The door swung open to reveal Jerrold, his eyes sparkling with delight upon seeing her. His sheer joy was contagious, prompting Lilah to grin broadly. Lifting him up, she greeted, "Good morning, darling!"
Jerrold responded with a kiss on her cheek, as if saying, “Good morning to you too."
Walking further in, she found Gerard setting the breakfast table. He gestured to a chair, inviting her to sit. “Please, have a seat."
Breakfast was an assortment of bread, fried eggs, sausages, and milk.
When Lilah took a bite of the fried egg, her eyes widened in delight.
"Did you hire a chef? This is amazing!"
"Do you enjoy it?" Gerard inquired.
"It's delicious!" Lilah exclaimed.
Gerard's lips curled into a smile. "I appreciate the praise. I'll continue to improve my skills."
Lilah almost spat out her food in surprise. "Wait, you made this?"
He nodded. "Indeed."
It was hard to imagine a man of Gerard's stature, a CEO no less, being so adept in the kitchen.
With a playful sigh, Lilah remarked, “Is there anything you can't do?"
Gerard chuckled. "Of course. I have my weaknesses."
“Like what?" Lilah asked, intrigued.
His deep gaze held hers. “Once I set my mind on something, it's hard for me to let go."
She paused, feeling the weight of his words. After a moment, she focused back on her food.
Every interaction with Gerard revealed another facet of him. Would she be able to keep her guard up?
To avoid falling for his charm, Lilah decided to keep some boundaries.
So, she declined Gerard's offer to drive her to work. "I appreciate it, but I have my own transportation. Besides, we're not on the same route. I better head out."
Bending down, she kissed Jerrold's cheek. "I'll see you soon, darling.
We have that spring outing coming up!"
Jerrold waved goodbye, but after she left, he shot Gerard a reproachful look, as if blaming him for not winning Lilah over further. With a huff, the little boy retreated to his room and grabbed his schoolbag.
Gerard sighed, reflecting on Lilah's hurried departure, his expression contemplative.