“Want to go back to my place and finish up?” She asked.

Scarlett reluctantly thought of Noah back home, remembering that Jackson was there, too. Nodding her head, “Yes.”

Kaia smirked, “Awe, won’t Noah miss his mommy?”

She thought about her question and remembered that he usually woke up in the middle of the night to use the toilet and would look for her to cuddle back to sleep—something she loved so much as his mother.

But now it wasn't about little Noah.

She grabbed Kaia by the collar and pulled her in, smashing their lips together. She could taste her juices on her lips and wondered how it would be having sex with a woman—her moment of weakness was turning onto a terrifying path.

After their kiss ended, she said, “Take me home with you. I’m no one’s mother or someone’s girlfriend tonight.”

Kaia liked the sound of that.

*

Morning arrived and the light peeking through the curtains woke Scarlett up. She turned her head right and felt something under her neck. Opening her eyes, she saw Kaia was staring down at her, making her smile.

Closing her eyes, she asked, “Did you even sleep?”

“I did,” she answered.

“When did you wake up?” Scarlett asked.

“Thirty minutes ago,” she answered.

“And you’re staring at me. Why?” She asked.

“Because you’re beautiful,” Kaia said and leaned down, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Opening her eyes, Scarlett marvelled at the feeling until it faded and sighed, then sat up. Looking at Kaia, “I think it’s time for me to go home.”

She nodded her head and got up. Sitting against the headboard, she asked, “Do you want breakfast first or do you have work?”

Scarlett shook her head, “I don’t. I just want to make sure my son is okay. How about we go for lunch? He’d be happy to see his aunty Kaia.”

She chuckled with a nod. “Sure, let’s wash up, then I’ll drop you off.”

Scarlett didn’t know why she expected to have a shower by herself because Kaia joined her and they repeated last night’s activities—just standing up and taking it to the bed, wasting water.

As they were in the car waiting for the lights to change, Scarlett switched on her phone and immediately, many calls and messages came in from Jackson. She rolled her eyes, not bothering to read the messages, and Kaia could tell that she wasn’t happy.

Reaching over her thighs, she took Scarlett’s hand in hers, saying, “By the way, you haven’t told me your name.”

“Did you ask me?” Scarlett asked with a smirk.

Kaia couldn’t hold back her smile and asked, “So, beautiful lady, what is your name?”

“Scarlett Park,” she answered.

Kaia leaned her head to the side and squeezed her hand. “I’m Kaia Shim. How old are you?”

“Twenty-five,” she answered as she looked at her curiously.

“Geez, you’re so young,” she said.

Scarlett raised a brow. “Twenty-five isn’t young. How old are you if you are saying twenty-five is young?”

Kaia smirked, “Thirty-one.”

Rolling her eyes, “Oh wow, I found myself a sugar mommy.”

Kaia barked out laughing, asking the question that has been on her mind, “If I’m your sugar mommy, then who is Noah’s father?”

Scarlett looked out of the window when he was brought up and said, “No one.”

“How can he not have a father?” She asked.

Turning to her, she saw Kaia was looking at her and said, “Because, as of yesterday, he’s dead to me.”

*

Kaia looked at the building, then asked, “You have my number, right?”

Scarlett nodded her head as she opened the door.

“Scarlett?” She called.

As she looked back, Kaia leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. This time, Scarlett was the one who initiated a passionate kiss.

Kaia smirked. “Why do you look reluctant? We’ll see each other soon.”

She nodded her head. “Mn, let me go deal with that asshole.”

As she watched Scarlett walk into the building, she pulled out her phone and dialled a number. When the other end was answered, she said, “Jay, can you do a background check on a woman named Scarlett Park? She’s twenty-five, and lives in M-Villa in Dong-gu. She also has a kid named Noah.”

“Alright boss, give me fifteen minutes,” Jay said.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be at HQ in twenty.”

*

When she walked into the apartment, she saw Jackson fast asleep on the floor while Noah was on the couch, asleep, with dry tears on his cheeks. She shook her head and stepped over Jackson, and picked her son up.

