Grace Li stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed from the hot water. As she wrapped a towel around herself, she caught sight of Aiden Thompson finishing up in the kitchen.
Despite his polished, aristocratic features and hands so smooth they looked untouched by hard labor, he moved around the kitchen with ease, putting away the last of the dishes with practiced efficiency.
Rolling down the sleeves of his dress shirt, he glanced at her and noticed her damp hair. "Hey, you should dry your hair. You know how crazy New York weather is. Wouldn't want you catching a cold."
"I will in a bit," she replied, running a hand through her wet locks. "You should go take a shower too."
"Sure thing."
As he turned toward the bedroom, she hesitated for a second before calling after him. "Hey—"
He stopped at the doorway, glancing back, waiting patiently.
Grace bit her lip, then, after a moment's hesitation, asked, "Do you… wanna stay in my room tonight?"
Aiden's lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. "That'd be great."
Back in her room, Grace applied some of her usual Kiehl's lotion, the familiar scent calming her nerves. She picked up her Dyson hairdryer, but even as she dried her hair, her heart raced like a drum. No matter how hard she tried to act normal, the anticipation bubbling inside her was impossible to ignore.
A few minutes later, a soft knock came from the door.
She jumped up, smoothing her nightshirt as she opened it. Aiden stood there, now dressed in a navy blue Calvin Klein pajama set. The top button was undone, revealing a hint of his collarbone. He looked effortlessly attractive, yet somehow different from his usual composed, businesslike self.
Her gaze drifted to his hair. During the day, he used Bumble and bumble gel to keep it perfectly styled—polished and put together. But now, with his bangs falling naturally over his forehead, he looked years younger, more relaxed.
For some reason, she suddenly felt like she was sneaking around, which was ridiculous. Clearing her throat, she fumbled for words. "Uh… did you dry your hair?"
"All dried up. No worries."
She nodded quickly. "I-I should check if I turned off the living room lights."
Before she could move, Aiden stepped inside, smoothly pulling her into his arms as he shut the door behind him. "Already took care of it. No need to stress, alright?"
Her heartbeat picked up, pounding like a drum against her ribs.
Aiden's hand slid beneath the hem of her shirt, his touch slow and deliberate. She stiffened, instinctively burying her face against his chest.
"Grace." His voice was soft, coaxing. "Look at me."
She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. His eyes searched hers, full of warmth and patience.
"You okay with this?" he murmured. "I want you to be comfortable."
She hesitated, then nodded. "I'm… not really used to this. But I want to try."
His smile was reassuring. "Good. Just relax. Let me take care of you."
He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead before tilting her chin up, brushing his lips against hers. His touch was gentle, unhurried—like he had all the time in the world. One by one, the buttons of her nightshirt came undone, and his kisses traced a path along her skin, igniting something deep inside her.
Every sensation felt magnified. Rational thought slipped away, replaced by an overwhelming rush of emotion.
Aiden's breath was warm against her ear as he whispered, "Grace, you okay?"
Her breath came in uneven gasps. After a moment, she managed a soft murmur, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah… I'm okay."
His lips brushed against her temple. "Think you can handle a little more?"
A faint hum escaped her lips. "Mhm~"
**
The next morning, Grace Li slowly woke up in Aiden Thompson's arms. Last night had been a whirlwind of passion, keeping them up late until exhaustion finally took over.
"Morning," Aiden's deep, velvety voice rumbled above her, like a smooth jazz tune easing into the morning.
Grace replayed the memories of the night before—every moment vivid, every touch lingering. Her cheeks warmed as she murmured, "Morning."
"What time is it?" she asked.
"Half past eight."
Grace shot up. She was usually up by seven. Rubbing her temples, still hazy from sleep, she groaned, "Oh no, I'm late! You know how brutal the rat race is in this city."
But Aiden simply pulled her back into his arms, his voice soothing. "Relax, you've been pulling all-nighters at work. You deserve a break. A little late won't kill you."
Her head felt heavy, so she gave in, sinking back into the warmth of the sheets. A slow smile spread across her face as she mused, "You know that saying? 'The night was too sweet, the morning came too soon, and from then on, the king skipped his early court.' I feel like that's basically New York in a nutshell—we live for the moment."
Aiden chuckled. "Then how about we just call in sick today? We could take it easy, maybe go for a stroll in Central Park."
"But I've got work," she whined, her tone carrying just a hint of playful protest.
Aiden smirked. "You go back to sleep. I'll make us some breakfast. Maybe whip up those fluffy pancakes you love."
"Nah, let's just grab something from Ess-a-Bagel downstairs. Their lox bagels are to die for."
"Sounds like a plan."
