So she smiled again; her tone was gentle, like an elder advising a little child.
"Why don’t you both exchange numbers? That way, Alex can contact you directly for dinner."
Adaline froze for a second. Her fingers tightened around her phone.
Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might leap out of her chest.
Exchange numbers?
She hesitated, but under the soft, expectant gaze of Mary and the calm, steady gaze of Alex, she felt cornered.
There was no polite way to refuse. Slowly, with small movents, she took out her phone.
Alex, on the other hand, pulled out his phone with natural confidence.
His lips curved into a faint smile as if he had already known the answer.
They exchanged their numbers quietly, the sound of buttons clicking filling the silence.
Adaline bit her lip. She knew very well that their worlds were far apart.
He was a man from a wealthy, powerful family, while she was just a dical student from a modest background.
What could soone like him want from her? Still, the mont her phone showed his na saved, her heart thumped loudly against her ribcage, while the anticipation of what might happen between them bubbled in her chest.
She tried to bury it, to hide it deep inside so no one could see.
So that no one could know how much she wished to go on a date with Alex.
But before she could even gather her thoughts, her phone buzzed.
A ssage appeared.
Hi.
Her head shot up, her eyes finding Alex imdiately.
He was watching her closely, his lips curved into that sa faint, gentle smile.
He looked so calm, so composed, but in his eyes there was sothing playful, as if he wanted to confirm that she had not given him a fake number.
Adaline almost rolled her eyes, though only in her heart.
Did he really think she would dare give him a wrong number?
He looked like the perfect male lead from so romantic movie. She didn’t have the courage to trick him even if she wanted to.
She gave a small nod, showing she received the ssage. Alex smiled in satisfaction.
Mary, sitting in the front, knew better than to push more. She had achieved what she wanted. Now it was ti to give them space.
The car slowed down as it reached the university gate.
Adaline looked up, her voice soft. "I should get off here."
Mary turned to her with a smile. "Do you live in the dorms here?"
Adaline nodded. "Yes. It’s easier for classes."
Mary’s smile deepened.
"Our apartnt is only five minutes from here. If you ever need anything or if you feel like eating sothing delicious, co by. Don’t be shy. The address is..."
Adaline’s lips curved into a small, polite smile. "Thank you. I’ll rember that."
She reached for the car door handle, but before she could open it, she felt a gentle tug on her hand.
Her breath caught.
Alex’s hand had wrapped around hers.
Both of them froze. Ti seed to stop.
Alex quickly realized what he had done. He let go, pulling his hand back with a small, awkward smile. But his voice was calm, almost natural.
"I only wanted to remind you," he said, his gaze steady on her, "that if you face any problem, ssage . And... I will also need you to keep an eye on my mother when you can. If she encounters any more trouble, help her again."
Adaline blinked, her heart still unsteady from that brief touch.
Slowly, she nodded. Her face grew serious, though her heart was still pounding. "I will. She is very kind. I won’t ignore her."
Alex’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Good."
Adaline gave one last polite nod, then finally opened the door and stepped out.
She walked toward the dorms, her figure shrinking as the car pulled away.
Then Mary suddenly shifted, leaving her seat in the front and moving to the back beside Alex.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked at him. "So," she said, her voice teasing. "You like her."
Alex stiffened, his face heating instantly.
For a man usually calm and collected, it was rare to see him flustered. But there was no point in denying it. His mother saw everything.
He exhaled, then nodded honestly.
"Yes. I like her a lot. From the first ti I saw her, I wanted to ask for her number, but she seed too guarded. I didn’t want to scare her."
Mary’s lips curved into a soft, knowing smile. She patted his hand gently.
"You don’t need to worry," she said with quiet confidence. "I will make sure she becos my daughter-in-law."
Alex’s heart skipped a beat at her words.
He tried to hold back his smile, but it broke through anyway.
His heart was too full. He leaned over suddenly, wrapping his arms around his mother in a tight hug.
"You are the best mother in the world," he said, his voice low but full of emotion.
Mary’s heart softened instantly. She smiled, patting his back as if he were still her little boy.
"I only want you to be happy," she whispered. "I couldn’t give you much when you were young. Now I want to give you everything, even the girl you love."
Alex pulled back, his eyes a little misty, though his smile remained.
That day, when Mary returned to the apartnt, her mood was as bright as sunshine.
The kitchen was full of the aroma of freshly cooked food, for she had prepared several dishes, each carefully made with extra effort.
When the Waters family mbers began returning one after another, they were t with a pleasant surprise.
Not only was the table full, but they also noticed Alex sitting comfortably as if he belonged there.
For the Waters family, this sight had beco familiar.
Alex had been around more often.
Olivia walked in first and greeted him with her calm smile.
"Good evening, Alex," she said, setting her bag down before moving toward the table.
Theodore followed, giving a polite nod as he passed by.
Lucas ca next, his gaze brushing over Alex before he offered a short greeting.
Adriana entered soon after, and though she was surprised to see Alex, she still gave a smile and a small wave.
Adam, the last to arrive, walked in with his usual lighthearted nature and clapped Alex’s shoulder warmly before heading to wash up.
The mont Aurora stepped inside, her eyes instantly found Alex.
A gentle smile curved her lips as she approached him. "How is everything going?" she asked softly.
Alex was about to answer when Mary, who had just settled on the dining table with her phone in hand after finishing her cooking, looked up.
"Aurora," she said, chuckling lightly, "you might soon gain a sister-in-law. Just look at how happy Alex is today."
The words dropped into the air like pebbles into water, rippling through the family.
Aurora’s eyes widened in surprise, darting to Alex.
His face reddened imdiately, and his gaze turned toward his mother in silent pleading.
His look was clear: please, do not continue.
But Mary was not about to hold back.
She ignored his expression and leaned forward, her eyes carrying amusent as she talked with Aurora.
"I t a girl today," she explained. "She is truly beautiful, and she helped as well. As it happens, Alex likes her too."
Alex closed his eyes briefly in dismay.
He should have known better than to confide so openly with his mother.
He had trusted her, but now it seed the entire Waters family would soon know.
Sure enough, all eyes turned to him.
Aurora cleared her throat softly and asked, "Do you know her na?"
Mary’s eyes lit up as if she had been waiting for this question. "Her na is Adeline," she replied, her voice warm with fondness.
The room stilled for a mont. Adriana froze completely, her body stiffening.
Adeline. How could she forget?
That was the sa na as the girl her ex-boyfriend had dated before her.
Adriana rembered that girl’s face clearly, and along with it, the guilt she still carried for how things had gone back then.
She could not believe the coincidence. Could it really be the sa person?
Aurora, however, felt more certain than ever.
From the way Mary described her, from Alex’s flustered reaction, she was sure it was the very Adeline she had been trying so carefully to keep away from Lucas.
Fate, it seed, was not sothing she could control so easily.
Yet instead of despair, Aurora found herself sighing inwardly.
This eting, it seed, was bound to happen.
Still, her heart carried worry.
Her eyes shifted toward Lucas.
If he recognized the na or showed the slightest change in expression, all her careful planning might crumble.
She studied his face closely.
But to her relief, Lucas looked impassive, as if the na had ant nothing.
Aurora felt her tense shoulders relax. Perhaps this ti the story would flow differently. Perhaps this ti she could protect them all.
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