That evening, Adrian decided to bring Elara to his parents' house for dinner. The drive there was quiet. Elara glanced at him once or twice, sensing the thoughtfulness in his expression. He had not mentioned visiting them before, and she wondered why tonight felt different.
When they stepped out of the car, Mrs. Vale came to greet them, smiling brightly.
"Adrian! Elara! I'm so glad you both came tonight!" she said with genuine excitement.
Elara smiled, touched by the older woman's kindness. "Thank you for having me, Mrs. Vale."
"Nonsense, dear. You are practically family now," Mrs. Vale said, taking Elara's hand with affection before turning to guide her son. "Come in, Adrian. The table is ready, and your father has been waiting to see you."
Adrian's lips curved faintly. "It has been a while."
"Yes, too long," his mother said, her tone fond but chiding. "You work too much. I am glad Elara convinced you to come."
Elara blinked. "I did not—"
Mrs. Vale laughed softly. "He never visits unless someone gives him a reason."
"Come in, dinner is waiting!" Mrs. Vale said cheerfully, stepping aside to let them in.
As they entered the dining room, Mr. Vale waved from his seat with a broad grin. "You must be Elara! Come, sit down!"
Elara blinked in surprise. She had imagined a reserved businessman, but Mr. Vale's presence was bright and welcoming, his laughter filling the room.
"It is nice to meet you, Mr. Vale," she said politely as she took her seat.
"You are very lovely," he said with good-natured teasing. "What a waste, working as a caregiver for my son."
"Mr. Vale, you flatter me," Elara said, flustered but smiling.
"I really have a beautiful caregiver, do I?" Adrian said with a faint smile, his tone calm but touched with quiet amusement.
Mrs. Vale laughed. "Too bad you cannot see her."
"That only makes me more curious," Adrian replied.
Elara's cheeks flushed again. The thought of him someday truly looking at her made her heart beat faster.
At dinner, Elara quietly served Adrian, describing each dish as she placed it before him. "Grilled chicken at the center, vegetables to your right, and rice just below," she said softly.
"Thank you," he replied, his voice low and sincere.
Mrs. Vale watched them with a pleased smile. "I am so glad Adrian finally has someone who truly suits him. I can see you take good care of him, Elara."
Elara smiled politely. "I am just doing my job."
Mrs. Vale waved a hand. "Nonsense. It is more than that. You have a kind heart. I can tell."
Trying to change the subject, Elara asked, "Did you make all of this yourself, Mrs. Vale? It smells wonderful."
Mrs. Vale beamed. "Of course. Though I had some help from the housekeeper. But tell me, where were you two today? Shouldn't you have been at work?"
Adrian set down his fork. "Yuki came to the office."
Mrs. Vale looked surprised. "Oh, she did? I did not hear anything from your uncle."
"She showed up, argued with me, and left," Adrian said simply.
Mr. Vale frowned. "What happened this time?"
Adrian's tone remained calm. "Just personal matters."
Mr. Vale sighed. "You were right to be honest with her, son. Better to make things clear than let her hold onto false hope."
Elara lowered her gaze, the words sinking deeper than she expected. She could imagine Yuki's feelings for Adrian, her hurt when he rejected her. And though Elara told herself it was not her place to feel anything, she could not stop wondering how it would feel to confess her own heart, only to hear that same calm voice turn her away.
"Elara, what are you thinking about?" Mrs. Vale asked, noticing her silence.
Elara startled slightly. "Oh, I was just thinking your chicken is delicious. How did you make it?"
Mrs. Vale laughed warmly. "Don't worry, I will give you my recipe later. You can cook it for Adrian sometime. He loves my dishes."
Elara smiled. "I would love that."
Adrian's head tilted slightly toward her voice. "Then I will look forward to it."
Adrian's head tilted slightly toward her voice. Though he could not see her, there was a faint curve to his lips, a quiet warmth that made Elara's heart stumble. "Then I will look forward to it," he said.
The softness in his tone caught both Mr. and Mrs. Vale's attention. Mrs. Vale exchanged a knowing glance with her husband before smiling slyly.
"Well, would you listen to that," she said playfully. "I have not heard that tone from you in years, Adrian."
Mr. Vale chuckled. "If I did not know better, I would say our son is finally enjoying someone's company."
Elara's face flushed, and she quickly lowered her gaze.
