The smell of warm cereal filled the kitchen as sunlight spilled across the marble counter.Sara stood by the stove, stirring a small pot with one hand, humming softly under her breath.
Behind her came the sound of quiet footsteps, slow, heavy, familiar.
"Morning, mommy," came Kairo's sleepy voice just before a warm weight pressed against her back. One of his arms held little Zayn, the other snaked lazily around her waist.
Sara turned slightly, catching sight of her two sleepy boys. "Kairo," she sighed, "you're not ready yet. Go get dressed, you'll be late for work again."
He only hummed in response, chin resting comfortably on her shoulder. Then, without warning, he kissed the side of her neck and snuggled closer.
"Kairo..." she squirmed, trying not to laugh, "behave, idiot… not this early in the morning."
He ignored her, tightening his hold.
She chuckled, whispering, "Kairo, Zayn's here, you asshole," keeping her voice low so their half-asleep son wouldn't hear.
"He should learn how much daddy loves mommy," he murmured, teasingly brushing his lips against her skin again.
Sara smacked his chest gently, pushing him back. "Don't distract me! I need to finish Zayn's food; he already takes an eternity to eat it."
Kairo looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms. Zayn's tiny pink lips and fluffy cheeks made him look impossibly adorable. Smiling, Kairo leaned in and kissed his little nose.
"My boy deserves all the attention and time in the world," he said softly, brushing his fingers through Zayn's hair. "He's the sweetest, cutest thing that exists in this house."
Sara smiled as she stirred the pot. "Of course, He's my son. That's why he happened to be born this cute."
Kairo raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? I also contributed to making him this cute."
She laughed, swatting his arm playfully at his cheesy tone. He chuckled under his breath, clearly pleased with himself.
As she turned back to the stove to mix the cereal, Kairo leaned in again, peeking into the pot. "Hmm… smells good."
"This is for Zayn, not you," she said, pouring in the warm milk.
"I wasn't talking about the food," he murmured lowly, his voice brushing against her ear.
Her breath caught, cheeks warming instantly. "You..." she started, glaring over her shoulder.
But he only smiled innocently, rocking Zayn in his arms as if he hadn't just said something that made her heart race.
In the middle of their playful bickering, Zayn stirred in Kairo's arms, blinking sleepily. The moment his little eyes found his mother, he reached out, mumbling, "Mumma…"
Sara's expression softened instantly. "Morning, baby boy… come here, mumma's here," she cooed, taking him gently into her arms. Kairo watched them with a quiet, warm smile; the sight of them together always did something to his heart.
"Add these toppings, Kairo," she instructed, pointing at the bowl.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, obediently picking up the chopped fruits and veggies, dropping them into the mix.
As he did, his tone turned casual, teasing. "You know… You don't wish me good morning like that."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
"Like how you did with Zayn," he said, pretending to pout.
She shot him a look. "He's my child, and you're not."
Kairo leaned closer, smirking. "I'm not less than a child to you. Remember you called me baby that night?" His voice lowered, almost a whisper. "And I don't mind calling you mommy."
Her lips parted, a soft gasp leaving before she caught herself, biting her lip to hide the flush. Zayn, nestled in her arms, blinked curiously between them.
Sara shoved Kairo lightly, whispering, "Stop it, idiot. Behave in front of the kid."
He chuckled, clearly enjoying teasing her. "He won't understand, darling. He's still innocent."
"And you're going to be the reason he loses his innocence," she hissed.
"One day he has to lose it anyway, baby," he teased.
"Don't you dare," she warned, narrowing her eyes, but before she could finish, he leaned in and kissed her softly, laughter melting between their lips.
Zayn blinked at them, his little face curious. Kairo noticed his son's gaze and instantly straightened up, holding his ears in mock guilt.
"I'm sorry, my lord," he said dramatically, "I kissed your mumma without your permission."
Sara burst out laughing, shaking her head. Zayn looked between them, then, to their surprise, a small giggle escaped him.
Kairo's face lit up. "Ohhh my baby smiled!" he exclaimed, scooping Zayn into his arms. "So that means… You approve of daddy kissing mumma, huh?" he teased, gently swaying him in the air.
Zayn giggled again, his laughter echoing through the kitchen, bright and pure.
