เข้าสู่ระบบEvans stepped into the narrow hall, carefully balancing two steaming mugs of black coffee, and set them down on the low wooden table. He sank onto the worn sofa across from Davis, the springs groaning beneath his weight.Davis slowly straightened his posture, adjusting to the sudden stillness of the room. "Mr. Evans," he began quietly, his tone laced with a deference he hadn't known he possessed a year ago.It struck Evans as intensely surreal. A little over twelve months ago, he had been just another line-item employee on the payroll of this young man’s vast corporate empire—working hours without Davis ever knowing his name. Now, by some twisted turn of fate, he was the grandfather to Davis Dylan’s child.The last time Evans had heard from the Dylan family was during those chaotic weeks following Chelsea’s sudden disappearance from New York. He had promised Davis he would make contact the moment he tracked her down, largely because he had seen the genuine, raw agony in the young exec
"Dad, he was about to leave," Chelsea protested, her voice tight with exasperation."Oh, sorry," Evans stammered, his gaze darting awkwardly between his daughter and Davis. The air in the narrow hallway was suffocatingly dense."I'd like to stay for coffee, sir. Thank you very much," Davis said firmly, his deep voice leaving no room for argument as he deliberately ignored Chelsea’s burning glare.Before Chelsea could fire back another refusal, a soft, preliminary purr echoed from the back bedroom, rapidly escalating into a full-throated, earsplitting shriek. The peaceful nap was officially over. Evans let out a quiet curse and quickly dashed down the hall to retrieve his granddaughter.Chelsea moaned in frustration, dropping her chin toward her chest. Beside her, Davis felt the sharp edge of his defiance instantly evaporate, replaced by a sudden, violent thrumming in his throat at the sound of the infant's distress.Moments later, Evans emerged from the hallway cradling a plump, red-f
After hours of inconsolable shrieking, little Susanne had finally succumbed to exhaustion. Evans had gently tucked her into her wooden cot, smoothing the soft blanket over her small shoulders before creeping back out to the kitchen.Chelsea sat at the small kitchen table, closed her eyes slowly, and inhaled the quiet air. These were the grueling, invisible hours where being a single mother dragged her straight to the precipice. Her face felt tight, stiffened by dry streaks of tears. Crying alongside her daughter was often all she could do when the colic flared, leaving her feeling utterly clueless and pathetically helpless.The silence settling over the shingled cottage was a pure, unadulterated bliss. She was going to give it ten minutes—just ten quiet minutes to let Susanne sink into deep sleep—before she changed into her uniform and left for her night shift. She knew how incredibly lucky she was that Eugene was her boss, granting her an extraordinary level of flexibility that no co
The sharp hiss of the pneumatic doors announced the stop, and Davis stepped down from the coast liner, the cool damp air of the evening cutting through his clothes. The bus rattled off into the twilight, leaving him on the curb with a handful of other weary passengers.He took a slow breath, pulling his hoodie tight around his neck. For a man who was used to black-car services and private drivers, riding public transit in a small town was a stark reality check. But keeping a low profile was necessary.....Was it? Chelsea had already spotted him—worse, she’d slept with him, played him like a fool, and slipped out before dawn. But if he started driving high-end rental cars around her quiet neighborhood, she would go to ground completely. He had to stay invisible until he was ready to strike.As he walked down the dimly lit pavement toward the guest house, his mind betrayed him, looping back to the night before. God, she was beautiful. The memory of her skin beneath his hands, the way s
The morning light cut through the thin hotel curtains like a pale blade, burning away the lingering shadows of the night. Chelsea’s eyes snapped open.Beside her, Davis was still deeply asleep, his broad chest rising and falling in heavy, rhythmic cycles. The sharp, bitter scent of stale scotch clung to his skin. He wouldn't be waking up anytime soon—the five shots of Hungarian liquor, combined with the absolute physical exhaustion of the night, had guaranteed a heavy hangover.This is your chance to escape, her mind screamed.She crept out from beneath the heavy duvet, slipping silently onto the cold floor. She gathered her discarded clothes scattered across the rug—her shirt, her jeans, her boots—and pulled them on with trembling, frantic haste. Every creak of the floorboards sent a sharp spike of adrenaline straight to her chest. If she left now, she could get to her father and her little girl, pack their bags, and vanish into another sleepy town before Davis even managed to pull h
"I'm so sorry, Miss Chelsea," the tired young night clerk said with a sympathetic grimace behind the hotel counter. "The storm warning brought in a rush of travelers. We’re completely filled up tonight.""That's fine, Scott," Chelsea said smoothly, hiding the spike of tension in her jaw. "Just give me my room key, please."She took the brass key card, turning to look at Davis, who was leaning heavily against the oak railing of the lobby stairs, looking thoroughly wrecked."I'll lend you my suite for the night," she said softly, reaching out to catch his elbow to steady him. "I won't be staying in it tonight anyway."Davis let out a hollow, breathy sound that might have been a scoff, allowing her to guide him up the narrow staircase. The hotel was a small, creaky affair, brimming with mid-century charm—tight stairwells, brass fixtures, and a faint smell of aged cedar and sea salt. Chelsea moved with an acute, trembling sense of urgency that didn't match her soft voice."Must be... rea
By the time Davis got to work, the ache from the morning had hardened into something sharp and reckless.It was the kind of ache he recognized too well. It settled into him the way neglect always had, carving out a familiar hollow in his chest. He had learned long ago that when something hurt and r
The words hit like a slap. “What?” Chelsea stepped closer. “Why?” “There was an environmental issue on one of the floors,” he said quietly. “They said I was responsible.” “But you weren’t,” she protested immediately. “You’ve been saying for weeks that the equipment was faulty.” “I know,” he
Chelsea bolted in through the glass doors of the clinic panting breathlessly. The clinic buzzed with controlled chaos—rolling carts, murmured diagnoses, sharp footsteps echoing down white corridors that smelled faintly of antiseptic and burnt coffee. It was nothing like the small facility she had
Chelsea’s heart was still racing when the elevator doors finally slid shut. Her cheeks were flushing red.Not because she had almost missed it—but because of him.She clutched the pink lunch bag closer to her chest, willing her breathing to slow. This was supposed to be quick. Drop off lunch. Kiss







