Hearts in chaos: Hearts Entwined book 4

27

The drive back home was quiet but comfortable. Jiwoon had fallen asleep in his car seat, his tiny snores filling the silence between Jin and Mia. Jin glanced at Mia every now and then, his thoughts still lingering on the way she had stood up to Mina. He couldn’t shake the gratitude he felt, or the strange warmth spreading through him.

As they pulled into the driveway, Jin turned off the engine but made no move to get out of the car. Instead, he looked over at Mia, who was staring out the window, lost in her thoughts. The soft glow of the streetlight illuminated her face, and Jin found himself drawn to her in a way he hadn’t expected.

“Mia,” he said softly.

She turned to face him, her eyes reflecting the same exhaustion he felt, but there was something else too—concern, maybe, or a quiet understanding.

“Yeah?” she asked.

Jin hesitated for a moment, not sure how to put everything he was feeling into words. “I just wanted to say… thank you. For what you did tonight. For standing up for me.”

Mia smiled gently. “You don’t need to thank me, Jin. Mina was out of line, and you didn’t deserve any of that.”

“I know, but…” Jin ran a hand through his hair, frustrated with himself for not being able to articulate his feelings. “It’s just… no one’s ever done that for me before. Stood up for me like that. It meant a lot.”

Mia’s smile softened, and she reached over, resting her hand on his arm. “You’re a good father, Jin. Jiwoon is lucky to have you. And anyone who tries to make you feel like you’re not enough… well, they’re wrong.”

Her words hit him deeply, more than she probably realized. For so long, Jin had doubted himself, especially after Mina had left. He’d wondered if he was doing enough for Jiwoon, if he could really be both a father and a mother to his son. But hearing Mia say those words made him feel, for the first time in a long while, that maybe he was doing okay.

Jin looked down at her hand on his arm, feeling the warmth of her touch seep into him. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you, Mia,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mia’s eyes softened, and she squeezed his arm lightly. “You would’ve figured it out, Jin. But I’m glad I could help.”

They sat there in the car for a few more moments, the silence between them no longer awkward but comforting. Jin found himself wanting to stay in this moment a little longer, to hold onto the feeling of calm that Mia brought with her.

But eventually, he sighed and glanced at the backseat where Jiwoon was still sound asleep. “We should get him inside.”

Mia nodded, and they both stepped out of the car. Jin carefully unbuckled Jiwoon and lifted him into his arms, cradling him against his chest. As they walked toward the house, Mia followed close behind, her presence a quiet comfort.

Once inside, they tucked Jiwoon into his bed, and Mia pulled the covers up around him, brushing a stray lock of hair off his forehead. Jin watched her from the doorway, a strange sense of peace settling over him as he saw how gentle she was with his son.

After Jiwoon was settled, Jin walked Mia to her room. They paused outside her door, the night still and quiet around them.

“Goodnight, Jin,” Mia said softly, her hand resting on the doorknob.

“Goodnight, Mia,” Jin replied, but he didn’t move to leave.

There was something hanging in the air between them, unspoken but heavy with meaning. Jin’s heart pounded in his chest, and he found himself wanting to say something—anything—to express the gratitude and affection he felt for her. But the words stuck in his throat.

Before he could gather the courage to speak, Mia smiled at him, a warm and reassuring smile that made his chest ache in a way he didn’t quite understand.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, and with that, she disappeared into her room.

Jin stood there for a moment longer, staring at the closed door. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—gratitude, affection, and something else, something deeper that he wasn’t ready to acknowledge just yet.

He turned and headed toward his own room, his thoughts still lingering on Mia and everything she had done for him and Jiwoon. As he lay in bed that night, sleep eluded him. He kept replaying the events of the evening in his mind—the way Mina had tried to tear him down, the way Mia had stood up for him, the warmth in her eyes when she reassured him that he was doing a good job.

And then there was Jiwoon. His son had been so happy tonight, so at ease with Mia. It was clear that Jiwoon adored her, and Jin couldn’t deny that he did too, in a way. She had become such an important part of their lives, and the thought of her leaving someday sent a pang of fear through him.

But as much as he cared for her, Jin was still struggling with his own emotions. He had been hurt by Mina, betrayed by the woman he thought he’d spend his life with. And now, here he was, finding comfort and solace in someone else—someone who was kind, gentle, and everything Mina wasn’t.

Jin didn’t know what the future held, but as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, one thing became clear: Mia wasn’t just his nanny anymore. She was something more. She was someone who had come into his life when he needed her most, and now that she was here, he wasn’t sure he could imagine life without her.

But that was a thought for another time. For now, he would take things one day at a time, focusing on Jiwoon and making sure his son was happy and cared for. And if, along the way, something more blossomed between him and Mia… well, maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.

With that thought, Jin finally drifted off to sleep, his dreams filled with the image of Mia’s warm smile and the feeling of peace that she brought into his life.