By the time they got ready and stepped out, it was already 9:15—well past her usual start time. Luckily, their jobs had flexible hours, and heading out for morning meetings wasn't unusual. When they finally strolled into the office around ten, no one batted an eye.
As soon as Grace sat down, a message from Isabella Hsueh popped up:
Isabella: So, how's your first day of being thirty?
Grace: Looking back, all that anxiety seems so unnecessary. Thirty's actually pretty great.
Isabella: Hahaha! In what way?
Grace: Honestly? I've stopped stressing over the little things. And I'm finally figuring out this whole work-life balance thing—like a real New Yorker.
Isabella: Aha, I see. Sounds like that young hunk of yours knows how to keep you grounded. Maybe he's the secret to your new zen mode?
Grace: He's always been amazing. He just gets me, you know?
Isabella: I'm flying back to New York today! Wanna meet up? I owe you a proper birthday celebration. We could check out that new rooftop bar in Tribeca.
Grace: Swamped with work. Maybe this weekend? I've been dying to try their cocktails.
Isabella: Deal. Can't wait to hear all about your 'turning 30' wisdom over some drinks.
Grace Li had just wrapped up her conversation with Isabella Hsueh when her desk phone rang. It was Lily Lin from HR, her tone light and conversational.
"Hey Grace, I wanted to touch base about the new hires. Got a few minutes to swing by the conference room?"
When they met, Lily, who had been with the company for years, exuded the confidence of someone who had seen it all. As an HR manager, she was skilled at balancing company needs with employee concerns. She was also well-connected—being Benjamin Harris's cousin-in-law didn't hurt.
She got straight to business. "So, here's where we're at—Mr. Harris knows your team's been overloaded, so he's signed off on hiring two new people. I wanted to get your thoughts on what skill sets we should prioritize. We need folks who can hit the ground running."
Grace knew exactly what this was about. She had already told Benjamin Harris that her team was stretched too thin to take on extra work from Scarlett Harris. If Scarlett needed more hands, she should have her own hires. To avoid internal tension, they had agreed that any new recruits would technically report to Grace's team—but in reality, they'd be working under Scarlett.
"Lily, to be honest, the real need is on Scarlett's end. She's running this project solo and could really use some direct support. It'd make sense for you to check with her on the specific skills required—she'll have the best sense of what's critical."
Lily nodded but didn't budge. "I hear you, Grace. But here's the thing—new hires, no matter how experienced, will still need time to get up to speed with our operations. So, after thinking this through, I believe the best approach is for your team to train them first. In the meantime, we'd like to have two of your folks support Scarlett. She's still new to the field, and throwing two fresh hires at her wouldn't be fair. This way, we keep things balanced and ensure the project moves forward smoothly."
Grace immediately caught on. This wasn't just about staffing Scarlett's project—it was about pulling two of her best people. And if Lily was bringing this up, it meant the decision was already being pushed from the top.
She kept her tone even. "I see. Do you have specific names in mind?"
Lily didn't hesitate. "Mike and Aiden."
Grace's jaw tightened. Mike was a seasoned pro, someone who had navigated the cutthroat New York corporate world with skill and resilience. Aiden was a rising star—quick, adaptable, and a natural problem solver. They were two of the strongest players on her team.
And now, they were being poached.
She leaned forward slightly, her voice measured. "Lily, I respect the bigger picture, but let's be real—moving Mike and Aiden would have a serious impact on my team's efficiency. They're key players in our current projects, and pulling them midstream could slow things down."
Lily, ever the HR professional, didn't flinch. "I get it, Grace. But we're thinking long-term here. You've got space for two more desks in your office—just like the setup next door. The new hires will be sitting with your team, learning the ropes, while Mike and Aiden will still be part of your group on paper. They'll just be lending a hand on Scarlett's project."
She softened her voice slightly. "And don't worry—I'll talk to them personally. I'll position this as a career growth opportunity—new challenges, more exposure, a chance to work closely with senior leadership. You know how ambitious they are. They might actually see this as a step up. So, let's not stress too much about it—we're all working toward the same goal."
Grace exhaled slowly. She knew this wasn't really up for debate. Flat-out refusing would mean pushing back against Benjamin Harris himself—not a smart career move.
But at the end of the day, she cared about her team. If Mike and Aiden genuinely saw this as a growth opportunity, she wouldn't stand in their way.
After a moment, she nodded. "Alright, Lily. I won't make the decision for them. Talk to them first—if they're interested, I'll support them. But if they have concerns, I want to make sure their voices are heard."
Lily smiled, sensing the compromise. "Sounds fair. I'll chat with them and circle back to you."
As Grace watched Lily walk away, she took a deep breath. In the fast-paced world of New York business, survival wasn't just about working hard—it was about knowing when to push back and when to adapt.
She just hoped this shift wouldn't come at too high a cost.