When Henry learned that Ella usually relied on buses and the subway, he spoke up immediately."I'll give you my electric bike."

Caleb shook his head. "Yours is too heavy for her. She should take mine."

Daniel hesitated, then added, "Mine's brand new. I've only ridden it once. Ella can use mine."

In the end, they all agreed on Daniel's.

Ella couldn't refuse. She thanked them and rode off. Once she was out of sight, she stopped by the curb, checked the address Tiesto had given her, and opened the navigation app.

Just as she was about to continue, her phone rang.

It was Henry.

"Ella, you left your bank card inside the nutrition supplements you bought today," he said. "Do you need it urgently? I can mail it to you tomorrow."

"No," Ella replied softly. "That money was for Mom and Dad. Please give it to them."

Earlier, she had bought health supplements as gifts. Thinking about how her parents had traveled across the country looking for her and Piper-never settling in one place-she had quietly slipped her savings inside.

Four thousand dollars. Everything she had managed to save over the years.

She knew they wouldn't accept it outright.

As expected, they'd found it.

"Ella," Henry said quickly, "you just graduated. And you're married now-you'll need money."

"Henry," she interrupted gently, climbing back onto the bike. "Please. Let it go. I'm riding now."

Worried about her safety, he didn't argue.

Ella arrived at the address Tiesto had given her-a modern apartment complex in the city. It was far humbler than the Hart family villa, but the moment she stepped inside the gates, she felt oddly at ease.

She found the right floor, then stopped.

The door had a digital lock.

The key Tiesto had given her didn't work.

With no other option, she called him.

At Sterling Corp, Tiesto was buried in paperwork. Seeing an unfamiliar number, he almost ignored it-until he remembered yesterday.

"Mr. Sterling," Ella said politely. "Sorry to bother you. The key you gave me doesn't open the door. It's a digital lock."

"...Wait," he muttered, then turned to Javi. "Why does that apartment have a digital lock?"

Javi stiffened. "I'll check right now."

A moment later, he found the access code and passed it over. Tiesto read it aloud.

"Thank you," Ella said. Then, after a brief pause, she asked carefully, "When will you be home?"

The word home made Tiesto pause.

"I usually stay at the company residence," he replied. "I won't be back unless necessary."

"Oh." Ella smiled without meaning to.

Relief bubbled up inside her.

So this was what people online called the joy of a husband who never comes home.

Tiesto hung up.

Javi cleared his throat. "Sorry, sir. That apartment was collateral from another subsidiary. The lock code was changed earlier this month."

"It's fine," Tiesto said, already turning back to his work. A lock code wasn't worth his attention.

Meanwhile, Ella entered the apartment.

Two bedrooms, one living room. Clean. Minimal. Almost untouched.

He clearly didn't stay here often.

She placed her luggage in the spare bedroom, unpacked quickly, and stored the food her mother had packed into the fridge.

Sitting on the sofa, she opened her phone and saw the family group chat lighting up.

Did you arrive safely?Let us know when you're inside!Text when you're settled!

She typed back:"I've arrived safely. Don't worry, Mom, Dad. Brothers."

The chat exploded with emojis and encouragement, as if she'd just achieved something monumental.

Then she noticed several money transfers.

Her parents, Henry, and Daniel had each sent $7,500. Caleb had sent $4,500.

Thirty thousand dollars in total.

Ella stared at the screen, stunned.

Without hesitation, she sent every transfer back.

Moments later, messages flooded in.

"Ella, this is your father's money. You must keep it," Lucas said.

"Yes," Lora added. "Buy whatever you need."

"You're rejecting it because you don't see us as your brothers?" the three boys protested together.

Ella finally gave in.

Thinking of their small apartment-and how much this must have cost them-her chest tightened with warmth and quiet pain.

The Next Morning

Ella rode to work.

She had just graduated and was now an intern at a local media outlet. Officially a reporter. In reality, she chased leads, tips, and anything she could find.

Senior reporters had contacts. Interns had persistence.

She usually relied on public transport or shared bikes, but today, the electric bike made everything easier.

She didn't land any major stories, but she stopped by a local community center.

The director smiled when he saw her. "Ella! Back again? And with gifts?"

