Arianna Stone had barely walked through the door after work when she was greeted by a massive bag of snacks, iced boba tea complete with pearls and coconut jelly, and a fresh bouquet of flowers.

The snack pantry was stocked to the brim, and the dining table held a steaming, gourmet spread. The aroma of a home-cooked feast filled the living room.

Arianna cradled the gardenias in her arms, her eyes crinkling as she looked at Maxwell King. "What’s the occasion for the flowers?"

She asked, even though she knew the answer. "Is it some kind of special day?"

Maxwell curved his lips into a smile, playing along perfectly. "It’s the grand opening of our home theater. And the day we’re finally going to watch our first movie together."

It was a bit embarrassing to admit, but they had been married for quite a while without ever actually sitting down for a movie night.

"Where did you get these?" Arianna asked, looking up at him. "Did you have to go far out of your way?"

"Not at all. Right outside the office, next to that boba shop you like. A new flower boutique just opened up." He added with a grin, "If you ever want specific flowers, just text me."

"Got it."

Maxwell had left the office early today, bringing some of his work home to finish up. After dinner, Arianna headed upstairs, showered, and changed into comfortable pajamas before wandering toward the study.

The door was left ajar. One gentle push was all it took.

Maxwell was leaning back in his office chair, his sharp features illuminated by the desk lamp. He wore a familiar pair of gold-rimmed glasses, the delicate chain dangling by his ear, swaying slightly as he looked up. His hair was still damp from his own shower, and tiny droplets caught the light like scattered diamonds.

"Give me a second. I just need to clear these few emails, and then we’re off to the movies."

Arianna’s eyes softened. "No rush. Take your time."

There were two identical desks in the study, one of which was Arianna’s, though she had never actually used it. She usually preferred the spacious, bright living room, curling up in the deep, plush sofa.

As she sat down, she realized she had been missing out. The desk faced a massive floor-to-ceiling window, offering a view of the garden below, where flowers bloomed in vibrant, chaotic colors along the winding paths. It was a visual feast.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Maxwell’s long, defined fingers flying across the keyboard, the tendons on the back of his hands shifting with every motion. The room carried a faint, calming scent of printer ink. Her restlessness began to settle.

A while later, feeling bored, she went to her room to grab her laptop, deciding to keep him company. Earlier that afternoon, she had asked Miranda Green for movie recommendations. A long, scrolling list had just arrived in her inbox.

Arianna was notoriously indecisive. After staring at the titles for ages, she couldn't pick one. She typed back: *Out of all these, which one is your absolute favorite?*

Miranda didn't hesitate: *Numbers 2, 3, and 11 are non-negotiable!*

To avoid any awkward surprises, Arianna quickly looked them up. The blurbs revealed they were all films featuring the same lead actor.

Arianna understood: *Found a new celebrity crush, have we?*

Miranda sent back a shy emoji: *Hehe! He’s just so incredibly handsome! And his acting? Phenomenal. He pulls off every character effortlessly. Especially that romance film—he brought the character of Julian to life so perfectly!*

*I’m not even kidding, after watching that movie, I felt like I was actually going through a breakup. I’ve been surviving on his photos alone.*

Arianna chuckled: *You’re being dramatic.*

Miranda: *Am not! It’s his fault for being that perfect. Half our team is obsessed with him now. I’m sending you some photos—I guarantee you’ll be head-over-heels in a second.*

A wave of fan-service photos hit her screen.

Midway through, Maxwell stood up to pour some water, placing a glass on her desk. His gaze flicked toward her screen—

In the chat window, there was a photo of a man in a high-neck autumn sweater, leaning against a white railing and smiling faintly at the lens, his jawline sculpted and smooth. He looked like the quintessential gentle, boy-next-door crush.

Maxwell raised an eyebrow, not paying much mind, and turned back to his work.

Five seconds later, stretching his arms, he leaned back and caught another glimpse of her screen.

The chat window was still popping up with new photos. One showed the actor striking a cold, aloof pose; another was a candid shot with a stuffed animal; and a third had him holding a camera on a Parisian street. There were airport shots, magazine covers, and even period-drama stills of him in an ornate palace costume.

Then, the screen flashed. A new image appeared.

The man was pulling up the hem of his shirt, wearing black drawstring joggers, his powerful, defined abs shimmering under the lights. The photo had a moody, desaturated filter that made the visual impact even more jarring.

Maxwell’s eyelid twitched.

Arianna’s heart skipped a beat, too. She guiltily looked up at Maxwell, only to find him staring unblinkingly at her screen, though it was impossible to tell how long he had been watching.

Arianna: "..."

Caught red-handed.

Maxwell cleared his throat, looking away with forced nonchalance as he pretended to focus on an email he’d already read. "Is that... some kind of actor?"

Arianna: "Yeah."

Maxwell clicked his mouse, his tone laced with a hint of acidity. "Oh. He’s... handsome, I guess."

"You think so too?" Arianna asked, surprised. She had never heard him compliment another man before. A thought occurred to her, and she broke into a smile. "He’s a celebrity my coworker is obsessed with. She’s been aggressively selling me on his filmography."

Maxwell’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly, his tone turning breezy. "Oh, I see."

"If you like him, do you want me to forward these to you?"

Maxwell’s mouse-clicking froze. He couldn't very well admit he was jealous, let alone that he’d been sneakily spying on her screen.

"Sure. Send them over."

A flood of images appeared in their chat window. Maxwell opened one, acting as if he were studying a business report while his mind was elsewhere.

Arianna, remembering Miranda’s words, kept pitching the actor. "Apparently, he’s a great actor, and a really nice person off-camera. He’s great to his fans—treats them like friends. He’s even bought them boba and snacks before. A girl on my team even took time off just to follow his tour."

"And his fans are so respectful. They're genuinely sweet."

Maxwell stared blankly at the screen.

Great. Now she’s impressed by his fan base, too.

Maxwell didn't speak, his eyes locked on the laptop monitor. On the screen was a still from one of the actor's films. Seeing how fixated he was, Arianna decided to scrap her original choice and give him what he wanted.

"You like this one, don't you? Let's just watch this movie then?"

Maxwell: "...No need."

Arianna assumed he was just being modest. After all, in all this time, Maxwell had never shown a preference for anything. Now that he finally had an actor he clearly liked, she wasn't about to let it go.

"It’s totally fine," Arianna insisted, trying to be considerate. "Let’s just watch this one. We can save the other movie for later."

Maxwell: "............"