Vale understood what Audrey meant by her question. The last time Zavier and his wife had gone back to California, Vale had tried a little too hard to cheer Audrey up. He'd told her she could handle anything—even if Zavier somehow came back to Wellington Village.
At the time, Vale had been completely convinced. Zavier returning? Come on. The guy didn't exactly have that much free time, right? It wasn't like he could just drop by some tiny village whenever he felt like it.
Even Vale—who, let's be honest, looked practically unemployed—still had more than enough on his plate every single day. So much so, he couldn't spare even a single day to fly out to California.
And yet... here they were. Vale was forced to swallow his own words. Zavier had returned. Twice, no less—within just two months of his last visit. And the kicker? Zavier was planning to stay this time.
Vale's gaze drifted toward the cake box resting on Audrey's lap. From what he'd seen, Zavier seemed like someone who made decisions on impulse. Case in point: it took him only two months to go from "visiting" to "moving in."
Meanwhile, someone else—someone who'd been meaning to visit California for just a day or two—couldn't even get around to doing that. Vale let out a long sigh, which made Audrey glance at him, puzzled.
"You're not seriously thinking of wrecking someone's marriage, are you?" Vale asked after a pause that stretched just a beat too long.
He followed Audrey inside and sat across from her. She placed a slice of black forest cake on a plate, then left it untouched.
Audrey smirked. "Sometimes that thought does cross my mind. Like—what was so wrong with me back then, that I couldn't end up with him?" She paused. Her eyes slowly scanned the kitchen and dining room, seamlessly connected in that warm, familiar layout.
She felt Vale's gaze resting on her, but chose to ignore it. The next words were already hard enough to say—looking him in the eye would've made them nearly impossible.
"And now I'm here, running a little inn that can barely hold three guests a month. Hardly a match for his wife," Audrey added quietly.
The more she talked, the worse she felt. Women in love always ended up comparing themselves to someone else—it was practically inevitable. Unfortunately, none of it made Audrey feel any better.
She glanced back at the now-cold slice of black forest cake. Picking it up, she took a bite.
Her expression was still distant, but she snapped back to reality the moment she saw Vale help himself to a slice like it was the most natural thing in the world—shamelessly eating it without the slightest trace of guilt.
"I thought you hated sweets?" Audrey asked, baffled.
"I like cake. Besides, it's a sin to waste food," Vale replied breezily. "It's Zavier I can't stand, not this cake."
He strolled over to brew two cups of tea as if he owned the place, and Audrey could only stare, utterly dumbfounded by his nonchalance.
"You're unbelievable!" she cried, flabbergasted.
Vale just shrugged, completely unbothered—like this house had always been his and he could do whatever the hell he wanted.
Outside, the rain fell steadily, each drop a soft rhythm on the roof like a song that wrapped itself around the heart. Audrey turned her gaze to the window, watching the garden leaves glisten under the rain, the flowers refreshed, renewed—like a person stepping out of a warm shower, skin clear and spirits lifted.
Vale returned with the tea, offering one cup to Audrey and keeping the other for himself. The peaceful quiet wrapped around them like a blanket, until Audrey found herself surprised by how serene the moment felt. She almost thought the chaotic man with the loud mouth had already gone home.
But no—Vale was still there, happily chewing through Zavier's black forest cake until there were only two slices left. Annoyed, Audrey glared at him and scooped up the plate protectively into her arms.
"You know, Vale… just like I accepted this cake from him, that's exactly how I'm going to deal with the days ahead. I'm not throwing it away—I'm receiving it. Properly."
Vale rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but he gave you cake, Audrey. Not his heart," he snapped.
He honestly didn't get what was going on in that girl's mind. But his words cut too deep, too precisely—like an arrow straight to Audrey's chest before she had time to brace herself.
Color rushed to her face, flooding from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. Flustered, she snapped back.
"I meant I'll face whatever comes my way! I'm not gonna run from it, okay?! You idiot!"
••
Audrey had promised herself she'd face the days ahead—Zavier now living as her neighbor in Wellington Village and all. But saying it was one thing. Living it… turned out to be something else entirely. The truth was, Audrey still needed time to adjust.
Time to brace herself. To remember that everything was different now. Zavier wasn't the same single guy she once knew back in their school days.
Part of her regretted running off to Wellington in such a hurry—without taking the time to get used to seeing Zavier and his wife as a couple. But after thinking it over, Audrey shook her head.
What for? Just so she could "get used to it"? Like she was some kind of psychic who could've predicted this exact scenario? And what about her own feelings? Were they supposed to just… roll over?
She was exhausted from constantly hurting herself with her own thoughts. She wanted to be happy too—for once, she wanted to steer clear of anything that could crush her heart.
And if time really was the best remedy for a bruised soul, then maybe she still needed a heavier dose.
Unfortunately, before the healing had even started to take effect, Zavier came crashing back into her life. Just like that, the two years she'd spent trying to forget him unraveled. She wasn't ready. Not even close.
"You ready for the tour?"
Just like that—there it was again. That same rush pounding in her chest, fast and frantic, exactly like it had two years ago.
Audrey could only look away—anywhere but at the smiling face in front of her. Zavier raised an eyebrow, watching curiously as she kept her gaze low.
His hands were busy twisting open a bottle of cold mineral water to hand to her, while his own bottle stayed tucked casually between his arm and torso.
She accepted it with a swirl of emotions. Zavier, with his persistent habit of taking care of the people around him… clearly hadn't changed a bit.
"Hey, are you okay?"
The words were gentle—followed by his hands, rising instinctively toward her face.
Startled, Audrey snapped back to the moment. Her feet moved fast, stepping away from him in quick retreat.
His sudden gesture, her reflexive response—both caught off guard. They stood there, wide-eyed and speechless, as surprise bloomed quietly between them.