Sienna didn’t know how long she had been lying on the soft mattress, staring at the ceiling and imagining all sorts of dramatic outcomes for her very first dinner she cooked for Zachary and Skylar, until a soft knock echoed through the room.

The sounds were gentle, almost polite, as if the person outside didn’t want to disturb her too much.

She immediately sat up, her body stiff as her eyes locked onto the door. For a second, she wondered if she had imagined it.

After all, her mind had been playing tricks on her since the helicopter ride.

Just when she was about to lie back down and dismiss it as her imagination, a familiar voice came from the other side.

"Sienna, are you asleep?"

Her heart skipped.

"No," she answered quickly as she jumped off the bed and rushed to the door.

She pulled it open, and there he was, standing just a little too close for her comfort. Or maybe, not comfort.

Her heartbeat betrayed her again. It made a strange noise in her chest.

"We’re already done," Zachary said calmly. He turned and began walking toward the living room, clearly expecting her to follow.

And she did without being asked.

She followed him into the dining area, only for her words to catch in her throat. "Zach, I will clean the dis—"

Sienna was speechless to see that the dining table was spotless. Not a single plate, not a fork, not even a crumb of food remained.

’No way, Zach actually washes dishes?’ she wonders in panic as she turns to look at him.

"Zach, you don’t need to wash the dishes. That’s part of my job," she protested, her tone filled with a mix of guilt and panic.

Zachary was a bit surprised to hear her, but before he could respond, Sienna spoke again.

"I mean it, Zach! I come here for work, not for vacation. So, please..." she added after seeing him only stare at her.

Instead of answering her, Zachary simply lifted his hand and pointed toward the sink.

Confused, Sienna followed the direction of his finger and froze. She saw a mountain of plates, bowls, cutlery, and pans stacked there, looking both impressive and slightly threatening.

"Ah... so you didn’t wash the dishes?" she muttered, blinking in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, no," he replied casually, "Because I never did that. I’m worried I might ruin the machine." He genuinely confesses.

For a moment, Sienna didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’Ruin the machine?’ she repeated in her mind, holding back a laugh. ’Heck, of course he never washes a dish... he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, anyway.’

Before she could say anything, he continued, his tone still calm but firmer, "Sienna, you need to make your dinner. If you don’t, you might get sick."

She was stunned. That... was unexpected to hear from him.

A small warmth spread quietly in her chest, catching her off guard. For a second, she forgot about the dishes, the job, and even the fact that she had been mentally panicking just moments ago.

But of course, Zachary didn’t let the moment stay soft for too long.

"I mean, I just don’t want you to get sick," he added, a faint hint of amusement touching his voice. "Sky and I need you to stay healthy and happy, so you’ll cook for us heartily..."

And just like that, Sienna laughed. Inwardly. The warmth remained, but now it was mixed with amusement.

’Geez, Sienna,’ she scolded herself inwardly. ’What were you expecting? You came here to work, not to be pampered.’

She nodded lightly, trying to regain her professional composure.

"Thank you, Zach. Hmm, I assure you I’ll have my supper before getting to bed..." She answered calmly. Then, glanced toward the living room, noticing the absence of a certain small figure. "Where’s Sky?" she asked.

"He already went upstairs," Zachary replied. "It’s past his bedtime."

She nodded in understanding.

Then he added, as he began walking away, "I’ll be in my study room." He pointed toward a door on the other side of the living room. "When you’re done, please come. I need to talk to you about something."

’Something to talk about...!?’ Her curiosity immediately sparked. But instead of asking, she simply answered, "Sure."

Sienna watched him disappear behind the door before finally turning back toward the kitchen.

The battlefield awaited.

She rolled up her sleeves, stared at the pile of dishes, and let out a long sigh. "Alright," she muttered, "one problem at a time."

But first... I need food.

She quickly prepared something simple for herself. Instant noodles, a boiled egg, and a small plate of fruit. Nothing fancy, nothing impressive. Just something warm and filling.

As she sat alone in the quiet kitchen, eating her modest meal, her thoughts slowly drifted back to him.

His calm voice.

His unreadable expressions.

His unexpected concern.

And his final sentence, "I have something to talk to you about."

"What now...!? What did he want to talk about?" she whispered softly, poking at her noodles.

"Was it about her cooking? Will he talk about the menu? Or... something else?"

Her mind, as usual, refused to stay calm.

After finishing her dinner, she cleaned everything properly this time. The dishwasher hummed quietly as she finally stepped away, wiping her hands on a towel.

The house had grown quieter.

Taking a deep breath, Sienna walked toward the study room. When she reached the door, she paused.

Then, gently, she knocked.

"Come in." Zachary’s voice came from inside, steady and calm.

Sienna swallowed softly before turning the handle and pushing the door open.

The room was dimly lit. She could see Zachary standing near the window, his back facing her, his tall figure outlined by the faint light from outside. One hand rested in his pocket, the other hanging loosely by his side.

For a moment, she simply stood there, waiting for him to turn around. Her heart began to race again, louder this time, echoing in the quiet space between them.

"Sienna," he said, without turning around.

And somehow, that made everything feel even more intense.