Elijah leaned slightly against the wall, his expression calm. “It’s a thank-you tip.”Celeste let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. “Thank you, but I can’t accept it. You’ve already paid for everything. There’s no need to give me anything extra. It’s my duty.”Elijah shook his head. “Have it. Moreover, I love how you work. I’ll take your contact and call you directly next time when there’s an issue.”Celeste hesitated for a moment before finally taking the money. “Alright. Thank you.”She then took his phone from the table, quickly typed in her number, and saved it. Handing it back to him, she said, “Now you can reach me whenever.”Elijah nodded. “Thank you, Celeste. It’s really late—are you sure you can leave safely?”Celeste smiled and waved off his concern. “Oh yes, I brought the hospital car, so that’s not a problem. I’m heading back to the hospital.”Elijah gave a small nod and walked her to the door. He watched as she got into the car and drove off before locking the main g

Elijah's eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the morning light. He blinked a few times, instinctively reaching toward the other side of the bed—only to find it empty. His brows furrowed.Sierra wasn’t there.His gaze shifted, noticing the used drip now removed and placed neatly on the nightstand. That was enough to get him fully awake. He sat up, running a hand through his hair before swinging his legs off the bed.Where did she go?Pushing himself up, he walked out of the room, his bare feet making soft sounds against the floor. As he stepped into the hallway, a faint but distinct aroma drifted toward him.Food?His eyes narrowed slightly as he followed the scent. The closer he got to the kitchen, the stronger it became—warm, rich, and unmistakably homemade. Sierra was cooking.Elijah walked toward the kitchen, the scent of rich, simmering stew filling the air. As he stepped inside, he saw Sierra standing by the stove, her back to him, completely focused on what she was making.His gaze

Sierra nodded. “Yeah, she’s with me now for the time being. You know she rents, so I figured it’s better for her to stay with me now that my parents aren’t around.”Elijah frowned slightly. “Where are your parents?”“They relocated, so I’m the one here alone,” she replied.“Really? Relocated?” He asked, his frown deepening.Sierra nodded. “Yeah, due to business and—”Before she could finish, Elijah’s phone began ringing.Elijah brought out his phone and saw an unknown number flashing on the screen. He hesitated for a second before answering."Hello, who's this?" he asked.A familiar yet unexpected voice came through the line. "Hello, Elijah. How are you? This is Sierra’s mom."Elijah's brows lifted in surprise. His gaze immediately shifted to Sierra, who was focused on the stove, unaware of the conversation. The timing was uncanny—they had just been talking about her parents, and now her mother was calling."Hello, Mom," Elijah quickly responded, adjusting his tone.Mrs. Lane’s voice

Sierra’s head shot up, eyes wide as she turned to look at Elijah, silently wondering if he was about to tell her mom about the Chris situation.Elijah met her gaze, reading the silent plea in her eyes, but instead of mentioning anything, he smirked and leaned against the counter. “Oh, I was talking about her performance last night,” he said smoothly. “She was supposed to rest, but instead, she’s up and cooking.”Sierra let out a breath of relief, but she still gave him a small glare for scaring her like that.Mrs. Lane chuckled. “Ah, I see. That does sound like my Sierra.”Mrs. Lane’s tone softened, turning serious. “Elijah, I need to ask you something.”Elijah straightened. “Go ahead, Mom.”“Please… protect Sierra for me,” she said, her voice laced with emotion. “She’s my only child. I know she’s stubborn and doesn’t always think things through, but she has a good heart. I won’t be there to watch over her, and it scares me. I need to know she’s safe.”Sierra’s breath hitched slightly

Elijah nodded, running a hand through his hair as he exhaled. “You’re right… forgive me.”He reached out, gently taking her hands in his. His touch was warm, steady—different from the intensity from moments ago. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice softer now. “It won’t happen again, alright?”Sierra looked at him, feeling a strange mix of emotions. There was guilt in his eyes, and somehow, that made her feel guilty too. She swallowed, nodding. “Alright.”She pulled her hands back, standing up. “The food is ready. Let’s go eat.”Elijah gave a small nod, watching her for a second before finally getting up to follow her.They walked to the dining hall in silence, the tension from earlier still lingering in the air.Sierra pulled out a chair. “Sit,” she said, her voice neutral.Elijah sat down, watching her as she moved around the dining table. She soon returned with the plates of food, carefully placing them in front of him. The rich aroma of the stew filled the space, making it clear she ha