Neptune

Chapter 30 | The Heartbeat

Today's breakfast is a sausage and cheese egg muffin, and it looks so delicious that I should have finished it by now.

However, I'm staring at it like I'm studying math. Even though my mind thinks that it's yummy, my stomach feels funny.

Actually, my heart feels funny to the point that I have no appetite. My mind revolves around what happened last night in my room.

I can't believe that I broke down in front of Luke, and that he held me until I calmed down.

My cheeks heat up for God knows how many times since I woke up this morning. I glance at Aiden, who's sitting beside me, finishing his breakfast.

A smile touches my lips as I notice a few breadcrumbs on his cheek. I wipe it with a napkin, and he grins at me.

However, Luke isn't present yet. I wonder if he woke up late because of a lack of sleep last night, and somehow, I feel guilty.

As far as I remember, he let me cry on his chest last night until I fell asleep due to tiredness from crying. When I woke up this morning, I was already lying comfortably on my bed, covered with a blanket.

The problem is that I have no idea how long he was holding me until I fell asleep.

While I'm lost in my thoughts, Luke emerges in the dining room, ready to go to work. Relief washes over me, but then I notice that he's in a hurry.

Luke takes a seat but then gets up again, rushing out of the room. "Damn, I forgot my phone."

I chuckle lightly. Who would have thought that the invincible Luke Klein would have a morning rush?

"Yummy." Aiden licks his lips after finishing his breakfast. He then drinks his milk. He's already done with the food, while Luke hasn't touched his breakfast at all.

I glance at my wristwatch and notice that if they don't go soon, Aiden will be late for school.

Luke comes back, still in a hurry. He doesn't even bother to take a seat and snatches his cup of coffee instead. Unfortunately, it's still too hot so it burns his tongue when he sips it.

"Shit," he curses.

I let out a small chuckle again, finding the view before me adorable. I continue staring at Luke until I realize what's going on.

Wait. Why can't I stop staring at him? And did I just say that he's adorable?

Aiden looks at me and then Luke with a clueless expression. Damn. Even Aiden notices it.

"Let's go, Aiden." Luke puts his coffee back on the table. "I'll see you later, Cassie." With that said, he walks off.

Wait. Is he not going to have any breakfast? Are they that late?

Aiden gets up from his chair and slings his backpack across his shoulders. "Bye, Cassie." He beams at me, and I hug him.

"Bye, Aiden." I give him a warm smile.

Aiden grins and follows Luke. Automatically, I stand up from my chair, watching them go.

Isn't breakfast the most important meal of the day? Luke shouldn't have skipped it. I hope that he's not so busy at work that he'll skip another meal.

Geez. Chill, Cassie. It's just a fucking breakfast. Even I myself have skipped three meals in a row. Luke surely doesn't have that sick mentality and gastric acid problems like I do.

I sit back and stare blankly at my plate, which is still full of my food. This startles me. I haven't even touched my own breakfast. I've been too busy thinking about him.

Oh, gosh, did I just say that I was thinking about him too much?

Yeah, sure. I did. I even said that he's adorable, and I'm aware that I worried about him just now.

I can't believe myself. Haven't I always thought that he was annoying as hell? Didn't I always want to choke him to death?

Burying my face in my hands, I feel my cheeks heat up again. My heart is beating fast, restless.

What the hell is wrong with me?

*

"Now, you're the demon." Aiden laughs.

Later in the afternoon, after Aiden comes home from school, we play hide and seek. It's my turn to count, and I lean my forehead against the wall of the living room, counting from one to twenty, while Aiden searches for a place to hide. A small smile forms on my lips.

After I finish counting, I look around the room. From what I heard just now, there's no sign that Aiden has gone far.

"Aiden," I call. "Where are you?" I tease.

When I first thought of taking a break from the spotlight and living with Luke Klein, I never expected that my heart would feel so light, that I would be able to play with a bundle of joy like this.

Right now, I feel so grateful for everything that has happened.

I look for Aiden behind the piano. He's not there. Then I look behind the sofa. Still, I can't find him. My eyes dart to the curtain of the window, and I catch sight of his tiny feet below the curtain.

I have to suppress my laughter. Oh, Aiden, why do you have to be so cute?

Slowly, I approach him. "I wonder where you're hiding, Aiden," I say in a playful tone before pulling the curtain open and catching him, attacking him with tickles.

Aiden bursts into laughter, and so do I. He laughs so hard to the point that he has tears in his eyes, because I haven't stopped tickling him.

"Well, well, well," a deep voice startles us, making us freeze.

We snap our heads toward the source of the voice, only to find Luke coming from the foyer.

"How could you two play the game without the real demon?" He raises his brows, his signature smirk on his face.

"Luke!" Aiden rushes toward him, and Luke catches Aiden in his arms, lifting him in the air.

Their laughter echoes in the room before Luke puts him down.

Smiling, I approach them. "So early?" I ask Luke.

It's unusual that he's home this early—it's not even evening yet. That's so rare for a busy businessman like him.

He shrugs. "Had I stayed in the office longer, I wouldn't have had the chance to play with my wife and..." He turns to Aiden. "Our little Aiden!" he growls, attacking Aiden with tickles too, making the boy burst into laughter again.

I giggle, watching them with adoration, ignoring the strange feelings I have from hearing his words just now.

"Our little Aiden."

It doesn't mean that Aiden is our son—it means that Aiden is someone we both cherish. But somehow, I can't help but feel strange.