The Wrong Woman

Candice wanted to speak with Mila, but her attention was drawn to Elio. She was captivated as he tilted his head back to drink water; his Adam's apple was unexpectedly alluring. His simple act sent a surge of heat through Candice, leaving her flustered. She swiftly averted her eyes and turned to Mila.

"Aunt Chubs, is there anything I can help with?" she asked anxiously.

Mila pulled out her phone, her expression turning into a frown as she landed her gaze on it. "I just got some urgent experimental results from work that I need to handle immediately." Confusion clouded Candice's mind.

Pointing toward the seedlings in the basket, Mila instructed, "Candice, can you and Elio help me in planting these seedlings? I need to deal with this issue first."

"I..." Candice panicked, wanting to make Mila stay. "Aunt Chubs, I—"

With a warm smile, Mila began walking away as she said, "I'm swamped right now. Thank you so much, Candice."

Candice couldn't bring herself to reject Mila's request. She said, "Don't mention it, Aunt Chubs. Go ahead with your work."

her breath grew quick and shallow. She turned to

man of few words who always gave off a cool, distant air. In their childhood, Elio deliberately avoided Candice

attempt she made at conversation was met with silence. He would not even

years, Candice had come to view him as a person who was distant and unapproachable, notoriously reserved, and hard to engage

her feelings toward him puzzling. Unlike with other guys, her heart would race and flutter whenever

that they had slept together. She

and asked softly,

Candice nodded in response.

walked over to the corner to retrieve a pair of new gardening gloves. As he returned to Candice, she reached out to take them. Elio pulled back slightly

at first but then held out her hands. Elio carefully slipped the gloves onto her hands, his actions deliberate yet

never considered them small, but they seemed tiny next