Ariel stared at the table lamp beside her as she imagined what their daughter might look like. Would she resemble her more, or Jayson?

People often said daughters tended to take after their fathers.

At that thought, Ariel quietly lifted her gaze to study Jayson’s side profile again.

Even under the dim light, his sharp features stood out clearly. He had a tall, straight nose, and the small mole on the bridge only added to his charm.

His double eyelids made his eyes even more captivating, while his slightly pale complexion accentuated the soft red of his lips. Altogether, Jayson’s face seemed almost impossibly perfect–like something crafted by divine

hands.

Ariel had always known that it would be nearly impossible to find another man as handsome as Jayson. If their daughter took after him,she would have no complaints.

Her gaze lingered on his face, eventually settling on his lips.

A few seconds later, her back stiffened, and she quickly looked away, feeling her ears grow hot.

In the end, Ariel shut her eyes, determined not to let her thoughts wander any further.

As soon as she did, Jayson slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the faint flush on her face, he smiled.

When Ariel woke up the next morning, the spot beside her was empty. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. “Jayson?”

There was only silence.

After washing up in the bathroom, Ariel changed her clothes and paused before the mirror, lifting her shirt slightly to inspect her abdomen.

The surgical wound had mostly healed, though the scar would take more time to fade.

For now,

she still hadtotake her prescribed medications–including antibiotics and estrogen tablets—to prevent complications. Full recovery of her endocrine system would take time, but Ariel was determined to follow the doctor’s orders.

Once she was ready, she headed downstairs and spotted Georgia, who was busy with the household chores.

Georgia’s face lit up when she saw her. “Mrs. Larkin, did you sleep well?”

Ariel nodded. “Where’s Jayson?”

Checking the time, she realized she had slept in–it was already 9:00 am. That almost never happened.

As Georgia set breakfast on the dining table, she said, “Mr. Larkin told me not to wake you. He left for the office earlier to take care of some matters.”

1/3

Ariel didn’t think much of it, but a hint of disappointment lingered. She had gone to bed last night thinking about the photo of their daughter. It was the first thing that came to mind when she woke up.

Since Jayson had gone to work, seeing the photo would have to wait.

Sitting at the table, she picked up her phone and glanced at her schedule. She had an important meeting today with several fighter jet pilots to conduct a detailed survey.

It was a relatively casual event organized by Faye Technologies, held at a clubhouse near their headquarters. Ariel needed to be there by 10:00 am.

She didn’t feel tired at the thought of attending the numerous meetings. In fact, having work to focus on helped her feel more grounded.

After breakfast, she sent Jayson a WhatsApp message before heading out. “Let me know when you’re free. Or just send me the photo when you have time.”

Right now, that photo was at the top of her priorities. She couldn’t quite understand why Jayson had returned to work so soon, given that he was still recovering.

As she stepped out the front door, Ariel realized she didn’t have her car.

Fortunately, Toby was on duty that day. He spotted her and quickly approached. “Where are you headed, Mrs. Larkin? I’ll drive you there.”

Normally, Toby wasn’t assigned to stay at the house. Ariel figured Jayson must have arranged it, knowing she would probably go out.

It made things much easier for her. She gave Toby the address and got into the car.

Meanwhile, Jayson had arrived at Bluum Corp’s headquarters.

Word of his return spread quickly through the company. Many employees were already feeling anxious and restless upon hearing the news.