I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, so I decided to ask directly.


    Alvin turned to look at me, his eyes briefly showing a sh of shock before they darkened. “What are you talking about? Of course, it’s not mine. It’s Benjamin’s child.”


    1 quietly exhaled in relief.


    Benjamin was Thea’ste husband, and also Alvin’s close friend for many years. About a month ago, Benjamin had died in a car ident-his car waspletely wrecked, and he didn’t survive.


    “I’m taking care of Thea because it was Benjamin’s request,” Alvin added, as though exining further.


    I thought back to when Alvin had returned home after dealing with Benjamin’s funeral. His hair was messy, and he had a rough, unshaven look, almost like someone who had just stumbled out of the wilderness.


    The bond between them as brothers ran deep. Now that one of them was gone, it only made sense that Alvin would take care of Thea.


    For a moment, I felt guilty about my earlier thoughts.


    I reached out and lightly grabbed Alvin’s arm. “I didn’t touch that kid. He was just trying to drag my name through the mud.”


    Alvin looked at me, his lips parting as if to speak, but after a brief pause, he pinched my cheek. “No more drinking, okay?”.


    I was about to exin that I’d only had a little, but before I could, the emergency room door opened.


    A doctor came out, heading straight for Alvin. “Family member of the pregnant patient, please sign here.”


    Alvin nced at me before taking the pen. But just before signing, he asked, “Doctor, what’s the situation?”


    “She’s showing signs of a threatened miscarriage,” the doctor exined. “She needs to be monitored closely, but there’s a chance it might not seed. We need your signature.”


    “Doctor, please make sure the baby’s okay,” Alvin said, his voice tight with urgency.


    “Of course. Just sign here quickly.”


    The doctor urged him, and Alvin signed his name on Thea’s medical chart without hesitation.


    I knew that signing a form didn’t mean much, but I hadn’t expected Alvin to be listed as someone else’s family member.


    Thea was stable now, and the baby was fine. She was moved back to her room. Her face looked pale, her eyes swollen and red, and with her pale, moonlitplexion, she appeared fragile and pitiful.


    “You don’t have to worry. The baby’s fine,” Alvin reassured her, his voice soft but firm.


    “Alvin, I’m so scared,” Thea sobbed.


    Alvin handed her a tissue, and Thea took it, grasping his hand tightly. Her tear-streaked face buried itself in his hand as she


    cried.


    I understood that she was scared, but that didn’t give her the right to treat someone else’s fiancé as her own.


    I walked over. “Thea, the doctor said emotional distress can be harmful to the baby. You’ve already managed to keep the


    child safe, so if you keep crying like this, you might cause more harm.”


    As I spoke, I gently helped her up, silently pulling her away from Alvin.


    But when I looked at the wetness on his hand, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something of mine had been tainted. I had a cleanliness thing not only in life but also in rtionship.


    Thea seemed surprised when I called her. Her expression froze for a split second, but she quicklyposed herself.


    “Alvin, I’m sorry. I… look at me,” she said, reaching for the tissue to wipe his hand.


    I stopped her. “Thea, you shouldn’t be moving around too much right now.”


    Thea’s face tightened, and her tear-filled eyes turned toward Alvin. The look in her eyes was unmistakably filled with affection.


    “Thea likes you?” I asked Alvin directly once we were outside the room.


    “No!” Alvin quickly denied.


    “Then what about you? Do you like her?”


    If I was going to ask, I wanted to get everything clear once and for all. I didn’t want to be left hanging.


    Alvin’s expression froze for a moment, and after a few seconds, he muttered, “We’re just friends…”


    I thought, ‘Just friends?’


    “Benjamin’s gone. Before he died, he grabbed my hand and asked me to take care of her…” His voice trembled, and even his hand, hanging at his side, shook slightly.


    It seemed like every time Benjamin’s death came up, Alvin couldn’t keep his emotions in check. This wasn’t the first time.


    My heart tightened seeing him like this. “I don’t mean anything by it… I just think Thea relies on you way too much.”


    “She… she’s probably just feeling insecure because of the pregnancy,” Alvin said, trying to exin. His dark eyes fell on my face. “Zoe, I’ll be more careful from now on.”


    I thought, ‘What more can I say when he puts it that way?’ But I still felt the need to remind him. “Even if you’re looking out for her because of Benjamin, there still need to be boundaries between men and women.”


