Collide Into Ruin

The morning smelled divine—buttery croissants, sizzling bacon, and the sweet aroma of cinnamon pancakes. It was the kind of breakfast that made you wake up smiling before you even opened your eyes.

Emilia stretched, blinking away the last traces of sleep. She rolled over, expecting to find Henry beside her, but instead, all she got was cold sheets. Her lips curled into a sleepy smile.

He's cooking.

The mental image alone made her heart squeeze. Henry, the intimidating CEO, standing in the kitchen, probably in an apron, focused, precise... God, that's attractive.

Wasting no time, she freshened up, brushed her teeth, and grabbed one of Henry's Henley shirts—soft, oversized, and smelling just like him—pairing it with a comfy set of shorts. Quietly, she padded downstairs, drawn to the kitchen like a moth to a flame.

And there he was.

Henry stood at the stove, humming to himself as he flipped pancakes. Sure enough, he was wearing an apron.

But not just any apron.

A pink Hello Kitty apron.

Emilia almost lost it.

Just as she was about to rush forward and wrap her arms around him, something yanked her backward.

She barely had time to gasp before a hand clamped over her mouth.

She turned sharply—only to find Jason, Roxanne, and Lily crouched beside her like they were on a top-secret mission.

Before she could question them, Jason leaned in, his voice dropping into the most ridiculous Nigel Thornberry impression:

"We are in the presence of something spectacular this morning. The Big Bad CEO... is in a kitchen... adorned in a Hello Kitty apron... smashing."

Emilia slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter, her body shaking.

Jason wasn't done. He gestured dramatically toward Henry. "Look at him in his natural habitat. The elusive Henry Kingsley, known for boardroom battles and cold, hard negotiations, has been spotted wielding a spatula. Magnificent!"

Roxanne, stifling a giggle, whispered, "A rare sight indeed."

Lily nodded sagely. "Almost mythical."

"Oh, come on," Emilia whispered, still stifling laughter. "You've never seen your brother cook, Jason?"

Jason shook his head furiously. "No. Henry hates cooking for us."

Emilia gave him a puzzled look. "That's weird. Henry loves cooking for me." She said it sweetly, just to mess with him.

Jason turned to her slowly, pure betrayal on his face. "I beg the man to cook for me, and he tells me to go home."

That did it. The three of them erupted into laughter, barely holding it together.

But this time... it was loud enough for Henry to hear.

Without turning away from the stove, he sighed. "If you all are done now, breakfast is ready."

They froze.

Then—chaos.

Jason immediately pulled out his phone like a paparazzo on the red carpet, snapping rapid-fire photos. "Ohhh, I am never deleting these."

Lily dramatically clutched her chest. "It's... it's beautiful."

Roxanne wiped a fake tear. "I never thought I'd live to see the day."