Ethan swung his legs over the bed and stood up, stretching his stiff muscles.
His shirt clung uncomfortably to his skin.
He sighed, pulling it off and tossing it into the laundry basket before grabbing a towel to wipe himself down.
Vanessa, very unapologetically, didn't leave the room.
Instead, she leaned against the wall, arms still crossed.
"You're just gonna watch me get ready?" Ethan asked, giving her a tired look.
"Well, I was making sure you actually get up. But now that you've given me a free show…" she wiggled her eyebrows.
Ethan threw the towel at her.
Vanessa dodged, cackling as she exited the room. Find more to read at Freewebnovel
"Hurry up, Momma's Boy!" she called before disappearing down the hallway.
Ethan groaned. She's never gonna let this go.
Sighing, he grabbed fresh clothes and headed for the bathroom.
#####
By the time he finally made it downstairs, freshened up, properly dressed and somewhat less irritated, Marianne was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.
The smell of coffee and eggs filled the air, and Vanessa was already at the dining table, sipping juice like nothing had happened.
Ethan sat down, running a hand through his hair.
Marianne turned, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "You look… stressed."
Vanessa grinned. "That's because I had to wake him up creatively."
Marianne didn't even ask.
She just sighed, placing a plate of food in front of Ethan.
Ethan muttered a tired "Thanks" before digging in.
Vanessa, still grinning, leaned her chin on her hand. "You know, I could wake you up like this every day. I think it builds character."
Ethan shot her a glare between bites. "Try it again, and I'll lock my door."
Vanessa chuckled, taking another sip of her drink. "Oh, Ethan."
She gave him a mischievous smile. "Do you really think that will stop me?"
He paused mid-bite.
…Why did he have a bad feeling about this?
Ethan finished the last bite of his breakfast, setting his fork down with a satisfied sigh.
Marianne, as always, had outdone herself.
"Thanks for breakfast," he said, giving her a small but genuine smile.
Before she could respond, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
Marianne blinked in mild surprise before scoffing, though the corner of her lips twitched in amusement.
"Don't think that'll make me forget how late you woke up," she muttered.
Ethan smirked and turned to leave, but not before catching Vanessa watching with an overly exaggerated expression of shock.
"Wow," she said dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. "I don't get a kiss?"
Ethan shot her a flat glare, but there was a playful edge to it. "You get nothing."
Vanessa gasped, feigning betrayal. "How dare you? After everything we've been through?"
Ethan rolled his eyes and grabbed his hoodie off the chair, throwing it over his head. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe next time when you don't wake me up with a cup of water."
Vanessa grinned. "No promises."
Shaking his head, Ethan made his way outside, stepping into the cool morning air.
His Porsche was parked in its usual spot, but he walked right past it, heading for something else today.
His bike.
It wasn't flashy like his car, but that was kind of the point.
He wasn't in the mood for attention today — just a simple ride to the construction site.
Climbing onto the seat, he pulled on his helmet and revved the engine before taking off.
#####
Halfway through the ride, he stopped by a small shop on the side of the road, grabbing a cold can of soda from a vending machine.
The crisp hiss of the can opening was oddly satisfying, and he took a long sip before getting back on his bike.
By the time he finally arrived at the construction site, he was… late.
Not by much, but late enough that most of the workers were already there, preparing for the day's work.
He parked his bike inside the lot and finished the last of his soda before tossing the empty can into a nearby trash bin.
As he approached the main group, he spotted Riley standing with the foreman, discussing something over a set of blueprints.
She turned when she noticed him, raising an eyebrow. "You're late."
Ethan smirked, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. "Good morning to you too."
Riley rolled her eyes but didn't push the issue. "We were just going over today's excavation plans."
She gestured toward the blueprint. "They're almost done with the deeper sections, so today they'll focus on laying down the formations for the underground rooms."
Ethan nodded, his eyes scanning the site.
The workers were already getting into position, the large machines rumbling to life as they prepared to continue digging.
Dust lingered in the air from yesterday's progress, but things were moving smoothly.
The foreman gave him a respectful nod. "We should have the initial groundwork completed by the end of the week, assuming everything goes as planned."
Ethan appreciated the man's efficiency. "Good. Let me know if you need anything else ordered."
The foreman nodded again before heading off to supervise the workers, leaving Ethan and Riley standing alone.
Shaking his head, Ethan changed the subject. "Anyway, let's get started. What's the first thing on the list today?"
Riley gestured toward the site. "We need to double-check the measurements before they start placing the first supports. You want to help, or are you just here to look pretty?"
Ethan smirked. "I can multitask, you know."
"Uh-huh." Riley tossed him a measuring tool. "Prove it."
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Ethan caught it with one hand, rolling his shoulders before following her onto the site.
He soon adjusted the measuring tape in his hands, watching as Riley crouched near the foundation pit, checking one of the markers.
The workers were already moving around, waiting for confirmation before they could begin setting the first structural supports.
The excavation had gone well, but now was the real test — if the foundation wasn't measured correctly, the entire project would be compromised.
Riley stood up and dusted her jeans off. "Alright, let's double-check these before we start setting anything in place."
Ethan nodded, stepping forward as they moved through the site, meticulously going over the designated points where the first supports would go.
The foreman had marked the locations the day before, but a second round of measurements was necessary before they drilled further into the ground.
Ethan kneeled at one of the sections, aligning the measuring tape against the pre-marked guideline. "This one's a little off," he muttered.
Riley leaned over to check. "You're right. We need to move this marker about four centimeters to the left."