"You used my razor again, didn't you?"
Jesse looked up from the kitchen island, one brow raised. "Seriously? That's what we're doing this morning?"
Alina stormed in, tying her robe with the precision of someone about to fire a senior manager. "You left it wet! Again!"
"I rinsed it!"
"You *rinsed* it. Jesse, it's not a spoon-it's a razor! I nearly cut my ankle shaving!"
"You shave your ankles?"
"That's not the point!"
He threw his hands up, a faint grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm sorry, your highness. Next time I'll write a formal letter requesting permission."
She grabbed a piece of burnt toast from the counter, glaring at him. "You think this is funny?"
"Only slightly," he muttered, sipping coffee.
Alina looked like she might throw the toast at his head when-
*"Good morning, lovebirds!"*
Jesse's mom waltzed into the kitchen, hair perfectly set, wearing a floral blouse far too cheerful for the emotional landmine she dropped last night.
Alina straightened like a student caught passing notes.
Jesse blinked. "Hi, Mom."
His mother forced a smile. "Good. That's... good.
"I smelled burnt toast," she smiled. "Thought someone might need rescuing."
"I'm fine," Alina said a bit too quickly, slipping into CEO-calm mode. "Just... handling breakfast."
"Looks like the toast lost the battle."
"Your son made it."
"Figures."
Jesse sighed. "You want eggs or sarcasm? Because I'm only making one."
His mom slid into a chair, setting her phone facedown. "Eggs would be nice. Scrambled. With less passive aggression."
Alina turned toward the stove, hiding a smirk. Jesse gave her a look. She stuck her tongue out when his mom wasn't looking.
The three of them moved around the kitchen awkwardly-two of them pretending the tension wasn't real, one of them hiding a message that could change everything.
Jesse's mom stirred her tea in silence, eyes distant.
Alina noticed. "You okay?"
"Oh yes," she lied with the enthusiasm of a tired actress.
His mother forced a smile. "Good. That's... good. Everything looks perfect."
But her voice shook just slightly, and Jesse tilted his head. "Mom."
"I said I'm fine."
He narrowed his eyes, suspicious now. "You're a terrible liar."
She chuckled awkwardly. "Must be where you got it from."
They sat in awkward silence for a moment before she excused herself to the front yard.
When the door clicked shut, Alina whispered, "She's hiding something."
"She always does," Jesse said, eyes still on the hallway. "But this felt bigger."
Alina nodded. "Do you think it's about... your father?"
Jesse froze. He hadn't even *thought* about his father in weeks. He'd locked that door and thrown away the key.
"She hasn't heard from him in years," he said, but even to his own ears, it sounded like a hope, not a fact.
Alina reached for his hand. "If anything happens... we face it together. Contract or not."
He squeezed her fingers, staring into her eyes. "I know."
But deep down, something told him-this peace wouldn't last.
And as the cool wind outside made everything look alright, Jesse's mother stared at the message on her phone one more time:
"RELEASED TODAY. YOU NEED TO WARN HIM BEFORE HE FINDS OUT ON HIS OWN."