Vivienne had slept exceptionally well last night. It wasn't certain whether it was because of the warmth of Noah's body that was pressed against her or it was because she was too tired yesterday. Whatever the reason, it was good for her as she hadn't been able to sleep this well in a long while. And she was in such deep sleep that even when the sun rose, she didn't get up like she usually did.Noah was the first one to wake and this time, he did not dare to close his eyes again. He hugged her soft curves closer to his body and nuzzled her hair feeling content inside. He played with her curls with a lot of random thoughts but all those thoughts revolved around this woman in his arms.Noah was unable to understand how or why he was so deeply attractive to her. There was no doubt that she was a beautiful woman. And it wasn't just her outer beauty but also her heart that was too beautiful for her own good. Vivienne's lashes trembled slightly before she slowly opened her eyes. She was mom
When Vivienne changed her clothes, she found that Noah had disappeared at some point. She didn't know if he left or... She found Noah's discarded shirt that lay on the chair. As if bewitched, she picked it up and put it close to her nose, it smelled like him—woodsy, warm, with a hint of ocean breeze. As she wanted to rub her face into this comfortable smell, she immediately came back to her senses and threw the shirt away. Shaking her head, she looked around to find Noah. It was obvious that he hadn't left yet since his things were still there. Curiosity piqued, Vivienne slipped out of bed and went downstairs. Padding out into the living area, she followed the scent of freshly brewed coffee and the unmistakable sound of sizzling from the kitchen.There he was, Noah, moving around her kitchen like he owned the place—completely at ease, barefoot, his hair still tousled from sleep. His broad shoulders stretched the fabric of the white t-shirt, and there was a lightness to his movements
Vivienne leaned back, letting herself relax into the moment. There was nothing for her to do—no online meetings, no rush to complete the designs, just the simple pleasure of watching him take charge. It was odd for her, someone so used to doing everything herself, to just sit back and observe. Yet, there was something comforting about it, too. Noah moved with quiet confidence, as if he had done this a thousand times before. Every action, from cracking eggs to whisking them into a perfect scramble, was done with ease.As the smell of pancakes and bacon filled the air, Vivienne found herself mesmerized by his presence. He wasn’t just handsome in a rugged, casual way; he was thoughtful, attentive, and surprisingly skilled in the kitchen. She hadn’t expected this side of him, but it only made her admire him more."How are you so good at this?" she asked, genuinely curious. "I thought you were all about video games and work."Noah turned off the stove and plated the food with a flourish. "
After breakfast, Noah insisted on cleaning up, brushing off Vivienne’s offer to help with a wave of his hand. "Princess treatment, remember?"Vivienne leaned against the counter, sipping her coffee as she watched him. "If you keep this up, I might get used to it."Noah looked at her over his shoulder, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "That's the plan." He wiped his hands on the dishtowel before stepping closer to her, his gaze softening. "I’m not going anywhere, Viv."For a moment, the playful air between them shifted into something deeper. Noah reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his touch lingering just a little longer than necessary. "Last night…this morning," he began, his voice low, "I just want you to know I meant every bit of it."Vivienne's heart fluttered at his words, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything in response, not yet. Instead, she placed her coffee cup down and slid her arms around his neck, pulling him into a soft, lingering
Vivienne didn't take his words to heart as she commented, "I am heartless. What about that?"Noah's aura suddenly took a turn and from a casual and relaxed demeanor, he suddenly radiated an oppressive aura that pressed towards her overbearingly making Vivienne take a step back until her back hit the wall behind her.Putting his hand on the wall right by the side of her face, Noah in a low whisper, "Darling, you can invite the wolf inside the house but you can't make it go away that easily." His eyes sparkled with a teasing look as he twirled the strand of her hair around his finger saying, "If you had asked me to leave last night, I'd have done so. But now, things are different. You have already given me the clearance. Now, it's up to me when I feel like leaving."Vivienne opened her mouth in disbelief at his words and couldn't find a single word to retort right now. He was being overbearing. He was intruding into her life too. But yet, he was shamelessly righteous at the moment. Vivi
"Mr. White," after knocking on the glass door, the secretary pushed open the door. "I have brought your guest."Xavier looked up and saw the woman following behind his secretary, his face lit up with a gentle smile. The secretary froze in her place, not knowing how to react to this change in her boss who was always keeping a cold face. That tenderness in his eyes was too astonishing to her but her professional ability was strong enough for her to compose herself after a momentary lapse.Vivienne smiled at Xavier and waved her hand at him cheerfully, "Mr. White!"Xavier smiled at her strangely before shaking his head, "Come inside. Sierra, you can leave now."The secretary, Sierra gave him a nod before leaving them alone. But her eyes lingered on Vivienne until the door closed. She went back to her work desk and decided to refrain from gossiping about her boss's personal life. *Knock! Knock!*Sierra smiled once she looked at Aurora at the door. "Are you here to see Mr. White?"Aurora
"So, what happened over the weekend?" questioned Xavier as he was really curious about what his cousin had been busy with. "Where were you?""At home," answered Vivienne naturally and then bit her tongue when she realized that she told the truth so readily. Now how was she supposed to make an excuse regarding why she didn't allow him to come over when she was at home?Xavier raised his brows at her in question.Vivienne put down the coffee cup and went to sit down closer to him. She hugged his arm and acted like a clingy spirit, "Brother, I had work to finish. Suddenly inspiration struck me and I couldn't extricate myself from the designs.""Oh," was the only response Xavier gave to her. He rubbed her head softly but made sure not to ruin her hairstyle. "You are not good at lying, sweetie. You should refrain from lying."Vivienne pursed her lips when she heard that and lowered her head. She rubbed her face against his arm and said, "Brother~""I told you to learn to be coquettish not