"I didn't buy them," she said, unloading a box. "My mom made them."

There was too much food to keep at home, so she'd brought half along.

"Your mom?" the director asked, surprised.

"My real mom," Ella said, beaming.

"Oh-your biological family found you? Congratulations!"

Ella had grown up here with Piper. Even after leaving, she still visited once or twice a month.

"I brought stuffed chicken and small fish," she said. "Especially for you."

The director laughed and accepted them.

"Where's Ellen?" Ella asked.

"She's helping the kids inside."

"I'll find her."

Ellen was helping children with homework. Now married with a toddler, she worked part-time so she could keep her daughter close.

"Sis!" Ella called.

Ellen pulled the kids aside. "How are your parents? Do they treat you well?"

"They're amazing," Ella said. "They even packed food for me."

Ellen's smile softened. "So you've left the villa for good? Congratulations..."

Ella nodded. "Yeah. I even got married."

After a brief explanation, Ellen's expression shifted to concern."But you barely know him."

"At least my grandfather's generation knew him," Ella said lightly. "That's better than my adoptive mom trying to marry me off to some rich stranger."

After leaving the center, Ella called Tiesto. He had just finished a meeting and answered.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Mr. Sterling, I need your help with something," Ella said. "The security guard told me this morning that I need to register my bike, but I need proof that I live there, so-"

"Alright." Tiesto frowned slightly."Javi, take care of it immediately."

A second later, Ella's phone buzzed-Tiesto Sterling had added her as a contact. Moments after that, he sent over the property documents.

She hadn't expected the apartment to actually belong to him.

In the city, real estate prices were brutal. Even modest apartments could drain a family's lifetime savings. This one was ninety-nine square meters-just over a thousand square feet. Even in an average neighborhood, its value was staggering.

Ella stared at the documents, stunned.

[So this apartment is yours?] she typed. [It must have cost a fortune.]

No reply.

After a moment, she added: [You probably have a big mortgage every month, right? I can contribute to the rent if you want.]

Still nothing.

Feeling awkward, she sent one more message. "I don't earn much yet. I'll only be using one room, so I can cover part of the market rate."

Finally, a response came.

[No need.]

Even so, Ella felt uneasy. She'd planned to rent anyway, so she made a mental note to look up local prices later.

With the property documents and marriage certificate, registering her electric bike and charging station went smoothly this time.

Back at the apartment, she flipped the light switch.

Nothing happened.

The unit was pitch-dark.

A neighbor across the hall poked her head out. "Everything okay? Did your power go out?"

Ella frowned. It dawned on her that the utilities hadn't been activated yet. She messaged Tiesto for the account details and access codes. His replies were brief-impatient, even-but she didn't take it personally. She had no intention of bothering him more than necessary.

Her phone rang almost immediately.

"Make a list of everything that needs to be handled-utilities, parking, anything else," Tiesto said calmly. "Send it all at once. Don't report things piece by piece."

Even while busy, he was polite. Still, the authority in his tone made her smile wryly. If she'd done this at work, she would've been reprimanded long ago.

"Oh-okay. Sorry," she said, pulling out a notebook and carefully writing everything down.

Tiesto didn't wait. "Javi, handle it."

Javi moved fast-activating utilities, confirming parking access, and linking all fees to Tiesto's accounts.

He had witnessed Tiesto registering the marriage himself, but over the past two days it was clear the CEO wasn't entirely pleased with the arrangement. Javi didn't ask questions. He never did.

"Create a new messaging account," Tiesto added. "If she needs anything, she contacts you. You're just a friend. I'm an ordinary employee."

Tiesto's main accounts were too public-corporate posts, media appearances, constant visibility. Personal matters didn't belong there. Javi sighed. Keeping things low-key was one thing; this bordered on excessive.

Before Ella finished her list, the apartment lights flicked on.

Everything had been handled-utilities activated, parking approved, fees auto-paid. Tiesto even sent her the Wi-Fi name and password.

"For apartment-related matters, contact Javi," his message read, followed by a virtual business card.

"Got it," Ella replied, adding him.

"And don't mention our marriage to outsiders."

"Understood."

