Okay," Skylar answered imdiately, then added seriously, "I will send you the high-quality version."
"Oh, really? The high-quality version?"
"Yes," Skylar nodded wisely. "Because that’s what professionals do, and I’m a professional."
"Thank you, Sky..."
At this point, Zachary genuinely looked impressed. His son’s confidence was impressive for a kid his age. He wouldn’t believe it, either, if he hadn’t seen and heard himself.
But before Skylar could continue speaking proudly about photography, Sienna suddenly rembered sothing important.
"Wait, Sky..." she said while narrowing her eyes slightly at him. "You’re not charging for the picture, right?"
Skylar looked thoughtful for exactly three seconds. Then, he said casually, "I won’t charge you with money."
"What do you want? I will do my best—" She can’t even finish her sentence when Skylar interrupts her.
"Auntie, please bake a tasty cake for ," he said, pausing with a thoughtful frown. Then he held up three fingers and added, "Make a tasty cake three tis for ."
Sienna can’t help but smile, watching his eyes shine every ti he talks about or hears about food.
It amuses her.
"Bake cake three tis?" She asked.
"Yes."
"Alright," she finally surrendered, dramatically. "Three cakes. No. Not three. I will give a bonus. I will bake six cakes!"
Skylar instantly smiled wider and held out his tiny hand. "Let’s make a deal, Aunty..."
Sienna shook his hand seriously.
"Deal."
Zachary leaned back slightly against the chair. He felt absurdly satisfied. His son had unknowingly done sothing he himself had been struggling to do naturally—to tie Sienna closer to them.
Now she would wait for Skylar’s photos. She would make cakes for him. And slowly, naturally, they would continue entering her life little by little.
Zachary almost wanted to praise his son out loud.
’This little man deserved a complete upgrade for his computer room.’ He wonders. ’Maybe another cara too. Possibly the expensive one he wanted last month.’
Zachary shook his head as he realized his son was clearly working harder than he was.
The thought alone almost made Zachary laugh at himself.
He leaned back against the sofa, continuing to observe them.
Unfortunately, their peaceful mont slowly began to quiet down.
After talking almost nonstop for nearly an hour, Skylar’s energy finally started disappearing. His words beca slower. His blinking beca heavier.
Eventually, while still holding the iPad loosely, the little boy leaned against the sofa cushion and closed his eyes.
A few minutes later, he was completely asleep.
Sienna imdiately softened at the sight.
"Oh no," she whispered gently. "He’s tired."
Carefully, she stood from the sofa and glanced at Zachary.
"Zach, I’ll carry him to my bedroom."
But before she could even bend down, Zachary stopped her calmly.
"I’ll do it."
Without waiting further, he walked toward the sleeping Skylar and carefully lifted him into his arms.
Skylar shifted slightly but remained asleep against his father’s shoulder.
Then Zachary lifted his gaze toward her.
"Lead the way," he said gently.
Sienna nodded quickly and walked toward her bedroom.
...
After a long and busy day hosting her special guests, Sienna finally allowed herself to breathe properly again.
From early morning until nightti, her tiny apartnt had been unusually full of life.
Skylar’s cheerful voice echoed constantly through the living room. And Zachary’s quiet presence sohow remained beside her almost the entire day.
Between cooking, cleaning, preparing snacks, listening to Skylar’s endless stories, and trying not to embarrass herself in front of Zachary every five minutes, Sienna genuinely felt exhausted.
But strangely enough...
It was the kind of exhaustion that made her heart feel warm and relaxed, not tired and drained.
The problem is—
Even now, almost nine, they are still here.
At first, Sienna naturally thought the father and son would leave shortly after dinner.
That was the normal thing to do, right?
They had already spent the entire day in her apartnt. Surely, they would return ho after eating.
Unfortunately, reality clearly had different plans.
One hour after dinner, Skylar had already taken a bath inside her apartnt and changed into comfortable clothes that Zachary sohow prepared in advance.
The little boy now sat cross-legged on the carpet, comfortably playing with his iPad, completely relaxed, as if this were his second ho.
And Zachary?
Two hours after dinner, he was still sitting calmly in her living room, scrolling through sothing on his phone with absolutely no signs of preparing to leave or looking bored.
Honestly, his level of comfort inside her apartnt was starting to make her overthink, but in an unconcerned way.
anwhile, she sat quietly on the single sofa nearby while secretly glancing at the father and son every few minutes.
Her gaze shifted toward Skylar.
Then toward Zachary.
Then toward the clock.
Then back toward Zachary again. She could clearly see that he looked completely at peace sitting there.
At this point, she was beginning to wonder whether he had silently decided to move into her apartnt without informing her first.
The thought almost made her laugh.
She gave the glass wall a quick glance while carefully considering how to ask them indirectly whether they planned to stay overnight.
But every sentence inside her head sounded rude.
’Are you guys not going ho?’
It sounds too direct.
’Zach, it’s getting late...’
Too obvious.
’Do you want to call your driver?’
Absolutely not.
Sienna silently sighed to herself.
After another five minutes had passed, her attention shifted toward the empty fruit platter beside Skylar.
The little boy had sohow managed to finish almost everything she had prepared earlier.
"Sky," she finally called softly, breaking the comfortable silence filling the apartnt.
The little boy imdiately looked up from his iPad.
"Yes, Aunty?"
"Do you want sothing to eat?" she asked gently. "I still have midnight snacks for you."
Skylar blinked several tis. Then his little face slowly beca serious.
Sienna watched him in amusent as he genuinely looked deep in thought, as if deciding an important life matter instead of choosing snacks. His eyes wandered upward thoughtfully.
Looking at his expression, Sienna could already tell the answer was yes.
Trying not to laugh, she added, "Or warm milk?"
Imdiately, his face brightened.
"Yes, please..."
Sienna smiled softly before starting to stand from the sofa.
"Alright, wait—"
But before she could fully get up, Zachary’s calm voice stopped her.
"Sienna, no need."
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