BREAKFAST TOGETHER. YET DIVORCED.

The following morning. As the first light of dawn crept into the room, Kai stood mesmerized by the sight before him. He placed it gently on the table beside the bed a glass of apple juice. 

His gaze lingered on Tiffany, peacefully curled up in his bed. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, each breath soft and quiet. The sunlight slipped through the curtains, giving a warm glow around her. The delicate curve of her lips, the faint flutter of her eyelashes, and the blush that lingered on her cheeks. From the very first day he saw her asleep. It's a sight he loved to see. 

But suddenly, her expression changed. Her brow furrowed, and her eyes twitched beneath her closed lids. A flicker of fear flashed her face, then deepened. Whimpers, low and distressed, escaped her lips and underneath the soft blankets, her body moved restlessly. She looked like she was having a nightmare. 

Kai’s brows furrowed, and he rushed to her side, his wide eyes darting between hers, trying to figure out what to do. 

"Tiffany?" he called, his voice soft and laced with concern.

"Mom," she whimpered, her voice trembling with fear, her face squeezed, bitterness 

"Hey. Tiffany?" He gently tapped her shoulder, . Within moments, the tension seemed to dissipate, and her features softened as she eased into calmness once more. 

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open in the sunlight with confusion and warmth as the light engulfed her. The fear seemed to have melted slowly. 

Kai exhaled in relief, sitting back as she scanned the room, her brows knitting together. Her gaze finally landed on him.  

"Why…" she began, her voice hoarse. "What am I doing here? Is this a hotel?"

Kai chuckled softly, amused by her first response. "Sorry to disappoint you, but no, this is my place."

Her eyes widened slowly as she sat up, clutching the duvet. She peeked under it gently, her shoulders sagging in visible relief realizing she still wore her outfit from last night, she looked at Kai and he was dressed in a navy trousers and white shirt. 

Kai watched her closely then rose to his feet. "I’m making breakfast. Wash up and come out when you’re ready." he said casually, turned and left. 

The door clicked softly behind him.  

Tiffany let out a breath. Her gaze darted around the room until it landed on her phone, charging on the table beside the glass of apple juice. Her eyes strayed to a creamy floral dress hanging neatly.

"Oh, God," she muttered, pressing a hand to her chest. "It wasn’t a dream."

She unplugged her phone and unlocked it. A message from Naomi lit up the screen.

Naomi: Good morning, sleeping beauty. Don’t worry about the boutique. Take your time before storming out.  

Tiffany rolled her eyes, muttering, "What time?" before tossing the phone onto the bed. She grabbed her bag and began rummaging through it but paused, glancing back at the dress and the glass of juice.  

She sighed heavily and reached for the juice and downed it quickly. Its crisp, fresh sweetness soothed her heart. Kai’s obsession with apple juice first thing in the morning had always been baffling to her.  

"You might want to shower first. You look like you’re in a hurry," Kai’s gruff voice came from the doorway.  

Startled, Tiffany turned sharply, the empty glass still in her hand. Her wide brown eyes met his, locking in a silent, tense battle.  

"We didn’t do anything, if that’s what you’re worried about," Kai said, his tone calm but laced with a teasing edge. His gaze slid over her, from head to toe, before a faint smirk curved his lips.  

"I wasn’t asking that," she snapped, dropping the glass with more force than usual. "And there’s no need to prepare all this. I’m leaving."

Kai’s smirk deepened. "Just so you know, you puked on your shirt last night. I think you should change it."

Her eyes widened in horror. "What? And you left it on me?" She blurted out, realizing her words too late. 

Kai trolled further closing the distance between them, his gaze searching hers, but her cheeks flushed and she looked away as her confidence faltered.  

"I didn’t think you’d want me undressing you," he said softly, leaning just close enough to make her heart race. "Unless… you wanted that? Maybe next time I won’t hesitate."  

"That’s… that’s not what I meant!" Tiffany stammered, her voice a whisper.  

Kai straightened, his smirk never fading. "Well then, do you need me to heat the shower for you?"

Tiffany let out a frustrated sigh, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "I can handle it myself," she muttered, reaching into her purse. 

She pulled out a crisp thousand-dollar bill and held it out to him. "Here. This is for letting me use your bathroom and for the dress."

Kai glanced at the money, then chuckled, shaking his head. "I think you’d need a check if you’re paying for that dress."  

Tiffany froze. How could she have forgotten? He was a billionaire.  

"How much is it?" she asked hesitantly, her voice laced with panic.  

"I’m not sure. My designer picked it out," he replied nonchalantly, heading for the door. "Everything you need is in the bathroom. Take your time."

When the door closed, Tiffany stood frozen for a few moments, clutching the money. She sighed at her foolishness. 

Thirty minutes later, Tiffany entered the living room wearing the pastel cream dress. The neckline scooped gently and tied delicately with a thin string at the center, while the loose, puffed sleeves tapered softly at her wrists. The skirt flowed gracefully, brushing against her legs as she walked.  

She inhaled deeply, spotting Kai at the dining table, his eyes lifting and holding hers. Then, his gaze traveled from her head to her toes, lingering just a moment too long before meeting her light brown eyes.  

"How is it?" she asked, breaking the silence.  

Kai sputtered a few coughs before responding. "I didn’t think you’d need my opinion."

"It’s fashion, and you have good taste," she quipped, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "How come you’ve never considered starting a fashion line?"

Kai didn’t answer, his gaze following her as she made her way to the entrance.  

"Aren’t you going to eat?" he asked, his tone casual but questioning.  

Tiffany opened her mouth to respond, but her stomach protested loudly. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Her eyes darted to the table, where a plate of spaghetti and sauce sat waiting.  

"It won’t hurt to have breakfast," Kai said, a teasing lilt in his voice. "Even though we’re divorced." 

Tiffany shot him a dark look, hesitating but walked reluctantly toward the table, muttering under her breath. “Whatever.”

 She dropped her bag onto the spare chair and sat down. 

"Thanks for the breakfast. You... the dress. I'll send the money for the dress. About the food..." Her eyes wandered around. 

"Thinking of paying too?" Kai asked with a faint smile. Tiffany blinked, looking away. "Then, two dinners. Just two, think of it as a way to pay for the dress, that's all I need." 

Tiffany stared at him for a moment before nodding in agreement. 

"I'll drive you to work," He said excitedly. 

Tiffany’s brows raised, looking at him confused. "Why would you do that?" 

Kai froze. "Ah, I- I'm meeting up with Henry, you know Henry right?" 

Tiffany remained silent, her eyes twinkling at him. Her ringtone interrupted the sudden silence. 

"Hello?" She turned around, heading for the door. Kai followed behind, but her feet stopped at the news she received. Frustration and helplessness washing over her. 

He hands dropped, and her breath went shallow, fear etched her heart.

"Im sorry, Miss Halton, but your mother is missing. Someone seemed to have visited her... umm, Johnson Chase."