Chapter 12
Kinsley slept soundly.
It was hard to say whether it was the comfort of moving away from the edge of the bed, or the newfound peace of mind that kept her there.
She woke up early.
When she opened her eyes, Aaron was still fast asleep.
His chest rose and fell in a rhythmic cadence, his usually sharp, piercing eyes were softly closed, and his entire demeanor seemed far gentler in the quiet of the morning.
A handsome face really does wonders for the mood.
Kinsley began to reflect on how they should navigate their future.
The way he had strained to suppress his own desire last night felt like a velvet paw batting softly at her heart.
Truth be told, Aaron was a decent man—at least, he hadn’t forced himself on her.
But then... it hit her: he only stopped because of what shesaid:
“Whether I want it or not doesn’t matter; the point is that you do.”
“You paid for this, so it is only right that I satisfy your desires.”
By binding intimacy to money and transactional labor, she knew she must have stung his pride.
After all, he likely loathed the idea of being reduced to a mere client in a transaction of bodies.
That’s actually a good thing, Kinsley thought, a small smile playing on her lips.
At least he has boundaries.
And since he had them, she should maintain hers.
No testing, no expectations. Just work, nothing more.
For once a person begins to hope, greed inevitably follows.
As long as she didn’t overstep her bounds or covet what didn’t belong to her, these six months would fly by.
The morning air felt crisp.
Kinsley hummed a tune as she headed downstairs.
The kitchen was already rich with the aroma of breakfast, and the maid was bustling about.
Kinsley walked in, opened the fridge, and pulled out an egg.
“Good morning, Madam,” the maid said respectfully. “Let me handle that. How would you like it prepared?”
Kinsley picked up a skillet.
“I want to try it myself.”
A short while later, Aaron walked in.
His face was, as usual, a mask of impenetrable calm.
“Good morning, Aaron!” Kinsley chirped, full of energy.
“Morning,” he replied, his tone dismissive.
She placed a fried egg in front of him.
“I made it. Want to try?”
Aaron’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Are you trying to poison me?”
Despite the feigned disgust, he pulled the plate closer.
She sat beside him, watching with anticipation.
As his knife sliced through the yolk, it spilled out in a perfect, golden runny center.
He paused, looking up at her.
She beamed with pride.
“See? Perfect. Much prettier than what the maid makes.”
Aaron’s gaze softened.
“How did you know I liked my eggs runny?”
“You frowned when you cut into the fried egg yesterday. I just figured it out.”
A faint smile touched the corners of his mouth.
“What else did you notice?”
“You don’t like your oatmeal too mushy, and you don’t like too much butter...”
His lips quirked upward even further.
“Anything else?”
“You’re actually...”
She stopped herself.
She had been on the verge of saying, You’re actually not as cold as you pretend to be.
But the words caught in her throat.
Some things, once spoken, lose their meaning.
After a second, she pivoted:
“You take your coffee... with exactly two cubes of sugar..."
Breakfast proceeded in silence, just as she had anticipated.
If every day were like this, these six months would be a breeze.
Aaron finished his meal, picked up his tie from the side, and headed toward the door.
“Wait—”
Kinsley caught up in a few strides and took the tie from him.
“Let me do it.”
Aaron was taken aback, but he didn’t stop her.
She stood before him, her fingers deftly fastening his shirt buttons.
He tilted his chin slightly, feeling the warmth of her breath against his chest.
Even through the fabric of his shirt, it felt oddly ticklish.
He lowered his gaze to watch her.
She looped the tie, circled it, pulled it through, and tightened it.
Then, she meticulously adjusted the knot, her eyes bright and focused.
Aaron felt an urge to reach out and brush her hair back, but his fingers twitched and ultimately stayed at his side.
He suddenly sensed that she was in an exceptionally good mood today—though her smile, no matter how he looked at it, was strictly professional.
Kinsley finished the knotand smoothed his collar.
She took a half-step back, looking satisfied.
“The tie looks great. It matches the suit perfectly.”
She then rose on her tiptoes and pecked him lightly on the lips.
“I’ll make sure to do my job well every single day.”
Aaron’s expression darkened.
Kinsley checked her watch.
“Damn, I need to get going earlier today.”
She turned as if to run.
“Wait,” Aaron called out. “I haven’t even left yet. What’s the rush?”
“Don’t bother. I’ll drive myself. You’re busy, and I need to get used to managing my own time.”
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
“What do you mean, managing your own time?”
“You know, the classes, my part-time acting gigs, hanging out with friends… basically, getting back to my old life.”
She had arranged everything in her world, yet she hadn’t factored him in at all.
Aaron narrowed his eyes.
“And what about me?”
She smiled.
“You got the position you wanted. I’m not important to you anymore, but I’ll make sure to set aside enough time for you.”
Aaron felt a small fire burning in his chest.
He wanted to loosen the knot, but realizing she had just tied it, he changed his mind.
A while later, when Aaron arrived at the underground parking garage, Kinsley’s car was already gone.
He buckled his seatbelt, and his gaze lingered on the passenger seat for a moment.
Though they hadn’t been together long, he seemed to have grown accustomed to having someone sitting there.
He frowned.
Habits are never a good thing.