Chapter 5 Premium Service Comes With Sons
Arielle practically bounced down the stairs.
Carefully. Gracefully. As if she hadn’t just spent the last hour internally panicking over her sons’ gym bodies.
The air smelled faintly of coffee, freshly baked bread, and…
money. Rich, luxurious, obvious money. Her phone buzzed again.
Allowance credited.
Shopping budget refreshed.
Arielle blinked. “…Okay. This is insane. Premium service really exists.”
She couldn’t help but grin.
Her mind raced.
Lip balm. New shoes.
Skincare I didn’t even know existed. This…
is the life.
She made her way to the kitchen.
That’s when she noticed them—her sons. Not in a threatening, gym-leering way, but casual.
Domestic. Real.
Darian was leaning against the counter, scrolling through his phone.
Rhett was brewing coffee like he actually knew how to make the perfect cup.
Zayden was meticulously arranging fruit on a tray, and Emrys…
was humming while neatly folding napkins.
Arielle froze.
Wait.
Is this…
too much?
Her inner monologue screamed:
Okay. Do NOT think about their arms. Do NOT think about their… abs. Focus. Remember: motherly concern. Motherly concern. Not… wow-those-biceps…
She cleared her throat. “Uh… good morning, boys.”
All four looked up. Their expressions were a mixture of calm curiosity and… genuine warmth.
“Morning, Mom,” Darian said casually.
“Did you sleep well?” Rhett added.
“Everything okay?” Zayden asked, eyebrows raised.
“Breakfast?” Emrys chimed in, neatly placing a tray on the table.
Arielle’s mouth went dry. “…I—yes. Everything’s fine. Fine. Totally fine. I just… wanted to see how you all are doing.”
She sank into a chair, praying her voice sounded normal.
Mother mode. Activate. Do NOT betray your inner fangirl screaming at your sons’ perfection.
Breakfast was surprisingly casual. They chatted lightly about work, gym routines, and her “plans for the day,” which really meant shopping.
Arielle noticed how comfortable they were around her now—touching objects in the kitchen, leaning casually in chairs, even making small jokes.
Her inner monologue ran wild.
Am I… supposed to enjoy this? Am I… enjoying this?
She shook her head. “Stop thinking, Arielle. Just… enjoy the free money. Yes. Free money. Shopping. Focus. Premium perks only.”
When breakfast ended, Emrys offered to drive her to the mall.
Rhett offered to come as “backup,” Zayden offered advice on what to pick first, and Darian… silently watched her, faintly smiling.
Okay. This is dangerous.
She grabbed her purse and walked toward the car, mentally reminding herself: Focus on shopping, ignore your thoughts, survive the sons’ attention.
Inside the car, the boys bickered lightly over who would sit in the passenger seat and who would handle the music.
Arielle smiled faintly, feeling… oddly content.
This was not her old life. Not her apartment.
Not her small salary. Not her lonely routines.
This was premium chaos, and somehow, she loved it.
But don’t get distracted, she reminded herself, gripping her shopping list.
You are the mother now. Remember that. Focus on mission: buy things.
And as the car rolled toward the luxury mall, Arielle felt a spark of excitement.
This is going to be fun.