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[EVE]
I woke up with a jolt, drenched in cold sweat as remnants of my nightmare clung to my mind. My heart pounded, but I took a deep breath, trying to ground myself.
Phew . . .
It was just a dream.
A horrible, absurd nightmare where Cole was my personal bodyguard.
The thought alone sent a shiver down my spine. That would be the worst nightmare ever.
I sighed with relief, wiping my forehead.
Feeling groggy, I glanced around my room, noticing the soft winter light filtering through the curtains. The cold air of the season made any bit of warmth feel like a blessing, so I reached out, pulling back the curtains to let in more sunlight.
The breeze that followed was crisp but refreshing, and I stood by the window, basking in the morning light as it kissed my skin.
That was when I froze—completely flabbergasted.
My eyes widened, and my brain short-circuited as I looked down into the garden below. Two things hit me like a bolt of lightning.
First: Cole was standing in the garden below. He wasn't part of a nightmare. He was real. And he was really my personal bodyguard. The horror!
Second—and more importantly—why in the world was he NAKED?!
In the middle of the freezing winter, no less!
I blinked rapidly, hoping I was hallucinating. But no, there he was, standing barefoot in the snow-dusted garden, shirtless, plowing the field like some sort of Greek god.
The morning sun highlighted every defined ridge of muscle on his chest and abs, his skin gleaming with a light sheen as if winter had no effect on him whatsoever. His broad shoulders moved with a natural grace, his sculpted back rippling as he worked the earth with a shovel like it was nothing.
It was . . . well, heart-stopping. My heart, quite literally, skipped a beat—or three.
I couldn't deny it: Cole's physique was breathtaking. His body was sculpted like a statue—defined pecs, chiseled abs, and arms that exuded effortless strength.
Even with his shirt on, he carried an irresistible allure. His body wasn't bulky like a bodybuilder's but lean and toned in a way that spoke of elegance and control. His muscles were subtle, not overbearing, more like those of a dancer—taut, graceful, and undeniably sexy.
But still!
What on earth was he doing shirtless in the middle of winter? Who plows a field half-naked when it's this cold?
Sensing someone watching him, Cole glanced over, and our eyes met. A slow, playful smile spread across his face.
"Enjoying the view?" he teased, his tone light.
I slammed the window shut, feeling my face heat up, even though the freezing air had already invaded my room.
"Is he crazy?!" I muttered to myself, my voice shaky.
Peeking through the curtains again—because I clearly hadn't learned my lesson—I saw Cole pause, looking up at my window as if sensing I was watching.
He gave me a casual nod, completely unfazed by the fact that he was . . . well, half-naked and outside in the cold.
I pulled the curtains closed immediately, slapping my forehead in disbelief.
This was going to be a long, long day.
=== 🤍 ===
Cole sneezed and rubbed his nose, still shirtless as he went through Lina's list, hoping to catch Eve's attention.
And it worked—she had peeked at him twice already. If this kept up, maybe she'd eventually . . . Cole paused mid-thought.
Wasn't his goal just to get her to forgive him and restore their old relationship?
He wasn't trying to seduce her or anything, but it sure felt like it.
"Look, you might not see it this way, but the best way to get a woman to forgive you is to use your, uh, assets. We're weak against pretty and sexy things—remember that," Lina said to him.
"You're gonna catch a cold, you know," Zen chimed in with a grin. "Come on, put your shirt back on. It's freezing out here."
"What are you doing?" Victor asked, appearing out of nowhere in his pajamas, hair a mess. "Why are you digging up the yard this early? We have a gardener for this, you know. It's not your job."
"I'm looking for anything dangerous buried here," Cole said calmly, still crouched over the ground, shirtless.
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. He glanced at Eve's window on the second floor, then back at Cole. "You've been out here for an hour. Shirtless. Is that really necessary?"
"Yes. Yes, it is," Cole replied with complete calm, not even looking up.
Victor crossed his arms, refusing to back down. "I'm pretty sure the only thing dangerous here is you being shirtless here."
"Or your lack of understanding," Cole shot back, dusting his hands off.
"Oh, I understand. You're shirtless. Outside. And you've dug, what, two feet of dirt for . . . no reason?"
Cole finally stood up and looked at him, shrugging. "Sometimes, you've gotta take off your shirt to get things done. You wouldn't get it."
Zen clamped a hand over his mouth, struggling to stifle his laughter.
Victor rolled his eyes but then froze as he noticed Eve peeking through her window again. He looked back at Cole, suddenly piecing things together.
"Wait a minute . . . is this about getting Eve's attention?"
Cole smiled slyly, glancing toward the window. "Well, it's working, isn't it?"
Victor stared for a moment, then went back home in a hurry.
"What's with that guy? He disappears just as suddenly as he shows up," Zen muttered as Victor vanished.
Cole sneezed again, and this time Zen didn't let him stay in the cold for another second. They headed back inside the house, finally escaping the chill.
=== 🤍 ===
Later that morning, Sinclair sat at the breakfast table, waiting for Eve while sipping his tea. As he glanced over at the table, he nearly choked when he saw Victor strutting shirtless across the hall.
Before he could even process that, he noticed Cole also standing shirtless not far away.
"Is it summer all of a sudden?" Sinclair asked, raising an eyebrow at Victor. "Why is everyone shirtless around here?"
Victor forced an awkward smile. "Uh, it's hot inside the house, sir. And I'm going to the gym later, before heading to work."
Sinclair casually glanced outside again, watching the soft snowflakes fall from the sky. "It's negative degrees Celsius."
Victor gulped and tried his best to hide the fact that he was shivering. "I, uh, feel . . . warm."
Sinclair sighed, rubbing his temples. "Go and put a shirt on before Eve sees you. I don't want men parading around shirtless in my house. And tell Cole the same thing."
That was the end of it.