Sweet Love 2x: Miss Ruthless CEO for our Superstar Uncle-Chapter 100: Almost

The east wing was quiet in the early morning light.

Sunlight came through the tall hallway windows, creating long strips of light on the polished floor. The estate was already moving downstairs. The second floor stayed still.

Arianne stepped out of her bedroom, fully dressed with her sleeves buttoned and her hair neatly pinned. She closed the door quietly and turned toward the staircase. The morning air was cool, not yet warmed by the sun.

Franz opened his door a moment later at the opposite end of the hall.

He was now in casual clothes, and his hair was still a bit wet from the shower. For a moment, they just looked at each other across the hallway. The distance between their doors felt normal.

He crossed it first.

Franz reached for her without hesitation, his hand settling at her waist as if it had always been there. Arianne didn’t glance at the stairwell or check the time. Her hand moved to his chest without thought.

The kiss was slow. It wasn’t hidden.

He leaned down and kissed her. She kissed him back, her fingers gripping his shirt before relaxing again. The hallway stayed quiet, the estate waking below them.

His hand moved further up her back. Her hand slid from his chest to his jaw, her thumb gently brushing his cheek.

Footsteps sounded faintly from the twins’ rooms, and they parted calmly.

His hand stayed at her waist for a moment longer before falling away. She straightened her sleeve with a small gesture and stepped back into the rhythm of the morning.

Lily appeared at the end of the hallway in mismatched socks, hair loosely tangled from sleep. She paused when she saw them standing near each other.

Leo followed more slowly, tablet already in his hands.

Lily squinted, looking at how far apart the adults were. "You’re closer," she said.

Leo typed quickly and turned the screen toward her.

ALMOST

She nodded, satisfied but not fully convinced.

Franz looked at the tablet and then at Lily. He didn’t say anything. He just pointed to the stairs. "Breakfast," he said.

That was all she needed to hear.

They walked together toward the stairs but did not touch. The space between them was small and ordinary.

The kitchen lights were bright. Morning sunlight filled the room, illuminating the countertops and chrome fixtures. Arianne walked to the coffee machine on her own. Franz took mugs from the cabinet above, choosing her favorite without looking at the others.

Franz poured her coffee and set it near her hand before filling his own. Their fingers touched when she reached for the mug, lingering a second too long before separating. Lily noticed.

She leaned toward Leo and whispered, "It’s working," she said with glee.

Leo typed again, his expression serious.

A PROGRESS

Franz opened the refrigerator and looked inside without really seeing what was there.

"Keys," he said, as if the thought had just caught up with him.

"They’re on the entry table," Arianne answered without turning around.

He frowned slightly. "No, I brought them upstairs." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

She glanced at him, raising her eyebrows briefly. "You didn’t."

A pause.

He searched the countertop again and then looked toward the hallway. Lily giggled.

Arianne reached into her blazer pocket and took out the keys. She offered them to him. He shook his head slightly and said, "I left them."

"You did," she replied.

He caught the edge of a smile before it disappeared.

The twins watched the exchange without speaking.

Leo typed again.

COMFORTABLE

Lily leaned back in her chair and nodded decisively. "Movie night worked."

Neither adult responded to that.

Breakfast started as usual. Franz sliced some fruit while Leo worked on a worksheet at the table. Lily shared her plans for the day, jumping from one topic to another without smooth transitions. Arianne checked a message on her phone but stayed present with everyone.

At one point, Franz reached across the counter to move a plate closer to Arianne. His fingers brushed against her wrist briefly, and neither of them acknowledged it.

The twins missed nothing.

After breakfast, Franz took the dishes to the sink. Arianne picked up her tablet and a folder from the counter. They moved around each other in the kitchen without bumping into each other, a routine they had developed over time.

Later, when Franz stepped into the hallway upstairs to retrieve his jacket, Arianne followed a few seconds later, intending to head toward her study.

He caught her wrist and drew her back. The foyer was empty; the twins were still at the dining table.

He leaned in and kissed her again.

This time, the kiss lasted longer than before. His hand rested on her waist, and his thumb pressed against her blazer. She immediately placed her hand on his jaw to hold him steady. The kiss deepened—confident, unhurried. She leaned into him without hesitation.

The front door stood closed downstairs, sunlight visible through the glass panels.

Footsteps sounded faintly from the dining area.

They parted without hurry. His hand lingered on her waist for a moment before falling away. She straightened the collar of his jacket quietly, smoothing it down once before stepping back.

Leo appeared at the edge of the hallway, holding the tablet, and paused. Lily hurried up behind him. Both looked between the adults.

Leo typed slowly.

MISSED IT

Lily exhaled in frustration. "You have to do it when we’re watching," she said.

Franz regarded them with a calm expression. "Do what?" he asked evenly.

Lily hesitated, then shrugged. "Nothing."

Leo lowered the tablet.

Arianne walked past them and went to the study without replying to the comment. Franz went downstairs, opened the front door, and stepped outside into the bright morning.

The driveway was long and had trimmed hedges on both sides. He stopped at the top of the steps and looked back through the glass before walking to his car.

Inside, Lily leaned toward Leo again. "We need a better plan," she whispered.

Leo nodded and began typing with deliberate concentration.

OPERATION LOVE CONTINUES

He underlined the final word twice.

Lily smiled in approval.

From the hallway, Arianne watched them for a moment before turning toward her study. The door closed quietly behind her.

In the living room, the couch still had a mark from last night. The cushion that was removed was slightly misaligned next to the coffee table leg and hadn’t been put back yet. The whiteboard lay face down beside the air mattress, with the marker next to it.

Sunlight spread across the floor as the house settled into morning.