anwhile, Hannah and Amy had already set the table, with Erald pitching in to help. Dave gently carried Hera to her seat at the table. Since she was still recovering and had to follow a specific nutritional diet, Hannah kept the al simple, nothing extravagant.
But thanks to Hannah’s cooking skills, the dishes didn’t taste herbal or bland. Instead, the nourishing al was enjoyed by everyone gathered.
After lunch, Dave reluctantly had to return to work. He pouted, clinging to Hera as if he could delay the inevitable, refusing to let go until the last possible mont. When he finally did, it was only after hugging her tightly—again and again—trying to soak up enough of her warmth to last until they t again.
From there, he went straight to the operations room for a eting on the upcoming mission against the cartels. Since Hera had recomnded that he work alongside Leo and Luke’s people to intercept the North Mafia faction’s armants, Dave needed to refine the plan and ensure both sides were fully aligned.
The operation would be massive and keep him busy for days, which was why his earlier embrace had felt almost desperate, as though he wanted to ld her into himself so he could never forget the feel of her.
Knowing that everything they were doing was to protect Hera only strengthened his resolve. He reviewed the mission plan several tis, determined to eliminate every possible weakness. By the end, it was airtight, well, almost. The only loose end was that two other teams still needed to be briefed.
After Dave left, Rafael stayed beside Hera, managing company matters remotely. Hera, after briefly indulging in a novel, turned her attention to her class materials. She had been busy these past few days and had promised the Dean she wouldn’t let her studies slip, so she needed to catch up on the lessons she had missed.
She attended a few online classes, completed reports, and worked on answer sheets, often with one hand, while her laptop rested on an elevated table in front of her.
anwhile, Xavier was also absorbed in his own work, handling the paperwork for the inheritance of his family’s businesses. The three of them were so focused that no one dared disturb them. Yet, despite each being wrapped up in their own responsibilities, simply being in each other’s company was still a quiet comfort.
Then Xavier also had to leave. He walked over to Hera and pressed a light kiss to her forehead.
"Strawberry, I need to go finalize the contracts with the lawyers in front of my family... I must have really scared them before, because now they’re rushing to get everything done, probably afraid I’ll change my mind," Xavier explained with a chuckle.
Hera couldn’t help but laugh softly as she nodded. "Just do your thing, no rush," she said.
He gave her another quick peck before leaving, folders in hand.
When Xavier disappeared through the front door, Rafael leaned in and whispered, "Strawberry, huh? What’s with the nickna?" His teasing grin widened when he noticed Hera’s ears turning red.
He was tempted to push further, but how could Hera possibly tell him the truth, that Xavier had called her Strawberry because he once claid she tasted like strawberries down there? Just thinking about it made her want to sink into the floor from embarrassnt.
So instead, she pushed Rafael’s face away and pretended to focus on her classes. Rafael chuckled a few more tis before finally turning his attention to the business proposal he and Xavier had discussed with Hera earlier.
Since they already had a plan and a clear direction, all he needed to do was consolidate it into a solid proposal, finalize it, and then pass it on to the other departnts so they could run the numbers and prepare.
Once the contract was signed, they could imdiately start implentation. With Xavier busy running around to take over his family’s business, he wouldn’t have ti to handle this project and would likely only be available to sign off on it.
That ant the groundwork would fall squarely on Rafael’s shoulders. Fortunately, Hera wouldn’t need much of his attention—she could stay occupied with her classes—so he could focus fully on the task ahead.
And so, the day passed with each of them imrsed in their own work. When Hera finally stretched her sore arm and rolled her neck after hours in the sa spot, the stiffness in her body made her wince.
Beside her, Rafael was doing the sa; both of them had been buried in work all afternoon. Outside, the sky was painted in deep reds and golds as the sun began its descent.
As a brief respite, Rafael scooped Hera up and carried her toward the floor-to-ceiling window, letting her watch the sunset in his arms. Hannah had just finished preparing refreshnts and snacks for them, but when she saw how sweet they looked silhouetted against the fading light, she quietly decided not to disturb them.
Rafael stood tall and steady, his broad fra outlined by the warm glow, while Hera, even with her arm in a cast, looked radiant, her smile soft as she gazed at the horizon.
A mont later, Luke arrived. He walked toward them at a leisurely pace, pausing beside Rafael to watch the last sliver of sun slip away. Only when the light had faded completely did he step forward, leaning in to press a kiss to Hera’s cheek.
"I’m ho," he said with a warm, amused tone, as if greeting a wife at the end of a long day.
"Are we heading to the hospital to visit Leo?" Luke asked, loosening his tie.
"Mhm." Hera nodded with a sweet smile. It had been almost a full day, and she didn’t want Leo to feel as if no one cared about him. She missed him, too.
Even though he couldn’t rember her, the fact that he didn’t shy away from her brought her comfort; it ant that despite his amnesia, so part of him still instinctively gravitated toward her. And that, to her, was a very good sign.
Hannah busied herself in the kitchen, preparing dishes, while Luke rested for a bit, leaning lightly against Hera’s shoulder. He was careful not to put any weight that might strain her injuries; he just wanted to breathe in her scent and feel her warmth. After a long day’s work, it made him feel at ho.
As Hera nibbled on the snacks Hannah had set out and Rafael sipped coffee while answering emails, Luke drifted off to sleep. An hour later, Hannah erged from the kitchen carrying a layered bento box, brimming with enough dishes to feed more than ten people.
The mont Hera stirred, Luke’s eyes fluttered open, slightly red, giving him a faintly pitiful look.
"If you’re still tired, you could rest in my room first. We’ll be back soon..." she coaxed softly.
Maybe it was the haze of just waking up, or maybe it was her gentle voice, but Luke felt like indulging in a little pampering. He pursed his lips, leaned closer, and nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck.
"I don’t want to be away from you for too long. I’ve already spent so much ti at the office today, and we only have a few hours left together. I don’t want to rest and let you go without ," Luke said, his voice tinged with grievance.
It was the first ti Hera had heard him act this way, and she couldn’t help but reach out to ruffle his hair. After all, it would be a lie to say she didn’t like being relied on and missed this much. Her heart even fluttered, light and restless, like a butterfly’s wings.
"Okay, okay, we’ll do as you like," she said, and, unable to resist, returned the gesture he often gave her, pressing a light peck to the top of his head.
To Luke, it was just a gentle touch, yet that simple contact sent a prickling sensation racing down his spine, heat pooling low until he couldn’t help but have a hard on.
"Baby, I want you..." he murmured, only to rember she was still injured. He bit back the rest, lips pressing into a thin line.
From the side, Rafael, who was supposed to be busy replying to emails, snorted. "Horny dog," he muttered, as if he hadn’t been in the sa state last night.
Luke ignored him entirely, focusing only on showering Hera’s cheeks with soft, relentless kisses.
"I’ll hold it in for now... but I hope you’ll be ready once you’ve recovered."
Luke’s angelic face tilted back slightly, his smile soft at first, until it shifted, transforming that angelic beauty into sothing sinful. In that mont, he looked like a fallen angel, divinely handso, yet dripping with lust.
Hera froze, montarily stunned, unsure how to respond. Behind her, she heard Rafael snort, but she could feel it too, the way his gaze sharpened into sothing predatory. Her body gave a faint tremor under the weight of it.
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