Just for half a second.
Then he bent down quickly and grabbed it.
Way too quickly.
"Didn't know I still had that in there," he muttered.
"Still had that"?
I stared at him, caught between disbelief and curiosity.
"You carry two phones?" I asked, trying to keep my voice normal, though it seemed so weird to me .
He didn't answer immediately. He slipped the second phone into his other pocket like it was nothing. Like it belonged there.
"Work," he said simply.
"You're not on call today," I pressed, trying to understand.
"I know.",he replied arranging his shirt
"Then?" I asked out of curiosity.
Finally, he looked at me. And he smiled.
But it didn't reach his eyes.
"You ask a lot of questions for someone who claims she's fine," he said lightly, the corners of his mouth tugging upward, teasing but unreadable.
I laughed, though something inside me stayed stiff for a m moment
"Me? Asking questions?" I teased, trying to play it off.
"No, no, Alyssa is the only one with secrets here." I teased.
He raised a brow, that faint, knowing arch that made me swallow hard.
"Oh really?" he said, smiling wider now. "Alyssa is the one with loads of secrets."
He tapped the pocket where he had just placed the phone, punctuating his point.
"That?" I said, pointing playfully, though my pulse had jumped. That simple gesture made the air between us feel heavier.
He laughed it off easily. Too easily.
"Relax," he said. "You're overthinking again."
Overthinking. That word hit me harder than it should. My chest tightened. Of course I was overthinking. Of course I was.
He turned and headed toward the cashier before I could say anything else. He picked up the teddy bear from my hand and placed it gently on the counter.
"I'll pay," he said firmly.
"No," I replied quickly. "It's from me, I'll pay," I interrupted, softer this time, but still steady.
He studied me for a second, as if measuring whether it was worth arguing. Then he stepped back and let me.
I paid for the teddy bear, but my mind stayed tangled in the memory of that second phone. That fleeting, strange moment. "Didn't know I still had that in there."
We stepped out of the supermarket together. The sky had shifted into a rich orange, streaks of pink brushing across the horizon. Evening light stretched lazily across the parking lot. The air felt heavier somehow. More deliberate.
He opened the car door for me again.
"Thank you," I said softly.
He nodded and moved around to the driver's seat.
The drive back to the mansion was quieter than usual. Not awkward. Not tense. Just… thoughtful.
I watched the road blur past, tall buildings dissolving into it smoothly and softly.
My reflection in the window was faint, pale, tired. My thoughts jumped from one worry to the next—Robert's warning, the way Victor had looked at me when I left, Aaron reaction at the supermarket to that phone.
Too many things.
Too many men.
Too many secrets.
The mansion came into view. Calm. Almost serene. Fewer cars. Less noise. Decorations were already up for Lily's birthday tomorrow — balloons near the entrance, ribbons tied neatly along the railing. It looked perfect. Almost untouched by the earlier chaos.
We stepped out of the car.
Victor's car wasn't there.
"He's probably at the office," I whispered to myself.
Aaron glanced at me, but didn't comment.
Inside, the house felt quieter. The staff moved around softly, their footsteps almost swallowed by the thick carpet and marble. Somewhere upstairs, faint voices drifted down — probably Elena organizing something, or perhaps giving last-minute instructions for the party.
Aaron walked beside me as I headed toward my room.
"You don't have to escort me," I said lightly, trying to hide the sudden awareness of his presence.
"I know," he said simply. "I just want to."
There was something about Aaron's voice. It was so calm.
We reached my door. I pushed it open and stepped inside.
The room was washed in soft, golden light, the sun dipping lower, sending streaks across my bedspread.
Aaron lingered near the door, his posture casual, but his presence grounded the space.
"Let's continue our therapy session later," he said so softly.
"Properly."
I nodded quickly. "Yes. "Later."
After the phone incident, I noticed a subtle shift. Something in him had changed. He seemed careful now, a little guarded. As if he was measuring his steps, his words, his touch.
"Are you okay?" I asked suddenly.
He looked at me, surprised. "Me?"
"Yes," I whispered.
He hesitated. Then nodded slowly. "I'm fine."
"You sure?"
He sighed softly, stepping fully into the room.
"It's just… my mom," he admitted quietly. "She's not feeling great."
"What happened?" I asked, my heart softening.
"She has arthritis. Some days are worse than others. That second phone…" He glanced at his pocket. "I only use it to call her. It's personal."
Personal.
Hearing that, the tension inside me softened slightly.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "That must be hard."
He shrugged faintly. "You get used to it."
I stepped closer without thinking. "I understand," I whispered.
I reached for his hands. His hands were warm. Strong. Steady. Holding them did something inside me. A flutter I didn't expect. Butterflies, nervous and light, a warmth I wasn't ready for.
And then… as he held my hands, I stared at him, and Victor's face appeared in my mind, Dark, intense eyes. Commanding presence. The fire that had always made me tremble.
This… this was what I had always wanted Victor to give me. Just calm. Peace. The quiet warmth that settled your chest, the steady rhythm that slowed your pulse. Exactly what he gave my sister.
I sighed, and Aaron noticed immediately. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, lifting my jaw gently and brushing away a tear I hadn't even realized I had shed.
I sniffed, trying to smile. "Nothing," I said softly, though my lips quivered slightly.
And then… as I looked into his eyes, really looked, we stared at each other a little too long. Not in a provocative way. Not desperate.
For that moment, it felt like the world had paused. The tension, the chaos, the noise, the secrets, the guilt — all of it melted just slightly. I felt seen. I felt steady. I felt… safe.
He gently squeezed my hands again. "Take therapy seriously, Alyssa," he said softly. The way he said my name made my chest tighten.
He slowly let go and stepped back. Probably sensing the shift. Probably protecting both of us.
"Yeah," I said quietly. "I will."
He turned toward the door.
"Wait," I blurted out, panic pressing at my chest.
He paused, looking back at me.
"You're invited," I said quickly. "To the party. Lily's birthday."
He smiled properly this time. "Of course I'll be there."
There was certainty in the way he said it. Too much certainty. It made my heart ache and race at the same time.
He opened the door and stepped out.
"Goodnight, Alyssa."
"Goodnight."
The door closed gently behind him.
The room fell silent. I stood there for a moment, staring at the door. Then I slowly walked to the bed and sat down.
What was that feeling?
I pressed my hand to my chest. Butterflies. Comfort. Confusion. Guilt.
Was I replacing one intensity with another?
Was I running toward steadiness because I was tired of chaos?
Or was I starting something new without realizing it?
I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
Victor's face flashed in my mind, then Aaron.
Two very different worlds.
And somehow, I was standing between them.
I turned to my side and buried my face into the pillow.
"This is a mess," I whispered to myself.
But beneath the stress, beneath the overthinking, there was something else.
A small spark.
The way Aaron held my hands. The way he looked at me. The way he had stepped back instead of pulling me closer.
It felt different. And that difference scared me more than Victor ever had.
I rolled onto my back again and touched my cheeks. They felt warm. Too warm. I let out a soft, embarrassed laugh.
"What is wrong with you, Alyssa?" I muttered. I pinched my already-red cheeks so hard that a faint sting remained.
I pinched my cheeks again, laughing softly, embarrassed at how flustered I felt, how easily my emotions were swayed by a handhold, a look, a smile.