    I didn’t want to see something like what just happened again. I just couldn’t.


    “Yeah, I know…” He sighed.


    Before he could say anything else, we suddenly heard the sharp sound of gurney wheels rushing toward us.


    I turned to look and saw a team pushing an emergency cart our way, moving quickly.


    I was about to step aside when I heard Alvin’s low voice, “Watch out,” and felt him pull me to the side. The gurney sped past us, just missing us.


    I ended up pressed against his chest, my heart pounding so loudly I could feel it in my ears.


    That sound brought back a memory from not long after I first arrived at the Dolton family. I had been at a school event and identally fell from a height.


    Alvin rushed over, scooped me up, and reassured me, telling me not to be scared. He carried me straight to the infirmary.


    That was the first time I heard his heartbeat-so fast, so frantic. It was in that moment I realized I had feelings for him. And now, his heart was still racing, still because of me.


    I shut my eyes, trying to clear my mind. I pressed my face into Alvin’s chest. “Let’s go home. I’m tired.”


    “Okay, I’ll go say goodbye to Thea,” he said, loosening his grip and nting a kiss on my forehead.


    I stayed outside the room while Alvin spoke with Thea. I didn’t catch their conversation, but when he came out, I could hear Thea quietly sobbing.


    When we returned to the Dolton family, Michelle greeted us with a bright smile.


    Maybe it was just my imagination, but that smile seemed a little off. I didn’t dwell on it too much, though.


    I headed upstairs, but as I opened the door to our room, I froze for a second and turned to look at Alvin.


    He was standing in the doorway, ncing back at me.


    Before we could go back downstairs, Michelle had alreadye up. “Zoe, I almost forgot to tell you-Alvin’s room needs to be cleared out for your wedding room. For now, he’ll stay in your room.”


    “Mom, we’re nning to live somewhere else after we get married. Why do we need a wedding room here?” Alvin replied, sounding a little exasperated.


    “Living somewhere else doesn’t mean you won’t be here sometimes. Holidays, or if it getste, you’ll still end up staying here,” Michelle shot back, giving him a yful re.


    She grabbed his arm and led him to my room. “You two are about to get your marriage license, so it’s not a big deal if you live together.”


    “Zoe, you’re okay with this, right?” she asked, looking at me again.


    At that moment, I suddenly remembered something Alvin had said to Oscar earlier, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.


    “I don’t mind,” Alvin answered for me before I could say anything.


    I looked up at him, and before I knew it, his arm was around my shoulder, pulling me inside the room.


    “Mom, goodnight!” Alvin called out, closing the door behind us.


    Once inside, an awkward silence hung between us, but it was also a little charged. Especially with the red bedding on the big bed-it almost felt like our wedding night.


    My face flushed. “Uh… I’m going to change that…”


    I tried to pull away from him, but Alvin caught me, and when I looked into his deep, intense eyes, my heart started to race, my breathing quicker.


    His Adam’s apple bobbed as he took a step forward. My body tensed instinctively.


    He came closer, his hand, which had been holding my arm, slid up to rest on my shoulder, then my neck. His face leaned


    down toward mine.


    I nervously grabbed onto his arm. “Alvin…”


    Before I could say another word, his lips silenced me. The kiss was fierce and burning-different from any kiss we’d shared before.


    We’d kissed over the years, of course, but each time it was quick and light. His tongue never tried to part my lips. But tonight, it was different. His kiss was passionate, hungry.


    I trembled, feeling my body respond, but I couldn’t quite rx enough to let him in.


    Alvin didn’t push further. Instead, he whispered against my car, “Rx a little.”


    With that, I felt my body lift as he picked me up and ced me on the bed. His fingers moved to unbutton my shirt, and I curled my toes in nervousness.


    I saw his forehead muscles tense, his throat bobbing with each breath.


    I hadn’t experienced anything like this before. I could tell we were both nervous, both on edge.


    Maybe he said he wasn’t interested because he hadn’t tried. There was a saying “You never know the vor until you taste


    it.”


    I closed my eyes, bracing myself for what wasing next, for the intimacy that was about to unfold between us.


    Just as his lips brushed my neck, his phone suddenly rang.


    I froze, instinctively clutching his arm. “Alvin…”