At work, Celia was having a whirlwind of a day, busy, demanding, yet surprisingly exhilarating. Her mind felt sharp, her energy high. She had just wrapped up her final meeting and returned to her desk to finish some outstanding tasks. By the time she completed her to-do list, there were still two hours left before official closing time.With nothing urgent on her plate, she decided to use the downtime to socialize and get more familiar with her colleagues. She allowed herself to relax and engage in casual conversation, sharing a few laughs and learning about everyone’s roles. The hours passed more quickly than she expected.Finally, it was time to leave. She gathered her things, stepped outside, and pulled out her phone to request an Uber. A moment later, headlights flashed nearby, and a familiar car slowed beside her. The window rolled down to reveal Viktor behind the wheel.“Don’t you want to leave now?” he asked, arching a brow.“Yes,” she smiled, “I’m waiting for my Uber to arrive
Back at Rafael’s mansion, he remained sound asleep until the clock struck 10:30 a.m. As predicted, the pain in his knee had lessened noticeably. With a groggy stretch and a small grunt, he swung his legs off the bed and carefully stood, testing his weight. After brushing his teeth, he strolled down the hallway and stopped by Celia’s room. He knocked lightly.Silence.He waited a moment before knocking again, a little firmer this time. Still, no answer.He frowned and pulled out his phone to call her. It rang twice, then went unanswered.“Did she fucking leave for work?” he said to himself, rubbing a hand over his jaw.He turned and made his way downstairs to the dining area, where the chef promptly served his breakfast. She gave a cautious smile as she placed the plate before him.“I was expecting you to ask me to bring this to your room, sir,” she said, her tone respectful but edged with a nervous tremor. The staff never really talked much with Rafael, not because he mistreated them,
Celia slipped her clothes back on and quietly left the room, returning a few moments later with a bowl of warm water, carefully mixed to the right temperature. She dipped a soft towel into it, twisted it, and began to gently clean Rafael’s body. Bathing him completely wasn’t an option with the bandages covering his knee and side, so she worked around them with delicate care, her touch slow and considerate.Rafael watched her through half opened eyes, his expression softening. “This reminds me of that night,” he said.Celia didn’t look up. “What night?” she asked, feigning innocence even though a knowing smile appeared at the corners of her lips“The night we met,” he said quietly, his voice laced with something almost nostalgic. He reached out and ruffled her hair gently, like she was something precious, a soft smile playing at his lips.She laughed, brushing his hand away playfully. “That night changed everything.”“Yeah,” he said, his gaze fixed on her. “My life is different now.”“
The chef soon came in, balancing a tray of steaming dishes and carefully setting it down on the table nearby. The rich aroma of spices and fresh herbs filled the room. Rafael’s eyes lit up immediately.“Wow,” he murmured, a wide smile tugging at his lips as he took in the sight of the meal.“She made it,” the chef said proudly, nodding toward Celia, who was still curled up on the bed with her legs tucked beneath her.“You did?” Rafael asked, a spark of amused surprise dancing in his eyes.Celia gave a modest nod, her lips curving into a shy smile.The chef gave a brief grin, clearly pleased with the reaction, and quietly slipped out of the room to give them privacy.Rafael reached for his fork, ready to dig in, but Celia reached out and gently caught his hand mid-motion.“Your medications first, baby,” she said firmly, her voice sweet.Rafael let out a dramatic sigh, his shoulders slumping. “I don’t need them. I will be fine by tomorrow, latest.”“You still have to take them, strong m
After they arrived home, the house settled into a quiet lull. Lilly didn’t stay long, barely half an hour passed before she hugged Celia tightly and made her way back to her own destination. The farewell was warm but brief, and once the door closed behind her, the silence deepened again.Not one to sit still with her thoughts, Celia moved to her room to change into something more comfortable, a soft cotton top and lounge pants before heading straight to the kitchen. She needed to keep her hands busy, her mind occupied.As she stepped inside, the warm scent of herbs and simmering broth lingered in the air. The senior chef, a kind woman with salt-and-pepper hair tucked neatly under a net cap, turned and offered a respectful smile.“Good day, ma’am.”Celia returned the smile. “What’s he having for dinner tonight?”Before the chef could answer, Celia gently cut in, her tone softer now. “Actually, I would love to prepare his dinner.”The woman blinked, surprised. “I wouldn’t want you to b
The three of them spent nearly three hours in each other’s company, laughter bouncing off the walls as they reminisced, joked, and shared quiet moments of affection. It was the kind of rare, peaceful afternoon that stitched itself into memory, simple, but cherished.But as the sun began to dip lower in the sky, time started catching up with them.“You should go freshen up,” Celia said, glancing at the time displayed on her phone.Nico sprang to his feet with a grin. “Right. I don’t want to be late.” He jogged off toward his room, a small bounce in his step.Lilly watched him go, smiling softly. “I still can’t believe all of this is happening,” she said, her voice filled with quiet wonder.“I know,” Celia replied, her tone mirroring the same disbelief. “It feels surreal.”“We should get ready too,” Lilly said, rising to her feet.“You and I at the same time?” Celia teased, raising a brow.“I didn’t say that,” Lilly laughed, “but it’s not a bad idea.”Celia winked. “Exactly what I was t