It had been Milo's sweet idea. While shopping, he'd worried about his dad working alone and wanted to share his "yummy food" with him.

Adrian's hospital was conveniently near the mall, and I couldn't say no to those pleading eyes. So off we went, happy as could be.


But what Milo saw as a treat, Adrian saw as pure garbage.

Hence the inquisition that followed.

"Why are you feeding him this junk?"


I froze, but couldn't blame my little accomplice, so I fell on my sword.

"Sorry. It was for me, actually. Not for Milo."


"So it's bad for children but perfectly fine for you?"

Adrian's eyebrows nearly formed a single line across his forehead.

"Fried foods are loaded with fats that overburden the digestive system and cause obesity.

Plus, the high sodium can trigger heart problems and kidney damage. And the aluminum in leavening agents can impair cognitive development and contribute to dementia."

He rattled off this medical lecture so fast I barely caught half of it.

"And your point is…?"

"It's pure poison with zero benefits."

He sighed, looking defeated.

That's when it hit me—in his awkward way, he was worried about my health.

The man really didn't know how to express concern normally.

Witnessing my scolding, Milo sprang to my defense. He balled his tiny fists and charged at Adrian's leg.

"I wanted it! I asked Mommy! Daddy mean! Don't like you!"

To my surprise, Adrian's face softened. He knelt and scooped Milo up.

His smile reached his eyes, revealing a tenderness I'd never witnessed before.

Dimples appeared on both cheeks, making him devastatingly handsome.

I'd never seen him smile like that—so genuine, so warm.

He playfully tapped Milo's forehead.

"Easily bribed with fast food, you little munchkin."

He glanced my way and grabbed the McDonald's bag.

I was sure he'd toss it in the trash.

"I'm almost done for the day. Wait in the break room, and we'll head home together."

To my shock, he placed the food on the break room table.

He handed Milo back to me.

Before leaving, he fixed me with a stern look.

"Don't overdo it, and this is NOT becoming a habit!"

Was he actually… allowing this?

Relief washed over me as I smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Adrian."

Something flickered in his eyes at my words. He mumbled "mm" and quickly looked away.

Milo was happily munching away when I heard voices outside.

A familiar female voice drifted in from Adrian's office.

"Got a minute? I've been having some chest pain. Mind checking me out?"

I peered through the crack in the door. Sure enough—Serena Blue.

Everyone used to say they were the perfect couple—both brilliant and gorgeous.

She wasn't just pretty—she was brilliant too.

She'd chased Adrian relentlessly back in school, both openly and behind the scenes.

But he never showed interest, and nothing ever happened between them.

Eventually, she dated someone else out of spite, hoping to make Adrian jealous.

But Adrian never batted an eye.

And now they were colleagues?

Adrian's response was clinical: "Sleep deprivation. Get more rest."

"You know how it is for doctors. Year-end rush, understaffed department, twelve-hour shifts that feel like twenty-four…"

When Adrian didn't bite, she cleared her throat and switched tactics.

"So I heard you and Leah are divorcing? What happened there?"

Classic gossip-monger.

Her fake concern couldn't mask the gleeful opportunism in her voice.

What a snake!

Adrian's eyebrow arched dangerously.

"Since when do you care about my personal life?"

"Well, your marriage came out of nowhere. None of us even knew Leah existed until then."

Her fingers clenched in her lap, knuckles turning white.

"But honestly, you two don't match at all. Someone of your caliber deserves better. And I've never stopped caring about you…"

Adrian cut her off mid-sentence.

"Serena, my marriage is none of your business."

"And let me be clear: we are colleagues. Nothing more. I suggest you remember that."

Her face flushed crimson.

"Fine. Message received."

She stormed out, leaving blessed silence behind.

Milo continued his feast, gripping chicken legs in both hands, making happy smacking sounds, his face shiny with grease.

Catching me watching him, he immediately offered me his half-eaten chicken leg.

"Mommy, chicken!"

His eyes were wide with generosity, but my appetite had vanished.

"You enjoy it, sweetie."

Serena's words haunted me—that I wasn't good enough for Adrian. She wasn't wrong. He was a brilliant doctor at such a young age.

And me? Apparently jobless with a closet full of lingerie.

A horrifying thought struck me—was I some kind of stripper?

But I had two left feet!

I spiraled into self-doubt, unable to stop the wild theories.

If I really was some kind of dancer, maybe Adrian's accusations about "dinner with another man" weren't so crazy.

A respected doctor married to a sexy dancer? No wonder his family disapproved. No wonder we were divorcing.

What now? Keep pretending? Or…

"Leah!"

Adrian's voice snapped me back to reality. He'd changed into casual clothes that made him look surprisingly approachable.

I glanced at the clock, startled.

"You're finished for the day?"

"It's 5:15. To be exact, I've been off duty for fifteen minutes."

He added dryly:

"Which means you've been zoned out for a full fifteen minutes."

I blinked in surprise, my first thought being: even brilliant doctors count the minutes until quitting time.

Maybe we had more in common than I thought.