She doubted she'd need to contact Tiesto much anyway.

The next day, the building upgraded its smart meters, rendering the old access codes useless. Ella didn't have the new ones.

Tiesto didn't live there, and Javi usually handled these things-but now it fell to her. She messaged Javi directly.

"I need the updated access codes. What should I do?"

Javi was in the car with Tiesto, who was on a call with an overseas investor. He didn't interrupt. This was well within his authority.

Ella was nearby. It would be quicker to deliver them in person.

She waited by the apartment gate.

Minutes later, Javi approached. "Ms. Hart, I brought the updated access codes."

"Oh-thank you for coming all this way," Ella said, taking the envelope.

"Just doing my job," Javi replied. "Let me know if anything else comes up."

Ella glanced across the street-and froze.

"Wait... isn't that car familiar?"

Javi followed her gaze.

Tiesto's black sedan was parked nearby-far too conspicuous. If anyone recognized it, things could get messy.

"Maybe you're mistaken," Javi said smoothly, shifting to block her view.

Ella squinted again. Behind the sedan, a white SUV pulled up. A young woman inside laughed as she spoke to the driver.

Ellen. And her husband.

"Oh." Ella relaxed.

"Coffee?" Javi suggested quickly.

"No, I'll pay," Ella said. "You already went out of your way."

The distraction worked.

By the time Ella stepped out with her iced latte, the white SUV was gone. She waved goodbye to Javi, feeling oddly self-sufficient.

Tiesto's call ended moments later.

Almost unconsciously, he glanced out the window.

Across the street, Ella was laughing softly as she said goodbye to Javi. They held identical cups of iced coffee.

Something in his chest stilled.

He'd known she was beautiful from the start-but her smile now, effortless and bright, caught him completely off guard. The curve of her brows, the light in her eyes-it was disarming.

His gaze lingered.

Javi returned to the car.

The door shut.

Tiesto's eyes shifted to him-cold, sharp.

"You two seem... close," Tiesto said.

A chill ran down Javi's spine. That edge in his voice-subtle, unmistakable.

"Mr. Sterling," Javi said carefully, "the smart meter needed updating. I handled it. She thanked me with coffee."

The air only grew colder.

Tiesto said nothing.

But the tension remained.

Back at the office, Javi was unusually cautious. He'd assumed Tiesto was indifferent-that small gestures meant nothing.

He'd been wrong.

Tiesto's possessiveness had surfaced quietly, unexpectedly, over something as trivial as a cup of coffee.

Lesson learned.

No matter how insignificant it seemed, Javi would never again allow Ella to get close to Tiesto in ways that might matter.

Experience gained: +1.

Later, at Sterling Corporation, lunchtime.

Tiesto and Javi arrived at the cafeteria. Senior staff had a private dining room, but for Tiesto, meals were functional-just fuel for the day. He preferred the main cafeteria with ready-to-eat dishes, avoiding the wait for freshly prepared meals.

The moment he stepped in, chatter faded. Employees instinctively knew they couldn't act freely around him. He picked his food and sat in a corner. Only then did the room slowly return to murmurs.

Javi went to grab his own lunch. A young manager, Chris, waved him over.

"Hey, Javi, when did you start seeing someone?"

"What? Seeing someone? No-why?"

Chris smirked. "You were spotted yesterday getting coffee with a girl. People are talking. She's... really beautiful!"

Other coworkers leaned in. "Yeah! And her smile-it's amazing!"

"Only someone like you could manage a girl like that. We're jealous!"

Chris nudged him. "Seriously, when are we going to meet her? Did you meet her through friends, family, work?"

Javi felt his heart race. That same cold, piercing gaze he'd felt yesterday-Tiesto's-was on him again, sharp and silent, freezing him in place.

"Uh... she's just a friend," Javi said quickly, trying to sound casual. "We were just grabbing coffee. That's all."

Tiesto's footsteps paused as he walked by. Javi felt a sharp tug of anxiety in his chest-he'd underestimated how possessive Tiesto could be, even without saying a word.

Liam, oblivious, continued teasing. "Not your girlfriend? Fine. Just bring your friend next time, then!"

