Rose had always been good at compartmentalizing her life. Between her college coursework and the odd jobs she took on to make ends meet, she never allowed herself to get too emotionally involved in anything—until now. Babysitting for Zeke Han had become her routine, and somehow, it was turning out to be more complicated than she'd ever imagined.
Every time she thought she had figured him out, Zeke would do something unexpected. The aloof, seemingly emotionless man who had hired her to look after his son, Jasper, was starting to reveal cracks in his cold facade. Rose couldn't explain why she felt this pull to understand him, especially since he showed no interest in sharing his life with her. But there was something there, something unspoken in the way he looked at her—or perhaps it was the way he didn't look at her, as if she were simply a part of the background. But even that absence felt strangely loaded.
Her day began just like any other. After a late-night study session, Rose had barely enough time to grab breakfast before heading out to the penthouse. Her feet carried her on autopilot to the elevator, and she pressed the button to the top floor without much thought.
When the elevator doors opened, the same sterile silence greeted her. The usual polished staff gave her curt nods as she passed, but no words were exchanged. As she walked down the long hallway toward the playroom, she couldn't help but feel the growing weight of the penthouse's emptiness. It was beautiful, but cold, a place where even the most beautiful things seemed distant.
She stopped in front of the playroom door and knocked softly. "Hey, Jasper," she called out, waiting for the usual excited greeting.
But it wasn't Jasper who opened the door.
It was Zeke.
Rose froze for a moment, surprised by his sudden appearance. He didn't usually show his face until later in the day, after his meetings or whatever business he was handling. Today, however, he was already home, and the faint frown on his face told her that something was on his mind.
"Hello," she said, stepping into the room hesitantly.
Zeke gave her a brief nod before stepping aside to let her in. There was something different in the air today, a subtle shift she couldn't place. He had his usual aloofness, but there was a tension that seemed to follow him, wrapping around his every movement.
"Is everything okay?" Rose asked, trying to keep her voice steady, though she couldn't help but feel a strange unease.
Zeke didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at her with his usual sharp, calculating eyes. "I'm fine," he muttered, his tone cold but not dismissive. There was something in his gaze, though, something that seemed almost… tired.
Before she could ask anything more, Zeke turned his attention to his son, who was sitting on the floor in the middle of a giant puzzle. "Jasper," he said, his voice softer than usual, "how's the puzzle coming along?"
Jasper looked up with a beaming smile. "Almost done, Dad!" He proudly showed off the nearly completed image. Zeke's lips twitched into a brief smile, but the moment passed quickly, and he returned to his usual distant self.
Rose watched them, an unfamiliar feeling twisting in her chest. It was strange to see Zeke interact with his son like this. For all his coldness, there was an undeniable tenderness in his eyes when he looked at Jasper. It was fleeting, but it was there.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Zeke glanced back at her. "You can play with him. I have to step out for a while."
Rose nodded, but her curiosity got the better of her. "Where are you going?"
Zeke's eyes locked onto hers for a brief second, his expression unreadable. "Business," he replied simply before turning toward the door. "Don't let him get into trouble," he added, his voice flat.
And then, without waiting for a reply, he was gone. Rose stood there for a moment, a sense of disquiet settling in her stomach. There was something off about today, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Still, she pushed the thoughts aside. She was here to do a job, and that was what she would focus on.
"Jasper, let's finish that puzzle," Rose said, sitting down beside him.
Jasper's face lit up with excitement. "Okay! We need one more piece, and it'll be perfect!"
Rose smiled, relieved by the boy's eagerness. The innocence and joy in his eyes were contagious. For a moment, she let go of her worries and immersed herself in the puzzle. She and Jasper spent the next hour in a comfortable silence, the only sound in the room the soft click of the puzzle pieces falling into place.
As evening approached, Rose checked the time. It was almost 6 PM, and she was starting to feel the weight of exhaustion from the long hours spent taking care of Jasper. She needed to finish some work for school, and she was counting down the minutes until she could go home.
But when the front door opened again, Rose's heart skipped a beat. Zeke was back.
Her initial instinct was to go back to the playroom and pretend she hadn't noticed his return, but something stopped her. She had no reason to hide from him, especially since their interactions had been brief and mostly neutral.
Zeke appeared in the hallway, looking as composed as ever in his dark suit. But there was something different in the way he carried himself today—his posture was more rigid, his jaw set in a way that suggested he was holding something back.
"Back so soon?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.
Zeke glanced at her, his gaze hard. "I had to cut my meeting short. Something came up."
Rose nodded, unsure of how to respond. There was something in his tone that made her hesitate. She had never seen him so... off-guard before. The air between them seemed charged, as though something unspoken lingered between them.
"Jasper's been great," Rose said, trying to break the awkward silence. "He finished his puzzle."
Zeke gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Good."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The tension hung between them like a heavy fog, neither of them willing to break the silence.
Then, to her surprise, Zeke spoke again. His voice was quieter this time, almost... reluctant. "Rose…"
She looked up at him, her heart racing for some unknown reason. "Yes?"
"I don't need you to babysit Jasper all the time," he said, his words carefully chosen. "I don't want you to feel like you're just some… employee. You're here because I trust you with him."
Rose's eyes widened slightly. She wasn't sure what to make of this. Was Zeke trying to apologize, or was he just trying to make her feel more comfortable in her role?
Before she could respond, Zeke turned away and walked out of the room without another word.
Rose stood there, the weight of his words settling heavily on her chest. She didn't know what to think. He'd never spoken to her like that before, and the vulnerability in his voice had caught her off guard. What did it mean?
---
Later that night…
As she sat in the living room, her textbooks open in front of her, Rose couldn't focus. The events of the day kept replaying in her mind, from Zeke's unexpected return to his strange words before he left. Why had he said that? What was he trying to convey?
The sound of footsteps drew her attention, and she looked up to see Zeke standing in the doorway. His eyes softened slightly as they met hers, but he said nothing. He just watched her for a moment before turning to leave again.
But before he could disappear, Rose spoke. "Zeke," she said, her voice steady despite the unease swirling in her stomach.
He paused but didn't turn around. "What?"
"Are you… okay?" she asked, surprising herself with the question.
Zeke's shoulders tensed, and for a brief moment, it seemed like he was about to turn and walk away without answering. But then, something in his expression changed. It was like a wall had cracked, just for a second, and something raw slipped through.
"I'll be fine," he said, his voice low, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes that Rose couldn't quite interpret.
He didn't give her a chance to say anything else before disappearing back into the shadows of the penthouse, leaving Rose standing there, her heart pounding in her chest.