Employing His Heart.

Episode 4: The Shared Commuter.

Episode 4: The Shared Commuter.

​ The following Monday morning arrived with an unwelcome, crisp reality.

​Kira stood by the kitchen island, her fingers wrapped tightly around a travel mug of black coffee. She hadn't slept well. Every time she closed her eyes over the weekend, she kept replaying Kaelen’s words on the terrace. Maybe if you stopped acting like everyone below your trust fund is invisible, you'd see that too. The nerve of him. He didn't know her, and he certainly didn't know what it felt like to be completely overshadowed in your own home.

​She checked her designer watch. 7:45 AM. If she left now, she would make it to her first Sustainable Social Development lecture with plenty of time to spare.

​"Kira, perfect timing," her father’s voice boomed as he entered the kitchen, adjusting his tie.

​"Good morning, Father. I was just heading out," Kira said, grabbing her tote bag.

​"Excellent. You can take Kaelen with you. His first Agricultural Science lecture starts at 8:30, and his truck’s alternator died yesterday afternoon," Arthur said casually, pouring himself an espresso. "It makes no sense for both of you to drive to the same campus, anyway. Save the emissions."

​Kira nearly choked on her coffee. "You want me to carpool with him? Father, my car is my private space. Besides, we aren't even heading to the same side of the campus!"

​"Kira, it’s a thirty-minute drive. I'm sure you can survive the company of another human being for half an hour," Arthur said, his tone shifting into his non-negotiable business voice. "He’s waiting by the garage. Don't be late."

​Ten minutes later, Kira slammed the door of her pristine, white compact SUV. She threw her bag into the backseat and aggressively started the engine, refusing to look at the passenger seat where Kaelen was already waiting.

​He was wearing a clean black backpack over a simple gray hoodie, his dark hair still a bit wild from the morning rush. He looked younger today, less like the imposing gardener from the estate and more like a regular student—though his presence still completely filled the car's interior.

​"Nice car," Kaelen murmured, leaning back against the leather seat and pulling out his phone. "Smells like expensive vanilla and pure hostility."

​"Don't speak to me," Kira hissed, shifting into reverse and backing down the long driveway with a little more speed than necessary. "We are going to ride in absolute silence. I drop you off at the main gate, and then we act like we don't know each other. Deal?"

​"Suits me perfectly, princess," Kaelen said smoothly, slipping a single earbud into his ear.

​For the first fifteen minutes, the silence was suffocating. Kira kept her eyes locked on the highway, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. But as they hit the morning traffic crawl nearing the university district, the silence became more awkward than powerful.

​Kaelen’s phone buzzed with an incoming call. He tapped his earbud to answer.

​"Hey, Uncle Mark," Kaelen’s voice dropped, losing all its sarcastic edge. It sounded heavy, lined with a sudden anxiety that caught Kira's attention. "Yeah, I'm on my way to campus now... No, Mr. Vance took care of everything. The textbook vouchers went through this morning."

​Kira glanced out of the corner of her eye. Kaelen was looking out the window, his jaw tight.

​"How is the clinic?" Kaelen continued, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "Did the insurance cover the new prescription for the farm's remaining debt, or do we need to... okay. Tell Mom not to worry about the truck. I'll work extra hours this weekend to cover the parts. I've got it handled, Mark. Just make sure she takes her medicine. I'll call you after my afternoon lab."

​He disconnected the call with a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

​Kira kept her eyes on the brake lights ahead of her, a sudden, uncomfortable lump forming in her throat. Hearing him talk to his family made him human in a way she wasn't prepared for. He wasn't just some arrogant intruder trying to steal her father's affection; he was a guy trying to hold a broken family together, carrying a weight that she, with all her privilege, had never had to experience.

​"What?" Kaelen asked suddenly, turning his head to look at her. He caught her staring. "Going to lecture me on using my phone in your private sanctuary?"

​Kira cleared her throat, shifting her grip on the steering wheel. "Your mom... is she sick?"

​Kaelen’s hazel eyes narrowed, instantly putting his walls back up. "None of your business, Kira."

​"I was just asking," she said quietly, her tone lacking its usual bite. "My mother passed away when I was younger. I know what it's like when... when things feel heavy at home."

​Kaelen stared at her profile for a long moment, his defensive posture softening just a fraction. He hadn't expected her to say something genuinely empathetic. He looked away, staring back out at the campus buildings appearing in the distance.

​"She's just tired," Kaelen said softly, his voice quiet. "Losing the farm took a toll on her health. This degree... it’s the only way I can get a high-paying consulting job to buy back a piece of what we lost."

​Kira didn't know what to say. For the first time, she realized that while she was fighting for her father's attention, Kaelen was fighting for his family's survival.

​She pulled the SUV up to the main university gates, where crowds of students were walking toward the quad. She put the car in park.

​Kaelen unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed his backpack. He paused, looking at her one last time before opening the door. "Thanks for the ride. I'll find my own way back this evening so I don't crowd your space."

​"Kaelen, wait," Kira called out before she could stop herself.

​He stopped, looking back at her.

​"The Agricultural Science buildings are all the way on the south campus," she said, pointing toward a shuttle stop across the street. "Take the blue line shuttle. It’s faster than walking, otherwise you'll be late for your 8:30 lab."

​Kaelen looked at the shuttle stop, then back at her. A very small, genuine smile—not a smirk, but a real, warm smile—touched his lips.

​"Thanks, Kira," he said quietly, closing the door behind him.

​As Kira watched him walk toward the shuttle stop, blending into the crowd of students, her heart did a strange, completely unwelcome flutter. She shook her head quickly, hitting the gas. She still didn't like him, she told herself. She couldn't. But as she drove toward her own parking lot, the garden estate suddenly felt a whole lot bigger, and the lines between them were starting to blur.