The next morning, Elena woke up to a tiny face just inches from hers.
"Mummy?" Alex whispered.
She blinked. "Alex?! What are you doing here so early?"
"I was checking if you're real," he said, poking her cheek. "You're not a dream!"
Elena smiled sleepily. "Of course I'm real. And you're supposed to be in bed."
"But Daddy kissed you yesterday," Alex blurted.
Elena sat up straight, heart skipping. "W-What?! You saw that?!"
Alex nodded like a proud little detective. "I was hiding behind the sofa. You didn't see me. I saw sparkle lights too!"
Elena facepalmed. "Oh my god. Alex... that was just—"
Before she could finish, Ethan walked in with coffee and froze. "What's going on?"
"Daddy!" Alex turned to him. "You kissed Mummy! I saw it!"
Ethan nearly dropped the cup. "I... that wasn't—"
"You love her!" Alex declared. "You love her like in my cartoons!"
Elena buried her face in a pillow. "I can't survive this child."
Later that day at the office, Elena walked in and was immediately cornered by Zoya, who whispered dramatically, "Elena. Something is fishy."
"Fishy?" Elena tried to play dumb.
Zoya squinted. "You and the CEO. Don't think I didn't see that look during lunch yesterday. He smiled at you."
Elena laughed nervously. "Maybe he just likes the food?"
"Or maybe he likes you."
Just then, Ethan walked past and casually said, "Morning, Elena."
Elena replied, "Morning," way too quickly and awkwardly.
Zoya's jaw dropped. "He never greets anyone unless it's a business pitch or a fire. You're in deep."
Meanwhile, Alex had found a new mission: Operation Get Daddy and Mummy to Hug. His plan involved making cookies… terribly. The kitchen turned into a disaster, and when Ethan and Elena arrived at the scene, covered in flour, Alex proudly held up a broken cookie shaped like a heart.
"Let's have a family hug!" he said, jumping between them.
Ethan and Elena looked at each other awkwardly.
Then, Alex pulled their hands together himself. "Hug! Hug! Hug!"
They finally gave in—both blushing, both pretending it was for Alex. But their hearts… had other plans.