A series of sharp knocks echoed through the house. Inside, Jacob was doing his morning exercises with Jim, his life assistant, when he frez, and sunich. at the sudden noise.

    “I’ll get the door,” Jim said immediately,

    Ever since they returned from the hospital, Brian had assigned Jim to be Jacob’s full–time personal assistant, responsible for his meals and safety

    whenever Brian or Jessica weren’t around.

    So when someone knocked at the door, he instinctively rushed to answer. With that, he swiftly turned and headed for the door.

    Jacob trailed after him, a faint hope flickering across his young face, thinking, ‘What if it’s Mommy?‘

    As the door swung open, Jim froze, his eyes widening in shock to find Jessica standing outside. “Mrs. Atkinson, no, I meanb, /bMs. Grantb, /bgood morning.”

    Jim’s reaction was warranted. After all, it had been over a month since they’d moved here, and it was always Brian who brought Jacob over. Meanwhile, Jessica had never set foot in this ce, not even once.

    “Mommy,” Jacob eximed. The moment Jacob saw who was at the door, his eyes blit /bup like stars. Without a second thought, he pushed past Jim, reaching out eagerly to hug Jessica.

    Jessica took a step back, her gaze sweeping coldly over the empty hallway behind them and confirmed that Brian wasn’t home.

    She thought, ‘With Jacob calling out so loudly, if Brian were here, with how obsessively attentive he’s beentely, he would’vee running straight away to ask if I needed anything,‘

    Realizing this, Jessica suddenly found it utterly ridiculous that she had rushed over to knock on the door after seeing the photo.

    ‘What was I even expecting? Did I actually think Madeline would send a fake photo? How ridiculous of me.‘ With these thoughts in mind, Jessica turned and left without a word.

    “Just my luck!” Sana cursed under her breath. She ducked her head and picked up her pace, hoping to slip past him bunnoticed /bband /bbmake /bbher /b

    escape.

    But Wesley caught her arm before she could get away. “Another blind date?b” /bhe asked, staring down at her long, curled eyshes as bshe /bbkept /bher head lowered. Something twisted painfully in his chest.

    “None of your business. Let go,” Sana snapped, yanking her arm free.

    Wesley reluctantly released her, afraid he might hurt her if he held on too tight.

    The moment Sana was free, she took off running.

    Wesley didn’t hesitate–he chased after her,pletely forgetting about Brian’s request.

    When Sana realized he was following her, she ran even faster. She got lucky and spotted an empty taxi just as she burst out of the office building. She frantically waved it down and jumped inside.

    “Gob, /bbgo/b!” she urged the driver the moment she mmed the door shut.

    Wesley watched her taxi pull away and immediately ran to his own car. By the time he was driving and had merged into traffic, he finally started to calm down. He lifted one hand to cover his face, suddenly mortified.

    ‘What the hell am I doing?‘ he thought. ‘Sana probably thinks I’m some kind of creep now.‘

    Wesley knew he was beingpletely unreasonable, but as he watched the taxi ahead of him, he couldn’t bring himself to bturn /baround.

    Wesley told himself he was just going to keep an eye on things. If everything went smoothly, he wouldn’t interfere, but if something wrong, at least he’d be there to make sure she didn’t get hurt.

    Wesley owed her that much. Whether they could be together or not, he should still protect her.

    That was how Wesley rationalized it to himself as he followed Sana to arge shopping mall nearby.

    After Sana got out of her taxi, she caught sight of Wesley’s car in her peripheral vision and her face darkened. ‘This guy just won’t quit,‘ she thought.

    Sana pulled out her phone and contacted her blind dates for the next two days, asking them toe over in an hour.

    She was nning to meet three guys at once. She refused to believe she couldn’t find at least one normal person that way.

    After coordinating with the other two dates, Sana took the elevator up to the restaurant she’d booked. Her date for today had already arrived. early. One look at him made her face fall.

    ‘Are you kidding me?‘ she thought. ‘This guy’s got to be pushing 200 pounds, and he’s probably not even five feet tall. Where did he get bthe /bnerve to tell me he was six feet?‘

    And that sparse hairline on top of his head–Sana could barely stand to look at him. She forced herself to swallow her bdisgust /bband /bsat down across from him.

    “You’re Mr. Kevin Brook, right? Hello, I’m Sana,” Sana said politely.

    “Hi thereb./bb” /bKevin grinned. Sana, you’re even prettier than your photosb. /bHey, bdo /bbyou /blike bflowers/bb? /bbI /bbgot /bbstuck /bbin /bbtraffic /bbon /bbthe /bbway /bbhere /bbsol /bbdidn’t /bhave time to buy any, but if you want some I can order them right bnow/bb./bb” /b

    bKevin /bopened up ba /bdelivery app bon /bhis phone and held it out for her to see.

    Sana quietly bleaned /bbback/bb, /btrying to avoid his chubby hand that was reaching way too far across the table. “No thanks,” she said btly/bb. /bb“/bbTo /bbbe /bbhonest/b, Mr. Brook, you’re not my type. We don’t need to have dinner. I’m leaving.”

    His leering stare made her skin crawl. She couldn’t stand to sit there for another second.

    “Wait, don’t go! Ms. Gardner, I really like you. I think we should talk some more.” Kevin reached out and tried to grab her arm.

    Sana quickly pulled back to avoid his touch, but she forgot about the chair behind her. Her foot caught on the chair leg and she started bto /bbfall /bbackward, about to crash to the floor with the chair.

    “Watch out!” Wesley, who had just been about to sit down at a nearby table, immediately caught her.

    b2/2 /b