CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: A HOUSE FULL OF LIFE
325 Words
Mornings in the Cole household were never quiet anymore.
And Hailey loved it.
“Mommy! He took my toy!”
“I didn’t take it—it’s mine!”
“It’s NOT yours!”
Hailey stood in the middle of the living room, holding a half-buttoned shirt, her hair still slightly messy, watching her two children argue over a bright red toy car.
She sighed… but she was smiling.
“Okay, pause,” she said, raising a hand.
Both children froze.
Well—almost froze.
Their daughter, Ava, crossed her arms dramatically.
Their younger son, Liam, clutched the toy defensively.
“He had it first!” Ava insisted.
“I did not!”
“You did not-not!”
Hailey blinked.
“Did you just say ‘not-not’?”
Liam grinned proudly.
Before Hailey could respond—
A familiar voice came from behind her.
“Morning chaos already?”
She turned.
Adrian stood at the doorway, sleeves rolled up, tie loosely hanging around his neck.
Still handsome.
Still calm.
Still somehow composed—even in the middle of this madness.
“You’re just in time,” Hailey said. “We’re solving a major dispute.”
Adrian crouched down in front of the kids.
“Let me guess,” he said. “The car is the problem.”
“Yes!” both children shouted.
He nodded thoughtfully.
Then did something unexpected.
He picked up another toy.
A blue one.
“Solution,” he said simply, handing it to Liam. “Now there are two.”
Silence.
The children blinked.
Looked at the toys.
Then at each other.
Problem solved.
Hailey stared at him.
“Seriously?”
He shrugged.
“Negotiation.”
She laughed.
“You run a company worth millions… and your greatest skill is solving toy fights.”
He stood, stepping closer to her.
“I prefer to think of it as conflict resolution.”
She smiled.
“Of course you do.”
TO BE CONTINUED...
- Writer
