(Aya’s POV) “Did your dog die?” Rica chuckled. My forty-year-old classmate climbed the staircase beside me, and together, we walked to the hall demonstration kitchen for our freestyle cooking. Like me, Rica struggled financially, letting her kids finish high school before she decided to go back to school. “Just nervous,” I smiled sadly and sighed as I pushed the hall door and held it for her, letting Rica enter first before I stepped inside. “I know,” she rolled her eyes, breathing out. “But Aya, you had an edge working in a fine dining restaurant. Unlike me.” My lips puckered, wishing it was the case, but the truth was I felt empty, unhappy, and not inspired to cook today. When I woke up this morning, Red wasn’t beside me anymore. He was again talking to Scarlett’s picture and murmuring his never-ending love for her when I peered at his office earlier. “Are you jealous?” Leslie asked me when I called earlier to inform her I would return the money I borrowed yesterday. “Jealous

(Aya’s POV)“Flavorful,” I murmured as I rested my palm on Red’s chest, gently pushing him away from me.The plan was to clutch his shirt, pull him closer to me, and deepen the kiss, but I eased back while I still could. Although my heart was pounding in my chest hard, and its lub-dub sound was too loud, I drew out the remaining sanity I had in my brain to move away from him. “Just flavorful?” He chuckled, his finger rubbing his chin, as he leaned on the car door. “A pinch of salt was added, that’s why,” I sighed, reaching for the door handle.Red caught my wrist and pressed his soft lips on the back of my hand. “Congratulations, Aya! Sorry for what Violet did,” he muttered as he kissed my forehead.My mouth released a low growl. “You don’t need to be extra sweet, Red.”This man should stop kissing me because my body tingled every time his lips touched me, feeling the fire crawling into my skin. I brushed off his hand and reached for the door handle, but he beat me into it.“I’m n

(Aya’s POV)“Well… that’s different,” I bit my lower lip.“Don’t you love my daddy?” she asked, surprising me.Violet is turning eleven, and it was no secret how we all ended up in this situation. I blinked, unsure how many times because I didn’t know how to explain to her that she was asking me a difficult question.“We just met, Violet,” I murmured, not wanting anyone to hear us. “Besides, your father loves your mom very much. He still talks to her picture every morning.”She pressed her lips, but her creasing forehead told me she was thinking of something.“I don’t know if you understand, but I’m like an upgraded nanny supervisor, promising to stay by your dad’s side and take care of you, so Sherrilyn won’t take you from him,” I explained, but not adding the information that Red and I had to be extra sweet and pretend to be in love when we were in public.“I know.” Her lips curved into an embarrassed smile.“But we’re friends,” I assured her.“Can you convince daddy to allow me to

(Red’s POV)It was a long flight, and when Dante stopped the car in the driveway, I must be tired, imagining seeing Aya leaning on the wall, busy sketching on my drawing pad. My driver must have thought I was waiting for him to open the door because he immediately got out of the car, opening my car door for me.“What is she doing here?” I asked, not for Dante, but for myself.Still, Dante uttered his answer. “She’s always there at night, Red.”I raised my eyebrows and pressed my lips tightly. ‘Why on earth would she do that?’ I asked again, but I kept the question to myself this time. I got out of the car and walked in her direction. If I didn’t recognize my drawing pad, I would think she was answering a crossword puzzle or sudoku.“Aya,” I called when I was almost near her.“Hi!” She smiled, blushing as she kept the drawing pad behind her.“What are you doing here? Dante said you’re always here at night. Why?” My eyes narrowed as I voiced out my question.Although she was still insid

(Aya’s POV)I didn’t know how long I was sitting in the pool lounger, but when my cell phone’s alarm made a noise, I realized I had already been here for more than five hours. This was the first time I did not dream of Scarlett because I did not sleep. I could not even snatch forty winks after what happened between Red and me last night.Sighing, I reached for my phone and turned off the alarm to help prepare breakfast. When I checked on the kids in their tents, still sleeping like babies, I decided to go upstairs to our bedroom to change. I didn’t want to startle Wilma or scare the maids if I came into the kitchen in a two-piece swimsuit.As I walked past Red’s office, it was dark, so I assumed he was still in our bedroom. I opened the door quietly and tiptoed as I stepped toward the walk-in closet when I found him sleeping in the new bed. When he rolled to his other side, facing away from me, my heart stopped beating as I halted, realizing he was not alone. In bed, I saw the picture