Chapter 359

Chapter 359:

The following day, Howard rose early and joined Madisyn for breakfast. As they sat together at the table, Madisyn spooned her cereal and looked up at him.

“Howard, why did you invite me to have breakfast with you so early?”

Howard took a deep breath, setting his coffee cup down. “To be honest, I have something to ask you.”

Madisyn’s interest was piqued. “Oh? What’s up?”

Howard hesitated, his brow furrowing as he searched for the right words. “Madisyn, do you think Milly…” He trailed off, clearly struggling to articulate his concern.

Sensing his unease, Madisyn gently prodded, “What’s going on with Milly?”

“Do you think she might have feelings for me?” Howard finally asked. “Last night, she wouldn’t leave my room when I was on a video call with a colleague. It made me wonder if she has feelings for me.”

Madisyn took a sip of her milk, her expression thoughtful. “Well, Milly does rely on you a lot—”

Howard’s face showed a mix of confusion and concern. “But I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I’ve always seen her as a sister. If her feelings run deeper, it could complicate things between us. Plus, she might just think she likes me because I take care of her. She could realize she doesn’t really like me eventually, but right now, I’m not sure how to handle it.”

Howard didn’t mention that Milly had kissed him, choosing to keep that detail private out of concern for her reputation.

Madisyn looked at Howard with a probing gaze as she nibbled on her sandwich. “What about you, Howard? How do you feel about Milly?”

Howard was momentarily taken aback. “Me?”

“Yes,” Madisyn said gently. “How do you feel about her?”

“I’ve always thought of her more like a sister,” Howard replied, his voice tinged with concern. “She doesn’t have a family, and I’ve always felt a responsibility toward her.”

As Madisyn finished her sandwich, she observed Howard’s confusion. From her perspective, it was clear he harbored deeper feelings for Milly than he was willing to admit.

“If that’s the case, it’s important to be clear with her,” Madisyn suggested. “Misunderstandings can lead to hurt feelings. It’s kinder in the long run to be honest about where you stand so she doesn’t harbor any false hopes and you don’t feel burdened.”

Howard shook his head slightly, not feeling burdened. “I just think she might not fully understand what love is yet.”

“You should just be honest with her,” Madisyn said. “Tell her you don’t have any feelings for her. It could help her sort out her emotions.”

After a moment of reflection, Howard conceded, “You might be right.”

Returning home, Howard found the house still quiet in the early morning. He prepared breakfast, awaiting Milly to wake up. When Elaine joined him at the table, her face brightened with a smile.

“When did you get back last night?”

“Pretty late. You and Dad were already asleep,” Howard replied casually.

Elaine’s curiosity was piqued as she looked around. “Did you come back alone? Where’s that young girl who’s been with you lately?”

“She’s here too,” Howard explained as he set the table. “She’s on a break, so I thought she could stay with us for a few days.”

Having heard about Milly’s difficult past, Elaine had always felt a soft spot for her. “Poor girl. Why isn’t she down for breakfast yet?”

Howard explained, “We stayed up late watching a movie last night, so she’s probably still asleep.”

“We?” Elaine questioned, catching the detail.

“Just a movie together,” Howard quickly clarified.

Elaine nodded, reassured. “Alright, we’ll keep some breakfast warm for her.”

Howard remained silent during their conversation. He shared Madisyn’s cautious view of Milly, suspecting she might not be as simple as she seemed, but he kept his thoughts to himself, preferring to observe her actions for further insight.

By 9 o’clock, Milly finally came downstairs, looking refreshed. She spotted Howard sitting alone at the dining table.

“Where are Mr. and Mrs. Johns?” she asked softly.

“They’ve gone to the office,” Howard responded as he set a plate for her.

Milly murmured, taking a seat at the table. The morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm golden glow around her, softening her features. At that moment, she looked almost ethereal, like a goddess stepping out of legend, radiant and captivating.

Howard, watching her, decided it was time to address the issue. “Milly, we need to talk,” he began hesitantly. “I think you might have feelings for me because I’ve always been here for you, but it might just be dependence, not…”

Milly interrupted, her voice steady, her gaze direct. “I do rely on you. Is that a problem?”

Her calmness caught Howard off guard, and he paused, searching for the right words.

Milly continued, “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I never knew what it was like to have a warm breakfast or someone who cared about my day-to-day life before I met you.”

Howard felt a lump form in his throat as she spoke.

Milly added softly, “But I know what I’m saying. These experiences were new to me, and I’m grateful for them. However, I know I can’t stay here indefinitely.”

“Milly, I didn’t mean that—” Howard stammered, his panic rising as he struggled to clarify his intentions.

Milly stood and handed him a small sachet.

Howard, puzzled, took it from her hand. “What’s this?”

“It’s an herbal sachet,” Milly explained softly. “You’ve been working hard and struggling with sleep. This should help you rest better, at least help you feel more refreshed if you can’t sleep much.”

“When did you make this?” Howard asked, his surprise evident.

“Last night,” Milly replied. “When I finished it this morning, I was going to give it to you, but I heard you leaving early. I almost caught up with you, then I saw you heading to Madisyn.”

Howard froze, his breath catching in his throat. Something was unnerving about how calm Milly’s eyes were—too calm. The realization hit him like a punch: she had overheard the conversation between him and Madisyn.

Howard’s stomach twisted. He had never felt so uncomfortable, not just because she had overheard, but because it was the first time he had confided in someone about feelings he couldn’t quite untangle, and now he was caught in a web of awkwardness.

“Milly, I didn’t mean that,” Howard tried to explain, desperation creeping into his voice. But he didn’t know what to say.

Milly offered him a faint smile. “You’ve done a lot for me, and I’m really thankful for all of it,” she said. “But I can’t stay here any longer. Goodbye, Howard.”

With those words, she turned and walked away, leaving Howard standing alone, holding the sachet.

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