Adrian's smile deepened slightly, his voice calm but touched with quiet amusement. "They like to embarrass me, Elara. Do not take them seriously."
"Oh, we are very serious," Mrs. Vale teased again, unable to hide her delight. "It is nice to see you smile like this, Adrian. You should bring Elara over more often."
"But tell me," Elara asked, hoping to divert the teasing, "why did Adrian move out? This house is beautiful and big. It's just the two of you."
Mrs. Vale sighed softly, her smile fading into something more thoughtful. "He wanted his own space after the accident. Said he needed time to adjust, to find his footing again. We wanted him to stay, of course, but Adrian can be very stubborn."
Mr. Vale nodded with a quiet chuckle. "He gets that from his mother."
Mrs. Vale gave him a light glare before turning back to Elara. "He said he did not want us to worry all the time. But between you and me, I think he just did not want us seeing him struggle."
Elara glanced at Adrian, who sat listening quietly. His expression was calm, but something in the set of his shoulders betrayed the faintest tension.
"I wanted to handle things on my own," Adrian said softly. "I did not want them to look at me with pity."
"Oh, Adrian," Mrs. Vale said, her voice tender. "It was never a pity. It was love."
Elara felt her chest tighten at the quiet weight of the moment. She looked at Adrian and thought how lonely he must have been before she came into his life.
Mrs. Vale smiled again, this time with warmth. "But now that you are here, dear, he seems more like himself again."
Elara managed a small smile. "I am glad I can help, even just a little."
Adrian turned his face slightly toward her, his voice low. "You have done more than you think."
Her heart skipped, and for a moment, she could not find any words at all.
The rest of dinner passed in comfortable conversation. Mr. Vale told stories about Adrian's childhood, making his son groan in mild embarrassment while Elara laughed softly at every detail. She could almost picture the young version of him, the boy who had once run freely, unaware of the shadows the future would bring.
When the dishes were cleared, Mrs. Vale stood and touched Elara's shoulder with affection. "You must visit again soon, dear. It has been such a long time since this house felt so lively."
Elara smiled. "I would love to. Thank you for having me, Mrs. Vale."
"Nonsense," the older woman said warmly. "Next time, you will not just visit. You will help me cook. I will teach you all of Adrian's favorite dishes."
Elara laughed softly. "All right. I will do my best."
"You are already doing that," Mrs. Vale said kindly. "It means more to us than you know."
Mr. Vale joined them at the door, resting a hand on his son's shoulder. "Take care of this girl, Adrian. She seems to have a good heart."
Adrian smiled faintly. "I know."
Elara blinked, caught off guard by his calm certainty. Her pulse quickened, though she tried to hide it behind a polite smile. "I will make sure he eats properly," she said lightly.
Mrs. Vale chuckled. "Good girl. You are already part of the family."
As they stepped outside, the night air was cool and still. Elara helped Adrian into the car, her movements gentle. He turned his head slightly toward her voice, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips.
"Did you enjoy yourself?" she asked quietly.
"I did," he said. "It was peaceful. Thank you for coming with me."
Elara looked at him, her heart swelling with something she could no longer name. "I can always bring you back here for dinner anytime you want," she said softly. "I never knew the feeling of having a meal together in a complete family. "
Then Adrian reached out a hand, finding her wrist with careful precision before his fingers slid down to her hand. His touch was light but steady, grounding her. "Right now, you are not alone," he said softly.
Elara's breath caught. His hand was warm, his fingers tracing the edge of her palm as if memorizing it. She looked down at their joined hands, her chest tightening with a rush of emotion she could no longer deny.
"Adrian…" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
He tilted his head toward her voice, sensing her hesitation. "What is it?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, forcing a small smile. "I just— I did not expect you to say that."
"I meant it," he said quietly. "You have been here for me, Elara. I notice more than you think."
Her heart fluttered at his words. She had never imagined he would say something like that, not in that gentle, sincere, almost intimate tone.
"I am only doing what anyone would," she murmured.
"No," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Not everyone would care the way you do."
Without thinking, Elara tightened her fingers around his, just slightly. "Then I am glad it is me," she said in a near whisper.
Adrian smiled faintly, his thumb brushing the back of her hand. "So am I."
Finally, Elara exhaled and spoke, her voice barely steady. "We should go home."
He nodded. "All right."