Sara watched them with her heart full, warmth flooding her chest. And just like that, their morning filled with giggles, teasing, and soft love, the kind that made an ordinary day feel like sunshine.
Sara placed Zayn in his high chair and began spooning his food carefully into a tiny bowl. The baby kicked his legs happily, still giggling from his father's antics.
Kairo leaned against the counter beside her, arms crossed, watching them with that lazy morning smile that made her heart soften no matter how much she tried to hide it.
"Look at him," he murmured, eyes on Zayn. "He eats like a little prince."
Sara scooped a spoonful and blew on it gently before guiding it toward Zayn's lips. "He's your son. Of course, he behaves like one."
Kairo chuckled under his breath. "No, if he were me, he'd be begging for kisses before every bite."
Sara gave him a sideways glare. "Don't even try that."
"What?" he asked innocently, inching closer. "I'm just saying, positive reinforcement works."
She shook her head, suppressing a smile, but Kairo noticed the corners of her lips twitching.
He leaned closer, lowering his voice, "Maybe I should try what you do, open wide, sweetheart."
Sara turned sharply, eyes wide, the spoon almost dropping. "Kairo!"
Zayn blinked at her, spoon half in his mouth. Kairo just grinned wider.
"Sorry," he said, barely holding back his laughter, "you're cute when you're mad this early."
She sighed, cheeks pink, and muttered, "Asshole."
"Yeah, but you married me anyway," he whispered, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.
His hand lingered, just long enough for her to feel the warmth of his skin against her neck. She froze for a second, then softly nudged him away, her tone tender. "Go get ready for work."
He hummed, leaning forward until his lips brushed the top of her head. "Only if you promise to miss me a little."
Sara rolled her eyes. "I'll try."
Kairo smiled.
As he finally walked away, still shirtless, still smug, she watched his reflection in the glass cabinet, shaking her head but smiling despite herself.
Zayn made a soft sound, catching her attention again. She looked back down, spooning another bite and whispering, "Your daddy is a handful, you know that?"
Zayn giggled, smearing cereal on his cheek.
Sara laughed quietly, wiping his face with her thumb. "You're going to grow up just like him, aren't you?"
From the hallway came Kairo's voice, loud and teasing, "He better!"
She sighed, smiling to herself. "Lord help me."
And as the morning sun poured through the window, the house filled with soft laughter, the sound of a small, beautiful family tangled in love, chaos, and the sweetest kind of peace.
Vantare Building
Vector sat in his office, eyes fixed on the big screen in front of him. The numbers and graphs from last month's report didn't look good. His secretary stood beside him, nervous but calm.
"Sir, this is the sales report for last month," she said softly. "There's been a clear drop in Vantare's product sales in Belvaria."
Vector leaned back in his chair, thinking. "Alright… maybe it's time we shift focus," he said slowly. "From luxury to affordable. We can start a sub-brand under Vantare, something that reaches every type of customer."
The secretary nodded carefully. "It's a good idea, sir. But the challenge is, Belvaria's market is already ruled by Novacore. They're everywhere. From hats to shoes, most of the city buys their brand. Competing with them won't be easy."
Vector's brows furrowed. "Novacore?"
"Yes, sir," she said. "It's owned by Charles Valen."
Vector froze. That name hit him like a strike of lightning. Charles Valen. The man he had destroyed 15 years ago. The man whose company, money, and reputation he had ripped away without mercy.
"How…?" Vector whispered to himself. "How did he come back?"
For a few seconds, he just stared at the glowing screen, lost in his thoughts. He had broken Charles completely back then, taken everything that made him stand tall. And yet, somehow, the man had risen again. Rebuilt everything. Created Novacore.
"Sir?" his secretary's voice pulled him back.
Vector's expression turned sharp again, calm but cold. "Let's launch a new sub-brand under Vantare," he said in a steady voice. "One that competes directly with Novacore. Write it down."
The secretary hesitated but nodded. "Yes, sir." She quickly gathered her papers and left.
The door clicked shut. Silence filled the room. Vector leaned back again, a slow smirk curling on his lips.
"So, you're back in the game, Charles," he said under his breath. "Let's see how long you last this time."
His eyes stayed on the screen, filled with ideas, numbers, and plans. But behind that calm expression, something darker moved, a storm that was ready to rise again.
"Welcome to the race," he murmured with a cold smile. "This time, I'll make sure you don't survive it."