Grace Li sat on the bed, completely focused on her computer screen, working on her tasks. In addition to the due diligence project, she had other projects to handle. Her days were packed, and the only time she could catch up on work was at night.
When she heard a knock at the door, she got up to open it, surprised to see Aiden Thompson. "It's pretty late, is Ryan asleep?"
Aiden Thompson gently wrapped his arm around her waist as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Ryan knows about us."
"What?" Grace Li's eyes widened in shock. "How did he find out?"
"He saw us holding hands last night. He just told me now," Aiden Thompson said.
Grace Li frowned, her concern showing. "That big mouth of his... I'm worried he might tell everyone. The whole team will know."
Aiden Thompson softly stroked her hair, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry. He promised he wouldn't tell anyone. And if it does get out, we'll face it together."
Grace Li nodded, giving a small smile. "Yeah, it's not the end of the world. But we'll have to be more careful at work from now on."
"By the way, I had some questions about the AgroTech files. Want to go over them together?" Grace Li suggested, changing the subject.
"Sure," Aiden Thompson said as he sat beside her. They both began discussing the details of their work.
Once Grace Li got into work mode, she was laser-focused, her eyes glued to the screen, fingers flying across the keyboard. Aiden Thompson couldn't help but watch her. Her lips were softly pressed together in concentration, and the little mole by her eye seemed so playful under the light. Her eyes were bright and full of life, and she radiated an undeniable charm.
After a while, Grace Li noticed that Aiden Thompson was staring at her, so she looked up and caught his gaze. With a playful smile, she tilted her head and asked, "What's got you so caught up?"
"Of course, I'm looking at you. Watching you work like this is seriously mesmerizing," Aiden Thompson said with a grin.
Grace Li's cheeks flushed, and her smile grew wider. "Oh? Really?"
Aiden Thompson glanced at his phone. "Babe, it's already 11. Shouldn't you get some rest?"
Grace Li instinctively checked her phone and nodded. "Yeah, it's getting late. Are you tired?"
"A little. I didn't sleep well last night, and today's been a long day."
Grace Li closed her laptop and lay down beside Aiden Thompson. He turned toward her, gently wrapping his arm around her. She rested in his arms, cherishing this quiet moment.
Aiden Thompson leaned down and kissed her forehead, then kissed her between the brows softly, whispering, "Grace Li."
"Hm?" Grace Li tilted her head slightly, and Aiden Thompson took that as a sign to kiss her. It started as a gentle kiss, but quickly grew more passionate.
Aiden Thompson shifted slightly and gently lay on top of her. She responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
As the moment grew more intense, Aiden Thompson's hand slid up the hem of her shirt. At that instant, Grace Li, startled, instinctively pushed him away. "Stop!"
The sudden action instantly cooled the atmosphere. Aiden Thompson froze, and Grace Li sat up, both of them shocked by what had just happened.
The dim light made it hard to read each other's expressions, but they could both feel the tension.
"I'm sorry, I…" Grace Li stammered, unsure of how to explain her reaction.
Aiden Thompson immediately rolled off her, gently pulled the covers up, and said softly, "Babe, it's my fault. I rushed things without thinking. Don't worry, just rest."
Grace Li felt touched by his care. She knew Aiden Thompson misunderstood the situation, but she didn't know how to explain herself, or if he would even understand.
Aiden Thompson got up from the bed, and Grace Li instinctively sat up. "Where are you going?"
Aiden Thompson turned on the bedside lamp and looked back at her with concern. "I'm just going to the bathroom. You should rest, don't wait for me."
Grace Li saw that Aiden Thompson wasn't angry, which helped her relax a little.
"Okay," Grace Li replied quietly.
Aiden Thompson walked over to the edge of the bed, adjusted her shirt collar, and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, babe. Sleep well."
Grace Li watched him head to the bathroom, hearing the sound of water running. Her thoughts were a whirlwind. She knew she had pushed him away because of the deep emotional scars within her, but she wasn't sure how to explain that to him—or if he would understand.
A few minutes later, Aiden Thompson returned from the bathroom, his fresh scent filling the room.
Grace Li closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. Aiden Thompson, thinking she had drifted off, carefully lay beside her, leaving some space between them to avoid disturbing her.
Grace Li tossed and turned, finally dozing off after what seemed like hours. In her sleep, time seemed to rewind, and she found herself back in the Christmas holiday of her eleventh year, spending it with her family at her grandmother's house on Long Island.
That night, she and her cousin had climbed into bed early, ready to drift off into sweet dreams. But in the middle of the night, as she was sleeping soundly, the peaceful silence was shattered by the sharp, ear-piercing sound of the smoke alarm "beeping" and the chaotic shouts of people. Faintly, she heard someone yelling at the top of their lungs, "Fire! Fire! Get out of the house now!"
Suddenly, the thick, suffocating smoke rushed in like dark, menacing dragons through the cracks under the door. Grace Li jolted awake, her heart pounding in her chest. She immediately reached out and shook her cousin awake, shouting desperately, "Come on, sis! We gotta get outta here right now! The house is on fire!"
Their room was on the second floor, and the only window had bars on it. Fortunately, Grace Li had taken a fire safety course at school, and her mind quickly kicked into gear. She grabbed her cousin's hand and rushed to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, she soaked a towel and held it over their mouths while they wrapped themselves in thick blankets, ready to make a run for it.
Luckily, the fire hadn't fully spread yet. Just as they were about to rush out the door, her uncle appeared. He scooped up the younger cousin in his arms and grabbed Grace Li's hand, pulling them both down the stairs as fast as he could.
The hallway was a scene of chaos, the heat overwhelming. In the panic, Grace Li's blanket caught fire from the sparks flying above her. The flames spread quickly. In a split second, she tossed the burning blanket away, but sparks, like mischievous little imps, landed behind her, and soon her clothes were catching fire too.
"Ah!" she screamed in pain, the sensation of burning needles stabbing her back as she pushed forward through the pain, tears streaming down her face. She ran, stumbling, until she reached the door, throwing herself onto the ground to roll in a desperate attempt to put out the flames. After struggling for what seemed like forever, she finally managed to extinguish the fire.
"Ah!" Grace Li suddenly woke up with a start, drenched in sweat, her pajamas clinging to her skin. The sky was still dark, and the room was quiet. Next to her, Aiden Thompson was facing away from her, sound asleep. His even breathing filled the silent room, a comforting rhythm. The dim light allowed her to faintly make out his silhouette, a familiar shape that made her feel both a sense of relief and a little guilt.