Carter Mansion – Morning❄️
Aria stepped back inside the house slowly, the cold morning air still clinging to her skin. She was still wearing her soft night dress, and the chilly breeze from outside had made her arms covered in goosebumps.
But the cold wasn't the only thing making her feel uncomfortable. It was Ryan.
The way he had taken the towel from her without even looking at her. Without saying a word. Without acknowledging her existence. That silence had felt worse than any argument.
Aria closed the back door quietly behind her and leaned against it for a second. Her chest felt heavy.
"Great job, Aria…" she muttered softly to herself.
She ran a hand through her slightly messy hair and sighed. The image of his cold expression kept replaying in her mind.
She pushed herself away from the door and slowly walked upstairs. The mansion was still quiet. Too quiet. Her bare feet moved softly across the polished floor as she made her way back to her room.
The moment she entered, she went straight to the bathroom. The weather was freezing this morning, and the warmth of the shower was exactly what she needed. She turned the water on and stepped under the hot stream. Warm water poured over her shoulders, washing away the cold from outside.
Her words from last night echoed again, fueling her embarrassment and regret-she wondered if her anger had pushed her too far, making her question her own feelings.
"You should've hired a robot instead of a human."
Aria squeezed her eyes shut.
"Why did I say that…" she whispered under her breath.
She had been angry. Frustrated. But she knew she had gone too far.
Ryan wasn't the type of person who showed his emotions easily. And the way he had walked away last night… That silence had been different. Almost… hurt. The thought made her chest tighten, making the audience feel her emotional struggle and connect with her conflicted feelings.
After a while, she finally turned the water off. The bathroom filled with warm steam as she wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out. A few minutes later, she was dressed in simple but comfortable clothes. A soft sweater and jeans. Nothing fancy. Nothing complicated.
She looked at herself in the mirror briefly. Then exhaled.
"Okay," she murmured to herself. "Just act normal."
With that, she left the room and headed downstairs. The smell of coffee greeted her immediately.
Ryan sat at the table, his posture relaxed yet composed, dressed perfectly as usual-dark trousers, a fitted black shirt, his damp hair neatly styled-his calm exterior making Aria feel even more vulnerable.
Aria paused for half a second. Then walked in.
Ryan didn't look up immediately. He continued reading something on his tablet while taking a slow sip of coffee. Aria sat down quietly across from him.
A maid quickly appeared and placed breakfast in front of her. She thanked her softly before picking up her fork.
For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. The quiet clinking of utensils was the only sound in the room. Aria stole a small glance at him. He looked calm. Unbothered. Like nothing had happened. That somehow made her feel even more nervous, heightening the audience's curiosity about his composed exterior.
She cleared her throat slightly. "Um…"
Ryan finally looked up from his tablet. His eyes landed on her calmly.
"I just want to apologize for whatever I said last night," she said carefully. "I was just upset."
Ryan watched her for a moment. Then he asked— "Why are you apologizing?"
Aria blinked slightly. She hadn't expected that answer. She looked down at her plate briefly before speaking again.
"I know what I said was very unnecessary." She hesitated slightly. "And you ignored me earlier this morning… so I thought you might be angry at me."
Ryan studied her quietly. Then one corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"I never knew you could be this calm."
Aria looked up. "What happened?"
There was a faint teasing tone in his voice. Very faint. But it was there.
Aria frowned slightly. "I can be calm if I want to."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes." She leaned back slightly in her chair. "And again… I'm sorry." She paused before adding, honestly—"But I was right a bit."
Ryan's eyes narrowed slightly with interest. "About?"
She pointed her fork slightly in his direction. "Stop ignoring me."
For a split second—Ryan almost laughed. The reaction was so quick that even he barely noticed it. But instead, he just took another calm sip of his coffee.
"I didn't ignore you because of what happened."
Aria blinked in confusion. "You didn't?"
Ryan set his cup down. "If I was ignoring you because of that…" His eyes met hers. "…I wouldn't have taken the towel."
Aria stared at him. Surprised. Her mind paused for a second.
"Um… then…" She suddenly felt awkward, her cheeks flushing. Her voice wavered slightly. 'What was the reason?' Her vulnerability aimed to make the audience feel her uncertainty and emotional openness.
Ryan leaned back slightly in his chair. Completely relaxed. Completely composed. His gaze stayed on her.
"You figure it out." He said it casually before lifting his coffee again.
Aria stared at him. "What?"
Ryan took another sip. He looked way too calm. Aria squinted at him suspiciously.
"You're impossible."
Ryan didn't answer. But the faintest trace of amusement flashed in his eyes.
Aria leaned forward slightly. "No, seriously… what was it?"
Ryan placed the cup down again. "You really don't know?"
"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking."
Ryan watched her for another second. Then he said calmly, "You were staring."
Aria blinked. "What?"
"At the pool."
Her eyes widened slightly.
Ryan continued calmly. "You were staring like you forgot why you came outside."
Aria's face warmed instantly. "I was not—"
"You were."
She immediately looked down at her breakfast. "That's not true."
