Ruben leaned forward, genuine concern in his voice. “Cole, has work been tough lately?”

Cole barely looked up. “It’s nothing, really.”

Ruben refused to drop the subject. “Even if business is picking up, you can’t neglect your health.”

Only then did Cole realize how much his mood was affecting his grandfather. He straightened his shoulders and forced a cheerful grin. “I’ll take care of myself, Grandpa. You don’t have to worry.”

But his mind wasn’t on business at all. The real source of his stress sat right beside him—Elliana. That thought made him throw a subtle glare her way, frustration flickering in his eyes.

Elliana finished her meal and offered him a sweet smile before heading upstairs to spend time with the children.

Cole didn’t come to see Elliana before bed. When she quietly asked Paulina where he was, she learned he hadn’t left the study all night.

A faint laugh escaped Elliana as she wondered if he was actually pulling an all-nighter just to write a love letter. She decided to leave him be, curious what sort of romantic “masterpiece” he would reveal next. That night, she slipped into bed alone.

Morning sunlight crept across the sheets, and Elliana woke naturally. As her eyes fluttered open, she realized Cole was sitting at the edge of the bed, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. Purple shadows ringed his eyes.

The sight left her speechless. Had he truly spent the whole night writing? Her curiosity deepened. What on earth had he written that required this kind of dedication?

Wanting to show him she appreciated the effort, she sat up and gave him her undivided attention.

But Cole immediately turned away, suddenly shy, fussing with his hands and refusing to meet her gaze.

Elliana spotted the telltale signs immediately—Cole’s hands concealed behind his back, his eyes refusing to meet hers as they skittered nervously across the room. She understood at once what this meant. He’d burned through the night crafting the second application and stood before her now, ready to place it in her hands for judgment. Anticipation sparked through her veins.

?: ν

“Got something for me?” Elliana asked, her lips curving into a teasing smile.

Cole cleared his throat with deliberate softness, drawing his hands forward to present the second application.

His pulse hammered wildly in his chest. This draft overflowed with saccharine declarations of love—every single one his own painstaking invention, utterly unique creations that existed nowhere else on earth.

For him, writing those lines had proven more agonizing than accumulating a hundred billion dollars. He’d drained every reservoir of energy during that sleepless night, and exhaustion now dragged at him like an anchor, threatening to pull him under completely.

Still, even after all that effort, he doubted this version would meet Elliana’s standards. His confidence lay shattered at his feet. He wasn’t merely afraid of disappointing her again. He was paralyzed by the thought that she might laugh at him.

Elliana absorbed Cole’s obvious distress, allowed herself a small smile, and extended her hand to receive the application.

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