Javi exhaled slowly, relief washing over him.

Hearing Tiesto's footsteps approaching, groaned inwardly. Thinking fast, he said: "My 'friend' is married and has a good husband. How could she have time to come eat with you all? Stop joking-eat, eat."

The group looked disappointed.

Javi turned and saw Tiesto quietly taking his food.

"Mr. Sterling!"

No one dared tease in front of Tiesto, and everyone returned to their seats, picking at their meals.

Tiesto said in a low voice: "There's progress on the business department's projects. This month, everyone works a bit harder and pushes deadlines."

Translation: everyone had to work overtime.

Chris and Liam, from the business department, immediately stopped smiling. The food in their hands lost all appeal.

Javi silently lit a mental candle for them.

...

That afternoon, Old Madam Sterling-Tiesto's grandmother-video-called.

As soon as he answered, he heard her coughing. Normally, he'd wait quietly while she lectured.

"Tiesto! You rascal!" she barked. "You promised to bring her here after the wedding. Are you taking advantage of an old lady who can't get out?"

"Grandma, now isn't a good time," he said.

"When will it ever be a good time? I've lived seventy-plus years-I've seen more of life than you've even dreamed. Ella is wife material. If you don't bring her here, I swear I'll make a scene!"

Tiesto stayed silent, letting her rant.

"Tiesto, answer me!" she demanded.

"I want to wait until our feelings are solid. Grandma... would you rather we rush and break up in a few months, or have a lasting relationship?"

His tactic worked perfectly. Sterling huffed, then relented. "Fine. Focus on your relationship. Everything else can wait."

Tiesto's lips twitched into the faintest smile.

Then Grandma Sterling added: "Are you living together? How can feelings grow if you don't spend time under the same roof?"

The older generation never missed a trick.

By eight that evening, Tiesto left the office.

"Javi, get the car ready," he said.

Javi nodded, already expecting that he wouldn't be going straight home.

Once inside the car, Tiesto instructed, "Take me to Ella's place."

Javi froze, then understood. It was unexpected, yes-but made perfect sense.

"Mr. Sterling... should I wait for you?"

"Wait for me. I'll need a ride back later."

Javi shook his head slightly. Tiesto clearly cared about Ella, yet they were married but not living together. How exactly did that work? Ah, the mind of a CEO.

As Tiesto approached the apartment complex, rain began to drizzle. Weather changed faster than a kid's mood swings.

The rain intensified. Inside, Ella gathered half-dried laundry and draped it over the living room furniture. Thunder cracked and lightning split the sky.

She turned off the lights, wrapped herself in a blanket on the sofa, and queued up a thriller. The weather was perfect for it. She buried her face, heart pounding, utterly absorbed.

Tiesto arrived and rang the doorbell. No answer.

He called her-still nothing.

A flicker of worry crossed his eyes. In this weather, had something happened?

He remembered the door code and entered it; the lock clicked open.

Inside, the sounds of a chilling scream and sinister laughter filled the room. Someone swung a mop at him.

Tiesto extended an arm, catching the mop with ease. Simultaneously, he grabbed a slender waist.

Ella screamed.

He switched on the lights. A girl struggled in his arms, her bathrobe slipping, revealing smooth, pale skin. Her curves, partially concealed, drew his gaze like a magnet.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

The sudden light made Ella blink, and she realized it was Tiesto-not a stranger, not an intruder. Reflexively, she slapped him-but missed.

She immediately noticed where his eyes had lingered and panicked, pulling her robe tight.

"You said you weren't coming back here!" she exclaimed, half-annoyed. "If you're visiting, at least warn me!"

Since learning Tiesto wouldn't stay at the apartment, she'd been dressing casually these past few days.

"The phone didn't answer, and no one answered the door," he said.

Ella felt guilty. "I... I was watching a movie." She quickly turned off the eerie soundtrack.

"Is there a reason you're here?" she asked.

"To come home. Do I need a reason?"

Tiesto crossed the room, dropped onto the sofa, and casually scanned the space like he owned it.

Ella had tidied the apartment meticulously.

She followed his gaze around the living room with quiet confidence-there was nothing for him to criticize. She cared about the place; she was a responsible tenant.