Laying him down on his bed, she caressed his cheek, then kissed him on the nose and let her tears fall. ‘Momma is so sorry, baby.’

She went to the bedroom and put on her clothes and did the washing. Her phone vibrated on the kitchen table.

As she went to start breakfast before waking Noah up, she saw Jackson’s phone ringing on the floor next to him. It was vibrating and laying on the carpet, so he couldn’t hear or feel it.

She walked over to it and picked it up. She walked away back to the kitchen and looked at the name flashing across the screen and narrowed her eyes, reading, ‘My Moon♥️.’

Answering it, she remained silent.

“Awe baby, are you still asleep? You took a long time to answer my call today,” the woman said.

Scarlett held her nose closed and hummed.

“Okay, okay, I know you get really cranky when you wake up, so I’ll make it short. Today, let’s meet up for lunch at the restaurant in Star Park. I really want to go eat there again. I just love their cakes.” She said.

Scarlett’s phone began vibrating again, and she looked at the unknown number. ‘It can’t be Kaia, right?’ she thought.

Unsure, she ended the call and answered her phone, “Hello?”

“Good morning. Is this Scarlett Park that I am speaking to?”

“Yes, this is her,” she answered as she placed Jackson’s phone down in his hand and went back to the kitchen.

“Sorry to bother you so early. I am phoning from Love Bakery in Seoul, you are speaking to Jacky, you applied for the position of our head baker,” Jacky explained.

“Yes, I did, but I received an email stating that you have chosen someone for the position already because I didn’t have the qualifications,” she said as she leaned against the stove and watched as her boyfriend woke up and fiddled with his phone.

“Yes, that was the case, but now we are looking for someone who could be the face of the bakery as we will be starting a streaming service whereby we’ll have someone teach our viewers online how to bake. Our boss is shy as she would have done it and our head baker is extremely shy. We were impressed with the videos you sent in and explained how to make your recipes. This is why I am reaching out to you today because we have this new position open and have contacted you. You did not seem nervous during the video and we loved the appearance of your son. Love Bakery is a family bakery and with the two of you, we think you would be a valuable asset to our brand.”

Scarlett was silent as Jacky spoke. Not because she wasn’t interested, but she was watching Jackson talk on the phone with his back, facing her and was trying to hear what was being said.

“Yes, I understand, and thank you for considering me. When do you need me to start?” Scarlett asked.

“We know you stay in Daegu and your son goes to school. What Mrs Kwon was proposing is that we send you money for the ingredients and you film the videos. After you are done, we’ll edit them and upload them on our website and the streaming platform. The option for you to move is up to you and is preferable, as this is still a trial phase and we understand it is a tough decision, but we hope you understand.”

Scarlett had made her way to the bedroom and asked as she sat on the bed, “What about accommodation? My son is still young and I can move. Finding him a school is not a problem.”

Jacky was surprised and got excited, “I, I will speak to Mrs Kwon immediately. You are expected to start in two weeks after your employment contract is signed.”

“Then I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you, Jacky,” she said and ended the call.

Scarlett grabbed a pillow and screamed in it with excitement.

‘How is this possible?’ What luck is this?’

She would finally be living one of her dreams. She had learnt to cook in the orphanage that she was in and has been dreaming of owning a bakery or restaurant of her own and although this wasn’t her own; it was something.

She sat up and went to the mirror. ‘Scarlett Park, the face of Love Bakery.’

She made her way back to the kitchen with a big smile on her face but hid it when she saw Jackson making coffee for himself.

“Good morning,” she said to him and he waited for a kiss from her like she usually gives but nothing came. He looked at her as she was bent down looking through the ingredient cupboard and recalled how she didn’t kiss him last night when he got home and when he suddenly realised she wasn’t home.

Worse was the headache Noah had caused when he found out that his mother wasn’t home. His son misbehaved so badly that he wished he could run away.

“Where did you go last night?” He asked.