especially gentle.She seemed more open to him than usual.The feeling brushed over his heart like a feather, making him want to pull her into his arms just to prove this moment was real.Miranda noticed that he still hadn’t left.Just as she lifted her head to look at him, Felix suddenly took a step toward her.Before she could react, he bent down slightly and pressed a very gentle kiss to her forehead.“Goo
“Dr. Stone, could we get your contact information?”“Yeah, is that okay?”A few good-looking college guys were the ones egging it on, all of them radiating youthful energy. The atmosphere instantly became lively.Miranda was just about to turn them down when a low, cool male voice came from behin
Leo took a small sip of his tea. “I heard Felix put a large amount of funding into DE’s brain-computer project. The shareholders at Gibson Corporation aren’t happy about it, and future funding might be affected.”Miranda frowned slightly.Leo offered a quiet reassurance. “But he should be able to
Miranda returned to her office just as Coco walked in carrying two cups of coffee. “Here,” Coco said. “I grabbed one for you too.”Miranda took the cup. “Thanks.”“These flowers are really pretty,” Coco said, admiring the bouquet on the desk.Miranda, on the other hand, found them irritating. She
In the business world, schemes and hidden agendas were everywhere.“Miranda, there’s no ulterior motive here,” Felix said, his expression as composed as ever. “I just want to leave Mia some security for the future.”Miranda frowned. She had seen Felix’s methods up close for six years. Gaining her