Until her eyes froze.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her underwear-brought in from the drying rack earlier because of the rain-was still hanging in plain view.

How had Tiesto's eyes landed exactly there?

The pink lingerie swayed gently in the air from the AC-impossible to miss, impossible to ignore.

Her cheeks flared crimson. Thinking quickly, she grabbed a bottle of water and set it in front of him. "Mr. Sterling... have some water first," she said, forcing her voice calm.

While he was distracted, she snatched up the garments and bolted to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Clutching her clothes, her cheeks burning, she swore silently: 'Never again will I trust a man who says he won't stay at home!'

Tiesto's lips curved in a faint, amused smile as he watched her flustered retreat. He lifted the bottle and took a sip-it was refreshing.

A moment later, Ella reemerged in modest loungewear, trying to appear composed.

"Mr. Sterling... are you staying here tonight?" she asked, her tone steady, but her heart racing.

"No."

Her obvious relief didn't escape him. She'd been worried he might move in unannounced.

"I just came to take a few photos for my grandmother," he added casually. "To prove that we're... living together."

Ella nodded, understanding perfectly. Elders loved to pressure for marriage these days.

Tiesto casually snapped a few photos of the inside of the house.

Seeing Ella standing there with her head lowered, lost in thought, he said, "Come here. Let's take a couple together."

"Oh-okay."

Ella immediately cooperated.

Since their marriage was meant to keep the elders from worrying, mutual cooperation was only fair.

She stepped closer, but remembering what had just happened earlier, she still felt a little stiff.

Tiesto looked at the two of them on the screen-one expressionless, the other awkward. They didn't look like a married couple living together at all.

"Smile," he said.

Ella forced a polite smile.

When she smiled, her eyes curved beautifully, and the faint fullness beneath them made her look especially charming.

Tiesto placed a hand lightly on her shoulder and quickly captured a few shots that at least looked somewhat intimate.

The moment he finished, Ella immediately stepped away and sat down on the couch.

The warmth lingering on her shoulder from his touch felt almost too intense. She wasn't used to it. It made her flustered.

Everything that had happened tonight was something she didn't dare replay in her mind.

She was so embarrassed she wished the floor would just swallow her whole.

Looking at the photos, Tiesto noticed the faint curve of his own lips.

When his arm dropped back to his side, it landed on empty air. He watched Ella move away from him as if he were some kind of natural disaster.

He straightened and put his phone away. "I told you I won't move back in. I won't. You don't need to worry."

"It's your house. You have every right to decide. Just... next time you plan to come over, let me know in advance."

"Mm."

Ella glanced outside at the raging storm. "If it's inconvenient for you to head back tonight, you can stay here."

After all, he was technically the homeowner.

"No need." Tiesto had only come to complete his grandmother's assignment.

He had no intention of staying.

Ella didn't insist.

When the doorbell rang, she frowned slightly. Who would come at this hour?

She hurried to open the door.

Javi stood outside.

"Mr. Javi! What brings you here?" Ella smiled warmly. Knowing he was Tiesto's friend-and that Tiesto was here-she added politely, "Come in and have some water."

Tiesto's expression darkened.

When she faced him, she looked guarded and reluctant.

But when she looked at Javi, she was all smiles.

It was true-Ella felt much more at ease around Javi.

Meanwhile, every single cell in Javi's body was screaming in resistance.

'Madam, please don't be this polite to me.'

To her, it was basic courtesy.

To Tiesto, it was practically a death sentence.

"I-I came to deliver an umbrella for President Sterling... and take him back," Javi explained quickly.

"President Sterling?"

"Uh... Tiesto. I was just joking," Javi improvised smoothly.

Ella nodded. "Oh, I see. Then I won't keep you. The rain's really heavy-drive safely."

"Tiesto, your wife really cares about you," Javi quickly redirected all of Ella's concern straight to Tiesto.

Tiesto brushed past Ella and walked out.

Ella stuck out her tongue after him. This man had half the temper Javi did!

He got moody for absolutely no reason.

Once both men were gone, she finally let out a breath of relief.

After closing the door, she thought about what had happened earlier and patted her chest.

What a night...