Ryan tilted his head slightly. "Then why were you standing there like a statue?"
Aria's ears turned red. "I was just bringing the towel."
"Sure."
She looked up at him again. "You're unbelievable."
Ryan calmly picked up his tablet again. "And you were staring."
Aria grabbed her glass of juice quickly to avoid looking at him. Her heart was beating a little faster now. Why was this conversation suddenly so embarrassing?
Ryan glanced at her again from the corner of his eye. Her flustered expression stirred something unfamiliar inside his chest. Because the real reason he had ignored her earlier that morning… was something he would never say out loud.
The image of her standing outside by the pool in that thin, short night dress had caught him completely off guard. Too close. Too tempting. Too distracting. Looking at her like that would have been a very bad idea. So instead… he chose the safer option. He didn't look at her at all.
Ryan pushed that thought away immediately and returned his attention to the tablet in his hands.
Across the table, Aria was still trying to understand his strange answer. For the first time since last night… the tension between them had softened—just a little. And neither of them realized it yet.
Moments later🌸
The quiet clinking of utensils slowly faded as Aria finished the last sip of her juice. The morning light poured through the tall windows of the dining room, reflecting softly against the polished table.
Ryan was still seated across from her, his attention seemingly fixed on the tablet in his hands. But in reality… he hadn't read a single word for the past few minutes.
Aria placed the glass down gently and wiped her hands with the napkin before standing up from the chair. Ryan's eyes lifted immediately.
She looked at him for a second before speaking. "I have to go now, boss. See you after work."
Her tone was light. Professional.
Ryan watched her quietly. The word boss sounded strangely distant this morning.
Aria picked up her bag from the chair and turned to leave the dining room. For a brief moment, Ryan's gaze followed her. The soft sweater she wore fit her perfectly, and the simple jeans made her look effortless and natural. Too natural. Too easy to look at.
Ryan's jaw tightened slightly. A strange feeling crept into his chest. Something he rarely experienced. Insecurity.
The thought of her going to work… seeing other people. Talking to other men. Justin's face flashed briefly in his mind.
Ryan's fingers tightened slightly around the tablet. For a moment, he almost spoke.
Don't talk to him again.
The words were right there. But he stopped himself. Because the moment he said something like that… it would start another argument. And the truth was painfully simple. He had no right to say it. This relationship was a contract. Nothing more.
So instead—he remained silent.
Aria had already walked toward the hallway. Just before disappearing around the corner, she paused briefly and looked back. Ryan was still sitting there, calm and composed as usual. She gave a small polite smile. Then she left.
A few seconds later, the sound of the front door closing echoed faintly through the mansion. Ryan remained seated in the dining room. The house felt strangely empty again.
He slowly lowered the tablet onto the table. His coffee had gone cold. He didn't notice.
Meanwhile, outside…
Aria stepped into the crisp morning air and walked down the long driveway toward the gate where a car was waiting. The ride to the office was quiet. Her mind kept drifting back to the conversation at breakfast. Ryan's calm teasing. The way he said she was staring. Her cheeks warmed slightly just remembering it.
"Ugh…" she sighed quietly, leaning back in the seat. "Why is he like that…"
The car finally pulled up in front of the tall glass building of Carter Group International. Employees moved in and out of the entrance as usual—another busy workday.
Aria stepped out of the car and walked toward the building. Inside, the office floor buzzed with the normal sounds of keyboards clicking and phones ringing. Everything felt normal again. Almost too normal.
Aria walked toward her desk and placed her bag down. Just as she was about to sit—a familiar voice spoke behind her.
"Good morning, Aria."
Her body stiffened slightly. She already knew who it was. Slowly, she turned around.
Justin stood there. Tall. Relaxed. His usual easy smile on his face. But his eyes were watching her carefully.
Aria forced a small polite smile. "Good morning."
Justin leaned lightly against the edge of the desk. "I didn't expect to see you this serious this early."
Aria hesitated for a moment. Then she took a quiet breath. "Justin… I actually wanted to talk to you."
His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Oh?"
Her fingers tightened lightly around the strap of her bag. "About yesterday."
Justin's smile softened. "You don't have to apologize for that."
"But I want to." Her voice was calm now. Sincere. "I'm sorry if things became awkward yesterday."
Justin watched her closely. "You didn't do anything wrong."
Aria shook her head slightly. "Maybe not. But I still don't want to create problems."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Problems with who?"
She didn't hesitate this time. "With Ryan."
Justin's expression changed almost immediately. His relaxed posture stiffened slightly.
Aria continued carefully. "I know yesterday looked strange. But I don't want things like that to cause misunderstandings."
Justin let out a small breath through his nose. "So what are you saying?"
Aria met his eyes directly now. "I think it's better if we keep things professional. No more lunches. No more… casual conversations."
The words were calm. But clear.
Justin looked away for a moment, staring across the office. Then he let out a quiet laugh. Not amused. Just bitter.
"So Ryan said something."
Aria shook her head quickly. "No. He didn't."
"Then why?"
"Because I don't want to make things worse."
