For six years 628

“Make sure you save it for me, okay? Don’t sneak any for yourself. I’m saving up for a house,” Lauren said.

Affording a mansion was out of the question in this lifetime, but an apartment in an upscale neighborhood might be possible. Still, in a city like Draventh, even that wasn’t easy.

Lauren wasn’t in any rush, though. She would be content as long as she could afford a place before retirement. All she wanted was a place where she could live out her days in peace.

As for Arielle and Adrian, she’d never once imagined relying on them in the future.

Since they worked in the same company, Carter had naturally noticed how much Lauren had changed. He simply never brought it up.

That quiet routine went on for more than a year and a half until Lauren finally collapsed. She had come down with a fever.

The night before, she’d been running errands for the project team in the middle of a downpour. By the time she made it back to the villa, it was already past 2:00 am. She couldn’t even get out of bed the next day.

Carter usually gave her a ride to work every morning, but that morning, she was nowhere to be found. It wasn’t until Arielle went in to check on her that they realized that she had fallen ill.

“Dad, her face is all red. She’s burning up!” Arielle shouted.

Carter came in right after, and before long, Lauren was lying in bed with an IV drip.

But after just one day of rest, she was already trying to drag herself back into the office.

Over the past year or so, she’d managed to save more than a hundred thousand dollars. It was all real money that she had earned through sheer effort. That was enough to buy, at best, a third of a bathroom.

But she was only in her early 30s. There was still time.

“What are you doing here?”

When Carter spotted her in the office, his brows drew tight. “You’re supposed to be on leave. If you drop dead here, the company’s not going to take responsibility.”

Naturally, life mattered more than money. Without it, there’d be no money to make in the first place.

Lauren dragged her feverish body home. She couldn’t just lie there, though. With each shallow breath burning her chest, she shuffled into the kitchen with a mask on, planning to make some seafood pasta.

But by the time the three of them–father and kids–came home, washed up, and sat down to eat, they immediately dug into the pasta. Half a pot of seafood pasta was gone in no time.

Lauren didn’t get to have a single bite. “Was it good?” she asked.

Arielle nodded eagerly. “Yeah, it was great!”

Carter glanced up from his plate. “You haven’t eaten yet?”

He assumed that she’d already had her share and had left the rest for them.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said, dropping his gaze. “If you want something, just ask the chef to make it.”

“It’s fine. I’m just glad you liked it.” Lauren wasn’t the least bit upset. Honestly, there was a kind of satisfaction in seeing them enjoy her cooking.

The next morning, as soon as she opened her eyes, Lauren spotted Carter setting a bowl of oatmeal and some pills on her nightstand. Then, he turned and left without saying a single word. Despite that, Lauren felt a slow warmth rising in her chest as she stared at the steaming bowl of oatmeal.

“Dad, we’ve got exams tomorrow,” said one of the kids.

“Then do your best. If you score well, there’ll be a reward,” Carter promised.

“Okay!”

Their cheerful voices carried through the hallway. Lauren closed her eyes for a moment. Her heart began to beat with quiet life again.

She’d gotten used to this life somehow, and after more than a year, it felt like she had truly settled into this home.

That night, the kids came home, ate dinner, and sat in the living room, revising for their exams. Meanwhile, Carter was still working overtime and hadn’t returned home yet.

“Need help with anything?” Lauren asked, appearing beside them.

Arielle looked up. “Yeah. Some of it is confusing.”

Lauren walked over and sat beside her. “Show me. Let’s see where you’re stuck.”

“It’s Albish,” Arielle said.

Lauren raised a brow. That was her area of expertise and right up her alley.

After a couple of hours of coaching, Arielle and Adrian were staring at her with wide eyes, awestruck.

They wondered if Lauren had always been that good at Albish. Her accent sounded smoother than their

teacher’s!

Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.