"Is he an old friend?" inquired Xavier. "Then I really have to meet him. I have to understand why my sister who is so critical and distrustful toward every human around her has such trust in this guy. You have always been the one with a suspicious personality. I need to see what is different about this."Vivienne just sipped the coffee and commented, "This is good. Where did you get these coffee beans?""Don't change the topic and so blatantly at that too.""Don't you have some cookies for me here?"Xavier was stumped when she looked at him with eager eyes that dimmed when she realized that there were no cookies here for her. She pouted at him in grievance, "How can you do this? Did you forget about your sister so soon? You always stored cookies for me in your office. Why change so fast?"Xavier tapped her forehead, "Don't make that face with me. I didn't even know you moved here.""It's been three days since you know this!"Xavier sighed, "I didn't expect you to come over to my offic
"What's wrong with you Dad? Why do you keep staring at me so strangely?" Noah couldn't hold back from asking as the silence between them was prolonged for far too long. It made Noah feel uneasy. So, he had to ask why his father called him aside. "If you have something to say to me, just say it already."Mr. Sullivan turned around to look at his wife who was happily chatting with Vivienne and his eyes were filled with a smile. He eased up his expression and asked, "Didn't you say last time that you had no time for dating?"Noah frowned, wondering why he'd ask this question at this time. "Dad, you wanted me to go on a blind date. Why would I have time for that?" He took a pause and looked at his father suspiciously, "Don't tell me that you are still planning to get me together with your friend's daughter."Mr. Sullivan waved his hand at him saying, "I have no such plans. Last time, it was he who insisted that I should arrange a meeting between our kids and who knows they might be compat
"Can you stop sarcastic for once?" Angelina rolled her eyes at Vivienne, "Sometimes, I can't believe you studied law. How can you be so speechless at times like this? Really, the more you care, the more you can't find the right words. At times like these, you need a friend like me."Only Mr. Sullivan had seemed to notice Angelina's words when she said that Vivienne studied law. Something finally flashed through his mind and the nagging feeling that he had finally became clear now. The image of Vivienne in his mind became clearer and he understood why Vivienne seemed familiar to him all this time. The way he looked at Vivienne changed at this moment and his smile also deepened.On the other hand, Angelina turned to Jeanine and said, "Jean, this is an exquisite piece. Don't you like it?""I just said that I love it," replied Jeanine. "But you know I don't accept expensive gifts.""Just as Vivi said, it's not expensive. At least not to her. It's absolutely free.""Huh?"Jeanine was confu
With the family gathered in the cozy warmth of the living room, Jeanine decided it was time to open her birthday gifts. One by one, she unwrapped each thoughtful present, her smile growing wider with every gift. Each family member had chosen something personal. Some thoughtful trinkets, her favorite books, and cozy items were all meant to show how much they cherished her. Jeanine was never fond of fancy things and valued the thought behind each and every gift rather than its material value.And from the look of it, she could tell that all the relatives had really put their heartfelt feelings into picking gifts for her. She valued this sincerity more than anything. Since the time she had a long battle of life and death with her illness, she had come to understand what really mattered in life. To her, the people around her matter more than anything right now. That's why she didn't throw those fancy and grand parties anymore. She loved to have this cozy time with close friends and relati
Vivienne entered Noah's childhood room which seemed to have frozen in time. It was filled with his memories from high school. He must have moved out after high school and that's why the things inside his bedroom were all from the year when he was eighteen. There were awards that he had won in programming competitions. There was also his favorite basketball lying on the shelf.Surprisingly, there was only one picture in his room and that was a family photo. Vivienne didn't expect it but then again, it also didn't seem as unexpected. He was the kind of a guy who valued family which seemed to have become quite rare in this generation. There was a solid reason why she said he was a little old-fashioned. "I thought your room would be filled with posters of favorite sports players or female celebrities. Why is it so clean? My ex's childhood room was filled with everything a teenage boy would like."Noah glanced at her and sighed, "Not everyone has the same interests. I don't like cluttered
Angelina smiled mischievously as she had knowingly asked that question earlier. She might have a little less understanding of Vivienne after such a long time apart but she had figured out one thing clearly and that was Vivienne's attitude and feelings toward Noah. A lot changed but Vivienne was still wearing her own filter when she looked at Noah even now. She was so predictable.After everyone had finished their dinner and the conversation naturally lulled into a comfortable hum, Jeanine looked across the table at Noah, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Noah,” she said with a knowing smile, “why don’t you show Vivienne your old room? I’m sure she had been wanting to see where you spent your time growing up.”“Oh, nonsense,” Jeanine replied with a playful wave of her hand. “I’ve kept it exactly the way you left it. Vivienne might enjoy seeing it. Besides, it’ll give you both a little break from all the family talk.”Noah stood up, offering his hand to Vivienne. “Alright then, come on.
