The morning came sooner than Adelyn wanted.

As the sunlight streamed in through the window, she could no longer ignore it.

Groaning softly, she pushed herself up from the bed, letting the last traces of sleep fade —only for her phone on the bedside to start ringing.

Still half-asleep, she reached out and grabbed it, answering the call groggily without even checking the screen.

"Hello ... cub. What’s up?"

On the other end, Nigel pursed his lips.

"Can’t you greet me properly for once?"

Adelyn didn’t respond.

Her silence stretched just long enough to make Nigel sigh.

"Fine ... I give up. I’m not going to argue with you on this anymore. Call me whatever you want."

"Mhm ..." she hummed as if agreeing to his relenting. "When are you coming back then?"

"Huh?" he paused, clearly off guard. "Are you already missing me?"

Adelyn rolled her eyes, her drowsiness finally wearing off.

"More than missing you, I’m missing your prepared meals."

"You’re missing them?" Nigel’s voice rose a little. "I left meals prepared for all the days I’d be away. Did you finish everything already?"

She didn’t reply.

And that silence alone was enough. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"You —" he inhaled sharply. "Can you be a little mindful of your career, Grandma? If you eat like this, how are you going to build the career that’ll keep me fed?"

"Hey—since you just called me Grandma, shouldn’t you show some filial piety?" she shot back lazily. "How can you eye your Granna’s appetite?"

Then, getting out of bed, she continued, "And who said that I finished it all by myself?"

Getting out of bed, she stretched slightly before continuing,

"And who said I finished it all by myself?"

Nigel scoffed lightly without thinking much.

"If not alone, then with who else? The ghosts in your house?"

Adelyn paused —

For once, she genuinely believed that this man had an unmatched talent for getting on her nerves.

Ghosts?

Did he have to remind her of his betrayal?

"Why did you think of ghosts and not someone handsome?" she asked casually.

But a second later—

Dylan’s face flashed through her mind.

And suddenly, comparing someone of his kind of exquisite look to a ghost felt almost insulting.

"More handsome? Who?" Nigel asked, not expecting a serious answer.

But Adelyn replied smoothly,

"My boyfriend, of course."

The words rolled off her tongue so naturally that she only realized what she had said after it was already too late.

Nigel froze on the other end.

He had heard her clearly.

There was no room for misunderstanding.

Still, he asked,

"What did you say? Who ... did you share the meals with?"

Adelyn hesitated.

She didn’t know how to explain —

Or where to begin.

After a brief pause, she made a decision.

"Fine, I’m confessing to you now. You’d better not ask more."

"You —what do you mean I can’t ask more? Adelyn Grace, you didn’t —"

"I’ve got myself a boyfriend," she cut in. "One whose looks are enough to be considered the most expensive luxury in this world."

Her words might sound exaggerated —

But they weren’t entirely false.

From the very first moment she saw him, she had been captivated by his looks.

And that was exactly why she hadn’t doubted it when he claimed she had tried to take advantage of him in her delirious state.

Because any potent woman might try it if offered a chance.

And she was no exception.

But she still had her pride.

There was no way she would willingly admit it.

Especially not when she was already looking for ways to end things between them.

"Adelyn Grace," Nigel’s voice turned sharp, "are you seriously telling me not to ask more?"

Before she could respond, he continued without a pause,

"What kind of trash did you pick this time? And when exactly did you pick him?"

Adelyn opened her mouth to answer—

But then paused, processing his words.

"Wait ... did you just call him trash?"

"Given your past record, do you expect me to believe you suddenly made a better choice?"

Adelyn couldn’t refute that.

After all, her past choices weren’t exactly admirable.

Clearing her throat, she replied,

"Don’t label him yet. You don’t even know him."

"Adelyn Grace, I’ll ask you one last time —when exactly did you start this? You had barely even arrived in the city, and you already ... sigh."

She considered telling him the truth.

But then stopped.

She had already lied to him once about this.

If she suddenly confessed now, it would only make things worse.

So once again, she chose the safer path —silently promising herself she would come clean later.

"It happened recently. Just during the days ... you were away."

"Recently? While I was away?" Nigel echoed incredulously. "Do you even realize I’ve only been gone for two days?"

Adelyn scratched the corner of her brow.

Of course, she knew that.

But —

Things had escalated so quickly that even if she adjusted the timeline slightly, it didn’t feel entirely untrue.

"You could say I fell for him the moment I saw him," she said lightly. "And he didn’t resist the attraction either. Isn’t that a bit lucky?"

"You —"

Before he could continue —

Ding-dong!

The sound of the doorbell cut him off.

"Wait ... I think someone’s at the door," Adelyn said quickly, of course, to avoid his questions and lecture. "I need to check."

"We’re not done with this conversation, Lynie."

She closed her eyes briefly.

Even if they continued for another hour, it wouldn’t end.

The more she spoke, the more the lies would slip out.

And Nigel —

He knew her too well.

He would see through everything.

So the only way to keep things from spiraling was to end it here.

"We can finish this when you’re back," she said lightly. "For now, focus on whatever you’re doing. Where am i going to run off to?"

She chuckled softly.

"I’ll still be here when you return. And—"

Ding-dong!

The doorbell rang again —this time more insistently.

"For now, ther’s really someone at the door. I need to check."

Nigel exhaled sharply.

"Fine. Then wait for me. I’ll be back by tomorrow."

With that, the call finally ended.

Adellyn tossed her phone onto the bed and walked out of the room toward the door.

But the moment, she pulled it open —

She stilled.