That night, Ethan lay in bed, exhausted from the long, stressful day at the office. His mind was cluttered with meetings, documents, and business deals, yet none of it seemed to matter at that moment.
The only thing that gave him peace was thinking about Mia.
He sighed, staring at the ceiling. He never imagined that after everything—after she had pushed him away, after he had tried to move on—she would still be the one occupying his thoughts.
The way she had looked at him earlier that morning, the sincerity in her eyes when she said he was a good person, and the way she told him he deserved to be happy… it all played over and over in his mind.
Did she really mean that?
Ethan turned to his side, frowning. It wasn’t fair. He had spent so long trying to forget his feelings for her, convincing himself that she would never see him that way. And yet, every time she showed him kindness, it made his heart waver again.
He closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe evenly. “Forget it, Ethan,” he muttered to himself. “She’s just being nice.”
But deep down, he knew the truth—Mia was the only person who had ever made him feel seen. And no matter how much he tried to bury his feelings, they always found a way to resurface.
Later that night, Ethan sat in his living room, pretending to focus on his laptop, but his mind was elsewhere. All day, he had been expecting Mia to show up like she did yesterday morning. But she never came.
He told himself it didn’t matter, that he had no reason to expect her. But deep down, he couldn’t shake the disappointment.
His nanny, who had been with him since childhood, noticed the way he kept checking his phone, his eyes flickering to the door every now and then. She smiled knowingly.
"Young Master, are you waiting for someone?" she asked, setting a cup of tea on the table.
Ethan scoffed lightly. "No," he lied, looking away.
His nanny chuckled but said nothing more. She knew him too well.
Just as Ethan was about to return to his work, the doorbell rang. His heart skipped a beat. He tried to act normal as he walked to the door, but the moment he opened it and saw Mia standing there, his expression softened.
"You came," he said, unable to hide the small smile that tugged at his lips.
Mia gave him a tired but genuine smile. "Yeah... I just—" she hesitated, then sighed. "I just needed to be here."
Ethan stepped aside, letting her in without question. He didn't know why she came so late, but he wasn’t going to ask. All that mattered was that she was here. And for some reason, that was enough to make his entire day better.
Mia paused at the doorway, glancing between Ethan and his nanny. She had intended to leave after a short visit, but something about the way Ethan looked—like he didn’t want her to go—made her hesitate.
His nanny, ever the observant one, smiled warmly and gestured toward the dining table. "Why don’t you stay for dinner, dear? You’ve come all this way, and I made plenty of food."
Ethan didn’t say anything, but his expression seemed hopeful.
Mia hesitated, but then she nodded. "Okay… I guess I can stay for a little while."
Ethan’s face relaxed, and he motioned for her to sit. His nanny quickly set the table, bringing out steaming dishes of home-cooked food.
As they ate, Ethan found himself watching Mia more than he was eating. She looked tired, but there was something comforting about having her here, sitting across from him.
"You don’t have to force yourself to act okay," he said suddenly.
Mia looked up, surprised. "What do you mean?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair. "I can tell you’re still hurting… because of Alex."
Mia lowered her gaze to her plate, her appetite suddenly fading. "I just don’t want to think about it anymore," she admitted softly.
Ethan nodded. "Then don’t."
Mia blinked, looking at him in confusion.
He gave her a small smirk. "Think about other things instead. Like how I let you eat my dinner when I never let anyone else stay this late in my house."
Mia rolled her eyes but let out a small laugh. "Oh wow, what an honor."
Ethan chuckled, feeling a little better. At least she was smiling now. That was enough for tonight.
Mia leaned back in her chair, watching Ethan with curiosity. "So, you do feel lonely sometimes?"
Ethan sighed, resting his elbows on the table. "Yeah… I guess I do. I’ve lived in this house alone for as long as I can remember. My parents visit sometimes, but they’re always too busy with work. The only real company I have is my nanny… and now, you."
Mia blinked at his words. "Me?"
Ethan gave a small smile. "Yeah. You’ve been coming around lately, and it’s… different. Not bad, just different."
Mia looked down at her empty plate, a strange feeling settling in her chest. She had always thought of Ethan as this composed, almost untouchable person. But hearing him admit something so vulnerable made him seem… human.
"Then I’ll visit more often," she said without thinking.
Ethan raised a brow. "Huh?"
Mia suddenly realized what she had just said and cleared her throat. "I mean… if you ever feel lonely, you can call me or something."
Ethan smirked. "Are you saying you’ll keep me company?"
Mia rolled her eyes. "Don’t make it weird."
He chuckled, but there was a softness in his expression now. "Alright, I won’t."
A comfortable silence settled between them. For the first time in a long while, Mia felt at ease. And from the way Ethan looked at her, she could tell he felt the same way.