He froze mid-step, the unexpected greeting halting him in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around, and his gaze fell on Sierra.For a moment, his expression was one of pure shock. He hadn’t expected to see her again, especially here. "You..." he murmured, his surprise evident in his wide eyes.Elijah quickly composed himself, pushing aside his initial shock. "Sierra?" he said, forcing a light smile as he recognized her fully. His voice held a hint of disbelief, but he tried to mask it.Sierra walked a few steps closer to him, her smile small but noticeable. "Hi," she greeted softly, her tone polite but warm.Elijah nodded at her, his eyes momentarily studying her before speaking again. "You look...really nice," he said, gesturing slightly to her dress. "That outfit suits you. It's...beautiful.”His compliment was genuine, though he felt a little awkward saying it. His gaze lingered for a moment before he looked away, not wanting to seem too forward.Sierra smiled warmly at Elijah's compl

He paused, as if reconsidering, but instead of finishing his sentence, he shook his head and stormed off, leaving the washroom hall in silence.As Daniel stormed off, Sierra quickly turned to Elijah, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She looked down for a moment, gathering her thoughts, and then said shyly, "I’m really sorry about that. Daniel…he’s just so proud and arrogant sometimes. He overreacts, and I didn’t mean for this to happen.”Elijah studied her for a moment, his expression softening. He shook his head and offered her a reassuring smile. "It’s not your fault, Sierra. You don’t have to apologize for someone else’s behavior. Don’t worry about it."Sierra looked up at him, a hint of relief in her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly, grateful for his understanding.Elijah shrugged lightly. "People like him are everywhere. You just have to let them be. Are you okay, though?"She nodded, her smile returning faintly. "I’m fine. Just embarrassed by the whole scene.""Don’t be

Sierra’s eyes widened at his words. Boyfriend? Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she felt uneasy at the title. But as she glanced at Elijah and realized he said it to shield her, gratitude quickly replaced her discomfort.The woman crossed her arms. “Alright then, how are you planning to settle this?”The woman frowned, inspecting the damage carefully before naming a price. “It’ll be $5,200 for the repairs.” Sierra’s jaw dropped when she heard the woman mention $5,200. She stared at the relatively minor damage on both cars, her disbelief evident. “That’s way too much for something like this,” Sierra began, her tone indignant.Before she could continue, Elijah gently placed a hand on her arm. “Don’t worry,” he said calmly, cutting her off. Turning back to the woman, he added, “I’ll pay the amount you requested.”Without hesitation, Elijah pulled out his phone. His fingers moved swiftly, and within moments, he showed the woman the transfer confirmation. “It’s done,” he said

Meanwhile, as they were driving, Sierra couldn't help but glance at Elijah every now and then. His focused expression, his hands steady on the steering wheel, and the way he seemed completely absorbed in the road—everything about him felt so composed and assured.Elijah, however, was entirely focused on the road, his attention fixed ahead. He didn’t notice Sierra’s gaze, as his mind was on the drive, ensuring they got to his place safely.A few minutes later, noticing the silence in the car, Elijah turned to Sierra and broke the stillness with a casual question."So, when are you going live again?" he asked, his voice light and easy.Sierra blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the question. It took her a second to realize what he meant, then she chuckled softly. "Oh, you mean my TikTok live?" she replied, her tone more relaxed now. "Probably tomorrow or the day after. I haven't decided yet."Elijah nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You seem pretty popular there.

As they sipped their coffee, a loud clap of thunder roared outside, rattling the windows. Sierra flinched slightly, glancing toward the sound of the storm. The rain was now pouring heavily, the rhythmic patter almost drowning out the sound of the TV.She turned her gaze to Elijah, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “So… what about your parents? Where are they?” she asked softly.Elijah’s expression remained calm, but his eyes held a brief, unreadable glimmer as he looked at her. “They’re not here,” he said simply, his voice steady.Elijah’s expression remained calm, but his eyes held a brief, unreadable glimmer as he looked at her. “They’re not here,” he said simply, his voice steady.“Not here as in…?” Sierra tilted her head, trying to understand.Elijah’s expression softened as he leaned forward, placing the coffee cup on the table. “I’ve never seen my parents before,” he said, smiling faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.Sierra’s brows knitted together, her gaze filling w