Episode 4

The soft morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen window as Aria moved quietly, careful not to make too much noise. She stirred a pot on the stove, humming under her breath as she packed Axel’s lunch into his school bag.

Once she was done, she wiped her hands on a towel, glancing at the clock. “Time to wake up my little sleepyhead,” she murmured to herself.

She walked into Axel’s room, smiling at the sight of him curled up under his blanket, his hair sticking up in every direction.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Aria said gently, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “Time to wake up.”

Axel mumbled without opening his eyes, “Mommy… I want to sleep.”

Aria chuckled, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I know, baby, but you have school. Come on, let’s get you bathed, and then you can have breakfast.”

Axel finally peeked one eye open, pouting. “Can I sleep after school?”

“Yes, after school,” Aria said, laughing as she lifted him out of bed. “But first bath time.”

Minutes later, steam filled the bathroom as Aria gently washed Axel’s hair, making sure to scrub behind his ears while he wriggled impatiently.

“Hold still, Axel,” she said with a laugh.

“I am holding still,” Axel insisted, splashing his hands in the water,

Once he was clean, she dried him off, applied lotion to his arms, legs, and cheeks, and helped him into his neatly pressed school uniform. She brushed his hair neatly, slipped his socks on, and buckled his shoes.

“Handsome as always,” she said proudly, kissing his cheek.

Sit at the table while I make your breakfast,” Aria said, heading back to the kitchen.

She quickly prepared his oatmeal, stirring in strawberries and honey, then placed the warm bowl in front of him.

“Yay! Thank you, Mommy!” Axel said, digging in happily.

Aria sat across from him, sipping her tea as she watched him eat.

“Eat up, sweetheart. We need to leave soon,” she reminded.

Axel swung his legs under the chair. “Okay, Mommy! Can we get ice cream after school again?”

Aria smiled softly. “Maybe, if you’re a good boy.”

“I’m always good,” Axel said

A few hours later, Aria sat at her desk, deep in concentration and Maya slipped in without knocking, a coffee cup in hand.

“Brought you caffeine,” Maya announced, setting the cup down with a grin. “You look like you’re about to merge with that laptop.”

Aria chuckled, rubbing her temples. “I might. There’s just so much riding on this merger, Maya.”

“Yeah, yeah, but you’re a genius you’ve got this.” Maya sat across from her, leaning back casually. “So, any fun plans this weekend other than our outing ? Or is it just work?”

Aria smiled faintly. “Probably just Axel and work. That’s all I need.”

Maya raised a brow. “You do know there’s a life outside spreadsheets, right? You deserve some fun, Aria. A date, maybe?”

Aria shook her head quickly. “I’m fine. Dating isn’t… it’s not a priority.”

Maya studied her for a moment, her tone softening. “You still think about him sometimes, don’t you?”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***