My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

The kitchen was quiet except for the soft clinking of glass against wood as Hera arranged a tray. The warm, golden light of the late afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows, casting gentle shadows over the polished countertops. The scent of freshly baked cookies lingered in the air, mixing with the faint aroma of herbs from the spice rack nearby.

Hera stood on her toes, reaching up to open the cabinet above her head. Just as her fingers brushed against the handle, a large, warm hand suddenly appeared beside hers, pulling the cabinet open with ease.

"Here, let me help you," a voice said smoothly.

Hera stiffened for a moment before lowering her arm. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Her expression remained calm, but a sigh of mild exasperation escaped her lips.

"I can do it myself," she replied, reaching inside for a container filled with cookies.

Reinhart, standing close behind her, let out a playful chuckle. "Well, that's a shame. I was hoping for a little more enthusiasm, maybe a 'Thank you, Reinhart, you're so strong and helpful,'" he said with a dramatic sigh.

Hera finally turned, giving him an unimpressed look as she clutched the container to her chest. "Thank you, Reinhart," she said flatly before walking past him toward the counter.

He grinned, watching her with amused eyes. "That was even colder than I expected," he murmured, following at a leisurely pace.

Hera opened the container and placed the cookies neatly on a small plate before walking toward the fridge. She pulled the door open and took out a bottle of chilled juice, her movements efficient and precise.

"I thought you were going with Mr. Vaelorian to work," she said, glancing at him briefly.

Reinhart leaned against the counter, crossing his arms lazily. "Well, he did drag me there, but I managed to escape. Thought I'd come back here instead," he said with a satisfied smirk.

"You know," he started, tapping his fingers against the counter, "why do you always address Elion so formally? 'Mr. Vaelorian' this, 'Mr. Vaelorian' that. Sounds so stiff."

"Because he's my employer," she replied simply. "You don't actually think I can act casually with him, do you?"

Reinhart scoffed, pushing himself off the counter. "Come on, you know it's all an act. You don't have to be so uptight about it."

Hera turned to face him fully, her expression unimpressed. "If you came here just to chat, please leave. Unlike you, I actually have work to do."

Reinhart placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Excuse me, I have a job too, you know."

"Really?" Hera arched a brow, arms crossing over her chest. "If you do, then shouldn't you be at the office right now instead of, well… here?"

Reinhart opened his mouth to argue but quickly realized he had no real counter to that. Instead, he just huffed and looked away, muttering under his breath, "Ugh, whatever."

Hera shook her head, pouring the juice into a glass. "Still not a fan of office work, huh?"

Reinhart chuckled, stepping closer. "You know me. I'm not made for that kind of thing," he admitted. Then, with a playful glint in his eyes, he leaned slightly toward her, lowering his voice. "Besides..."

Hera paused, side-eyeing him as she placed the juice bottle back in the fridge. "Besides what?"

Reinhart smirked. "This mansion has something much more interesting," he said, tilting his head slightly.

Hera arched a brow, waiting for him to elaborate.

He tapped a finger against his chin, pretending to think before his grin widened. "Raelynn. That's her name, right?"

Hera narrowed her eyes. "Don't do anything stupid," she warned, closing the fridge door with a quiet thud.

Reinhart gasped, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense. "Are you jealous?" he asked teasingly.

Hera rolled her eyes. "I'm just trying to save your ass from your brother."

Reinhart grinned at that. "See? I knew you weren't completely heartless. You do care about my well-being."

Hera let out a soft groan, picking up the tray and preparing to leave the kitchen. "I'm serious, Reinhart," she said firmly. "Don't try anything with Raelynn."

His expression changed instantly. The usual playfulness faded, replaced by something more serious. His golden eyes studied Hera intently. "I'm serious too," he said in a low voice. "I don't have any ill intentions toward her. In fact, I'm here to help."

Hera frowned. "Help with what?"

Reinhart's gaze flickered toward the corner of the room. His body tensed for just a second before a knowing smirk returned to his face.

"We'll continue this conversation later," he said, his voice dropping to a casual whisper. "Right now, we have company."

Hera blinked before following his gaze.

Near the doorway, standing hesitantly with wide eyes, was Raelynn. She had probably been there for a moment, watching them, unsure if she was interrupting.

Reinhart turned fully, his face lighting up with a bright grin. "Raelynn!" he greeted enthusiastically, stepping forward.

Raelynn offered him a small smile. "Sorry for disturbing you," she said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Hera quickly shook her head. "You're not disturbing anything," she assured her.

Raelynn, however, didn't seem entirely convinced. Her gaze flickered between Hera and Reinhart, her expression curious. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice gentle but observant.

Hera felt the weight of Raelynn's stare, and only then did she realize just how close she had been standing to Reinhart. As if the realization hit all at once, she immediately took a step back, putting more space between them. Her movements were quick, almost too quick, and to distract herself, she turned her head away, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Reinhart, on the other hand, just grinned at her reaction, clearly amused. "Hera just gets shy sometimes."

Hera shot him a glare, but instead of responding, she exhaled sharply and turned back to Raelynn. "Let's go, Raelynn. Don't mind him."

As the two women prepared to leave the kitchen, Reinhart suddenly called out.

"Hey, Raelynn," he said smoothly.

She paused, glancing back at him with a curious expression.

His grin turned slightly mischievous. "Is it okay if I hang out with you?"