LOGINFelix’s words made Miranda stop.She frowned and looked at him.“What do you mean?”Felix looked back at her. Behind the lenses, his eyes were deep, with a faint, sly smile in them.“The Chamber has been pushing a major research-support initiative lately. Your work fits the criteria perfectly, and equipment purchases are included in the budget. All I did was say a few words and connect the right people.”In other words, the Chamber was paying for it.It had nothing to do with him.To him, it was nothing more than making a quick introduction.Miranda’s frown deepened.Her voice turned serious.“You don’t have to do this. I know you’re helping me, but I don’t want you getting into trouble either. Given our relationship, this is too sensitive.”After all, it was Chamber money being used to support his ex-wife’s research.People could easily talk.It could damage his reputation.Felix’s gaze remained calm. There wasn’t the slightest hint of guilt in his eyes.“You think I’m
At six o’clock, Zac’s car stopped outside the front gate.Miranda got in, and the car headed toward a high-end restaurant downtown.She hadn’t had much time to relax lately. As she looked out at the bright neon lights and the city skyline, her mood seemed to lift a little.“Mr. Gibson is waiting for you at the restaurant on the top floor,” Zac said. “This way, Ms. Stone.”Miranda took the elevator up to the top-floor restaurant.A server led her into a private dining room. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the entire business district glittered under the night sky.Felix was sitting on the sofa, waiting for her.“You’re here,” he said, looking up.There was a warm smile in his eyes.He had taken off his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, making him look a little more relaxed than usual. The glasses still rested on the bridge of his nose.Then he folded the arms of the glasses and slipped them into his shirt pocket.“Are you free after dinner?”
Miranda didn’t even have time to answer the call.Clutching her phone, she hurried downstairs, pushed open the door to Felix’s side of the house, and rushed up to his second-floor master bedroom.She was moving too fast.The moment she stepped into the bedroom, she crashed straight into a solid chest.Felix was clearly startled too. He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, stopping her from stumbling backward.Miranda looked up in shock and met his eyes.Felix was dressed in a charcoal-gray suit, his hair neatly styled. Aside from the slight pallor of his face, he had regained his usual cold, polished image as a businessman.But now, as he looked down at the woman in his arms, breathless and anxious, a faint smile flickered in his eyes.No matter how heartless her words sounded, her actions couldn’t lie.She still cared about him.Miranda stepped back.Felix calmly adjusted his cuff links. Clearly, he was getting ready to go out.“You’re still sick. Where are you going?”
Miranda had no choice but to help Felix into his bedroom.He sat down on the bed, then lay on his side facing her.“Can you stay?” he asked quietly.Miranda nodded.“Okay. I’ll stay. Go to sleep.”Only then did Felix close his eyes.After the past few days of handling the funeral, plus an entire night of fever, he was truly exhausted. Before long, his breathing grew deep and even.But even in sleep, his brows remained faintly furrowed, as if he was still worried about something.Miranda sat down in the armchair by the window. Resting her chin in one hand, she looked at the man on the bed, her emotions tangled.Outside, the rain was still falling.Soft. Steady. Restless.Just like her heart.Mrs. Gibson Sr.’s final words and Melanie’s remarks only made Miranda more certain of her decision.Some feelings were only temporary obsessions.Felix cared about her. Maybe there was still affection from their past between them, but she didn’t believe he truly couldn’t live without h
Miranda froze for several seconds.She didn’t even check right away.But she knew that even if Felix really was crying from grief, it could be because of Mrs. Gibson Sr.’s death.For the past few days, he had looked indestructible in front of everyone. Maybe that had only trapped all his grief inside, leaving him with nowhere to let it out.No matter what the reason was, Miranda’s heart was thrown into chaos.“Felix, don’t do this.”She slowly lifted her head and saw that his eyes were closed. Beneath his thick lashes, there was a clear trace of tears on his face. Even now, the corners of his eyes were still damp.Miranda hesitated, then raised her hand and gently wiped the corner of his eye with her thumb.“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said softly.Felix opened his dark, deep-set eyes and looked at her.A sharp flicker of resentment passed through his gaze.Clearly, that wasn’t what had hurt him.He pulled her tightly into his arms again and buried his face even deeper ag
Miranda pulled her hand back.She looked at him without looking away.“Yes,” she said. “I meant it.”Felix’s throat moved.Pain flashed through his eyes.His body was burning with fever, but his heart felt cold and heavy, as if every beat dragged pain through him.“Let’s get your fever down first,” Miranda said as she wrapped the cord around the hair dryer and walked toward the bathroom. “We can talk after you’re feeling better.”When she came back, Felix was still sitting there.He hadn’t moved at all.Clearly, he was brooding.“Why?” Felix looked up at her, refusing to let it go. “There has to be a reason you said all that to me, right?”Miranda frowned slightly, but her voice softened.“Felix, not now. Let’s wait until your fever goes down and you’ve had some rest, okay?”Felix suddenly stood.His tall frame moved toward her, bringing a quiet pressure with it. His voice was bitter and self-mocking.“You think I care about a fever right now?”Miranda thought about how
“Let Dr. Liam know we’ll have a meeting this afternoon,” Miranda said evenly. “And ask her to have Felix come as well.”Adrian nodded and left the lab. Miranda leaned against the workstation, her expression tense. Her thoughts drifted to the woman at the hospital waiting for the new drug, the despe
Miranda got into her car and pulled out her phone to send a message to Mike.“Mr. Lloyd, today’s your birthday, isn’t it?”His reply came almost instantly.“You actually remembered?”She could feel the surprise and genuine delight in in his message.He had only mentioned it once during their ph
“Yeah!” Mia said innocently. “She told me she’s going to take me to the amusement park next time.”When the light turned red, Miranda stopped the car and looked at Mia seriously. “Mia, if someone gives you a gift, you have to ask me first before accepting it, okay?”“But Aunt Xena isn’t just someo
Miranda smiled. “Of course I’d love to.”In the kitchen, Leo tied on an apron with practiced ease. His fingers moved confidently as he chopped vegetables. Miranda stood beside him rinsing greens, and they worked together in quiet rhythm.She hadn’t expected him to be such a good cook. Leo explaine