"Really?"Angelina was speaking with a proud smile on her face and couldn't resist sharing more about Vivienne's accomplishments with the Sullivans. "You know," she began, turning her gaze to Noah's family, "Vivienne's incredible blog is her sacred diary where she chronicles her travels around the world. It's not just your average travel diary, though. She makes it educational, weaving in the history, culture, and unique perspectives of every place she visits. It's like a guided journey that makes you see the world through a whole new lens."Jeanine's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, that sounds fascinating! I've always admired people who can share their experiences in such a vivid way," she said, clearly impressed."And it's not just a blog anymore," Angelina continued, her enthusiasm growing. "Vivi recently landed a deal to turn her blog into a travelogue! Can you believe that? It’ll be a beautifully crafted collection of all her adventures, thoughts, and the stunning views she’s cap
Mr. Sullivan, seated at the head of the table, took a moment to glance at Vivienne again, his curiosity from earlier still lingering. He leaned in slightly, his deep voice cutting through the chatter as he addressed her directly. "So, Vivienne," he began, his tone friendly but probing, "tell me a little about yourself. How did you meet Noah? I imagine there’s quite the story there.”Vivienne paused, feeling the weight of his attention, but she met his gaze with that same calm grace she’d shown before. “It’s not as interesting as you might think,” she said, a soft smile playing on her lips. “We were in high school together. Later, I moved out of the country and recently, we reconnected at Angelina's wedding."Mr. Sullivan’s eyes narrowed in a thoughtful way, though his smile remained. “High school sweethearts, then?” he mused. “That explains why Noah seems... different tonight. A little more alive, perhaps?”"You have got it all wrong, Uncle," Angelina chimed in at this moment. "In hig
As everyone gathered around the grand dining table, the air was filled with the comforting scent of roasted herbs, garlic, and a hint of sweetness that promised an unforgettable dessert. The table was a feast for the eyes. The mood was warm, with light conversation buzzing from all corners of the room. With a proud grin, he placed the cake in the center of the table, its golden layers and perfectly whipped frosting hinting at the culinary skill of the man who seemed to do everything well, from managing a law firm to baking a perfect cake. "I hope it lives up to its reputation," he said with a twinkle in his eye, looking at Jeanine, who gave him an affectionate smile, her eyes full of pride and love.The family exchanged teasing looks. Everyone knew Mr. Sullivan’s love of cooking came out only on the most special occasions. And those occasions only had something to do with his wife. Jeanine smiled fondly at her husband, touched by the thoughtful gesture as always, while Noah, leaning
Mr. Sullivan's eyes swept across the room, his sharp gaze landing on each familiar face with a warm nod until he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly in confusion. He had spotted Vivienne, the only unfamiliar face in the living room. There was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes, the kind of look he reserved for puzzles he hadn't quite figured out yet.Jeanine, catching the subtle shift in her husband's expression, stepped forward with a smile that seemed to brim with a hint of mischief. "What are you looking at? Let me introduce you to Vivienne," she said, gently touching Vivienne's shoulder. "She's Noah's girlfriend."For a split second, Richard's face froze, his eyes widening in surprise. "Girlfriend?" he echoed, his voice tinged with disbelief before a delighted smile slowly stretched across his face. "Well, now, that’s certainly a wonderful surprise."He turned his full attention to Vivienne, his stern demeanor softening as he extended his hand to her. "Vivienne, it's a pleasure to