Heart Affairs| On Going (Office Romance)

Chapter 1

Lily's POV:

"Lily, wake up! Didn't you say they're announcing the internship results today?" My mom's voice carried up from downstairs, pulling me out of sleep.

I groaned, burying my face deeper into the pillow, savoring these last few moments cocooned in warmth. But eventually, nerves nudged me to get moving. I kicked off the covers, slipped my feet into my pink slippers, and stood up, stretching. "Today's the day," I whispered, my stomach twisting. "My destiny will be revealed. I'm so nervous I could die," I muttered, covering my face with my hands.

A knock on my door interrupted me, and it creaked open. "Aren't you getting up, dork?" my brother Leo called, smirking from the doorway. My mom probably sent him to wake me up

I narrowed my eyes, pulling my hands away from my face. "Have you gone blind? I'm already up. And who are you calling dork, horse-face?" I snatched a pillow and hurled it at him, but he was quicker. he ducked out, closing the door before it could hit him.

"Must be all those video games sharpening his reflexes," I muttered with a smirk, heading into my bathroom.

I splashed cold water on my face, the chill waking me up further as I looked at myself in the mirror. My long brown hair shimmered in the morning light, thanks to the haircare routine my best friend Jane insisted on. "I'm going to be the prettiest girl at corporate," I giggled, smoothing my hair before pulling on my gray sweatpants and an oversized white shirt.

As I made my way downstairs, the smell of waffles and omelets greeted me. "Smells amazing, Mom!" I called out, heading toward the kitchen.

Our cozy, two-story house felt especially warm and inviting today. The first floor held an open-concept living room and kitchen, separated only by a breakfast bar with three sturdy stools. Upstairs, we each had our own room, one for me, one for Leo, and one for my parents, each complete with a small bathroom. I loved every corner of this house; it felt uniquely ours, filled with memories of laughter, holidays, and cozy weekends. My parents, both doctors, had designed it from the ground up when Leo and I were still in elementary school, crafting each room to make it a true family home.

"Help set the table, dear," my mom hollered from the kitchen, stirring something on the stove. I grabbed plates and cups, arranging them on the living room table just as the front door cracked open and my dad stepped in, arms full of grocery bags.

"I got fresh apples and strawberries," he announced, placing the bags on the counter.

"Yum, my favorites!" I said, smiling.

"That's why I got them" my dad chuckled, ruffling my hair. I grinned, noticing how his green eyes twinkled with warmth.

"Nothing for me?" Leo muttered, hopping up onto one of the stools.

"Guess the stores ran out of common sense," I teased, "maybe next week they'll be back in stock."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Why don't you stick to setting the table?"

"Why don't you put these groceries away?" Dad chimed in, giving Leo a pointed look. Leo grumbled and hopped off the stool to do as he was told, and I couldn't help but laugh.

Breakfast was a feast. My mom made waffles, omelets, red velvet cupcakes, and salted rice balls with vegetables. Mom loved cooking, and it showed; her meals were so good that I couldn't even remember the last time I ate out. As we ate, we chatted and laughed, with Leo and me trading sarcastic jabs while Mom and Dad occasionally chimed in, playing the referees.

I loved my family; they were everything to me. Even though my parents were busy with work, they always made time for me and Leo. With Leo in his senior year of high school and me just graduating college, we didn't need much care, but they still made time for us, making sure we had breakfast and dinner together every day. Those moments helped us feel close and showed us that no matter how busy life got, we were still a family.