Evaline:

I bent down and pressed a sweet, loud kiss to my son's cheek.

"Mama needs to go out for a while, don't give too much stress to Aunt Vanessa behind my back. Okay?" I said, smiling when he smiled like he's already plotting something.

But the moment I straightened, my smile froze.

Because two steps away... standing like two perfectly carved statues... were Oscar and Kieran.

Both staring at me.

Both looking entirely too expectant.

Both clearly… in a line.

My brain stalled.

"Uh…" I blinked at them. "What are you two doing?"

Oscar lifted his hand and pointed directly at me, then tapped his cheek with the most dramatic gesture ever.

You have got to be kidding me.

I shot him a half warning glare, but he just grinned like a devil in human skin.

Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't mind giving them a kiss. But...

I subtly glanced left.

Madam Elira, Vanessa, Sera, and two other staff members were present in the living room… and while they all pretended to be busy with their own things, I knew they had all their attention on us.

Great.

Fantastic.

Wonderful.

Exactly the audience I needed while my mates behaved like toddlers at a candy counter.

But one look at Oscar with his arms crossed, eyebrow raised, and Kieran with his hands in pockets, leaning casually but eyes burning holes through me... and I knew they weren't letting me escape.

And worst of all?

River was already waiting in his car outside, and he hated being late to work.

Fantastic. Just fantastic.

With my cheeks heating up, I exhaled slowly and walked toward Oscar first... because he was the one who started this mess.

He beamed as if I'd brought him the moon when I kissed his cheek. Then he cupped my face so gently that my knees actually wobbled, and he kissed my forehead.

"I'll be waiting at home with our son," he murmured warmly.

My heart gave a little squeeze. Then I turned around and walked straight into Kieran's chest.

He smelled like midnight and heat and something that made my pulse skip inconveniently fast.

"My turn," he said softly.

I swallowed.

I pushed myself onto my tiptoes, intending to deliver the world's shortest, simplest cheek kiss...

But the man had other plans.

His hand slid around my waist, the other cupped the back of my head, and he pulled me in.

And then he kissed me.

Not a peck.

Not a quick kiss.

A real one.

Long.

Deep.

And unmistakably involving tongue.

My entire body turned into a live wire of embarrassment and heat.

I heard someone choke on air behind me... probably Vanessa... and someone else's muffled coughing. And I knew... knew everybody was watching.

By the time Kieran finally let me go, I was redder than a tomato.

I didn't wait another second.

I spun around, practically fled out the door, and half-ran toward the black car waiting right in front of the porch.

I yanked the door open and sank into the backseat, burying my face in my hands.

River didn't look up, his eyes still on the tablet in his hands. But his lips twitched.

Oh no.

He definitely saw everything.

The living room's outer wall was glass.

He saw everything.

He didn't say anything though, just cleared his throat and tapped the tablet, a silent "seatbelt" reminder.

I buckled it on, still trying to cool my burning face.

The drive began quietly - soft, peaceful, with only the sound of the engine humming in the background. And as minutes passed, I felt my shoulders loosen and my embarrassment fade into a gentle calm.

It felt nice - returning to the place where I had spent months working. A place that had shaped me.

And today… I had a purpose.

I was going to meet Beta Orion Brown.

Talk about the job.

See if the schedule would work.

If everything aligned, I would join Alpha Ezekiel's team.

My fingers drummed lightly on my bag in excitement.

The Council Headquarters appeared in the distance - tall, sleek, the sigil shining on the glass facade. Familiar and comforting.

When the car came to a stop, River finally set his tablet aside and looked at me.

"Before you go," he murmured, leaning slightly toward me.

I blinked. "What-"

He stole a kiss.

Quick but warm... the kind of kiss that made my pulse flutter.

By the time I recovered, he was already smirking.

"Lipstick," he reminded.

Oh.

Right.

I immediately pulled out a small tube from my bag and checked my reflection in the car's window. My lips were definitely… missing half the color.

He watched me reapply it with a look that was far too satisfied.

"Done?" he asked.

I shot him a glare. "Yes."

"Good. Go."

I let out a soft sigh and stepped out of the car.

Inside the HQ, everything was familiar - the polished floors, the expensive scent, and the familiar faces of the employees moving through their tasks.

Beta Orion Brown met me near the research wing.

He turned out to be a calm, polite, intelligent man with a slight smile that made him seem far more approachable than most Betas.

"Miss Evaline," he greeted warmly. "This way please."

I followed him to one of the lounge rooms and we talked for a while - about the project, the old records they were digitizing, and the people working on it.

When I mentioned I wanted to work from 10 am to 4 pm, his brows lifted.

"That works perfectly," he said. "We don't require more than that. Sundays are off as well."

My heart nearly jumped.

"And the pay…" he mentioned the number - reasonable, especially for a temporary project like this. Better than anything I'd expected.

"Since today is Friday," he finished, "you may start Monday, if that works."

"That works perfectly," I said without hesitation.

We shook hands, and excitement bubbled in my chest.

Everything fit.

Everything aligned.

As I walked down the hallway toward the elevator, I felt light, relieved, happy.

I was so caught in my thoughts that I didn't notice someone turning the corner. And I bumped straight into him.

Hard.

The files in his hands flew in all directions, scattering across the floor.

"Oh-!" I gasped, immediately crouching. "I'm so sorry-"

But when I lifted my head to see who I'd run into…

My breath caught.