Justin looked back at her. "And you think avoiding me will fix that?"
Aria's voice softened slightly. "I just think it's better this way."
A long silence settled between them. Justin studied her face carefully, trying to read something deeper behind her calm expression.
Finally he straightened up. His usual relaxed smile returned. But this time… it didn't reach his eyes.
"Alright."
Aria blinked slightly. "Really?"
"Sure." He shrugged casually. "If that's what you want."
For a moment, she felt relieved. "Thank you for understanding."
Justin nodded once. Then he stepped back from her desk. But just before turning away, he leaned slightly closer and said quietly, "Just remember something, Aria. I'm not the type of man who gives up easily."
Then he straightened and walked away.
Aria stood there silently. Her heart was beating a little faster now.
"What's wrong with him, and what does he mean by that?"
Before Aria could even process what Justin had just said, a cheerful voice suddenly came from behind her.
"Hellooo there!"
Aria jumped slightly. She turned around and saw Katy walking toward her desk with her usual bright smile and energetic steps. Katy leaned against the desk casually and studied Aria's face.
"What's up with you?" she asked, squinting slightly. "Why are you looking so tired this early in the morning?"
Aria immediately forced a small smile. She quickly picked up a random file from her desk and opened it.
"Come on, Katy," she said lightly. "I'm just looking at this report." She flipped one page as if she was reading something very serious. "It looks so complicated and long."
Katy leaned closer and peeked at the paper. Then she rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Please." She crossed her arms. "You don't make that face when you're reading reports."
Aria laughed nervously. "Well, maybe today I do."
Katy stared at her for another second but decided not to push it. Instead, her face suddenly lit up with excitement.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" She leaned closer to Aria and lowered her voice slightly. "I have something to tell you, baby."
Aria smiled at her curiosity. "What is it?"
Katy looked around quickly like she was about to share a huge secret. "One of my friends here invited me to a birthday party after work today."
Aria blinked. "A birthday party?"
Katy nodded quickly. "Yes! But not just any birthday party." She lowered her voice even more. "The birthday girl is a very famous actress."
Aria raised her eyebrows slightly. "Really?"
Katy nodded excitedly. "Yes! And listen to this…" She grabbed Aria's arm dramatically. "It's a very private party. Getting an invitation was not easy at all."
Aria smiled softly at her friend's excitement. "Well… congratulations then."
Katy's smile widened even more. But then she shook her head. "No, Aria." She pointed between them. "Congratulations to us."
Aria's smile slowly disappeared. Her eyes widened. "…Us?"
Katy nodded proudly. "Yes." She clapped her hands once. "Because we are going together."
Aria stared at her in shock. "What?!"
Her mind immediately started racing. A party? Crowds? Famous people? Noise? She wasn't interested in any of that. And the thought of Ryan finding out… Her stomach tightened slightly.
But at the same time… Katy looked so excited. Aria didn't want to ruin that.
"Girl, but—"
Katy immediately waved her hand dismissively. "Chill, baby girl, I know, I know." She grinned. "You're not a party person."
Aria nodded slowly. "Exactly."
But Katy leaned closer again. "But this isn't just any party." Her voice dropped dramatically. "We're going to be in the same room with a famous actress."
Aria looked down at the papers on her desk. Her mind had already drifted somewhere else.
Ryan will be so mad about this…
The words slipped out of her mouth before she even realized it. "Ryan will be so mad about this…" She whispered. But she thought she had only thought it.
Unfortunately… Katy heard it perfectly.
Katy's eyebrows shot up instantly. "Wait." She leaned closer. "Who is Ryan?"
Aria froze. Her heart skipped a beat.
Katy tilted her head with curiosity. "Your boyfriend?"
Aria almost choked on the air she was breathing. "What?!" She coughed slightly and waved her hands quickly. "I mean— no— I mean—" Her brain scrambled for an excuse. "My aunt will be so mad!" She forced an awkward laugh. "I said, my aunt!"
Katy looked at her suspiciously. "Your aunt is named Ryan?"
Aria blinked. "…No."
Katy crossed her arms slowly. "Hmmm."
Aria shook her head quickly. "I don't even have a boyfriend, Katy." She tried to sound as natural as possible. "Where did that even come from?"
Katy studied her face carefully for a few seconds. Then she shrugged.
"Well…" She leaned against the desk again. "You just mentioned Ryan." She smirked playfully. "So I was wondering if you finally found yourself a boyfriend."
Aria quickly looked down at her report again to hide the nervous expression on her face. Her heart was beating a little faster now. If Katy ever found out that Ryan Carter, the powerful CEO of the entire company, was the man she was fake dating… She couldn't even imagine the chaos that would follow.
So she forced a calm smile and turned another page of the report.
"No boyfriend," she said casually. "Just work and more work."
Katy sighed dramatically. "That's boring." Then suddenly her excitement returned. "But tonight won't be boring!" She grabbed Aria's arm again. "We are going to that party."
Aria let out a small, helpless sigh. Somehow… she had a feeling this night was going to cause a lot more trouble than Katy expected.