Alessia sprawled across the bed , the soft mattress instantly easing the tension in her body . She'd been pampered her whole life - falling asleep was easy, but sleeping well was a whole different story . Cole must have known that , too . He'd even swapped out her old mattress for something better . She rolled over twice , just starting to drift off when her phone buzzed . On the other side of the room divider , Ivan was focused on his sketchbook . Alessia didn't bother to hide the call ; she answered right away . " Hello ? " Her voice was languid , barely mustering any energy . " Miss Morton , forced into manual labor ? You sound wiped out ." " Venmo me fifty bucks and I'll regale you with my rags - to - riches saga ," she shot back . Cole chuckled , the sound low and warm across the line as his fingers slid over his screen . " All sorted out , then ? " " Yeah . I really am a spoiled princess ," Alessia admitted , stretching out on the bed with genuine relief . Just as she finished speaking , her phone chimed - a new transfer notification . Another hundred thousand dollars . " Well , Mr. Cole , always so generous . Should I send you a thank - you card or just bow in gratitude ? " Alessia accepted the money without a second thought ; after all , her own funds went straight into Cole's account these days . Their relationship was far closer than most people imagined . Cole's laugh rumbled softly through the phone ; his voice sent a pleasant shiver down her spine . " It's not like you don't have a place to stay . How long are you planning to keep up this little adventure ? " Alessia sat up , running her fingers through her hair with a careless shrug . " It's actually kind of fun . I'll stick around a while longer . " That evening , Ethan and Zachary returned home together . " Zachary , you're back ! Go grab a shower - school in the morning , remember ? " Karen called out as soon as she heard the door open , setting aside what she'd been working on . 1/3 15:37 " Yeah . I told Ethan about the shop thing yesterday . He waited for me at work and we came back together . " " Ethan's home , too ? Have you eaten ? " " I have . So , how's the shop plan going ? " " Almost done , actually . Speaking of which , it's all thanks to Lessie - she pulled some strings and got the business license sorted for us . Saved a ton of hassle . " " Right , I completely forgot about that until it basically landed in my lap , " Brendan added , handing Ethan the paperwork . " Lessie's that resourceful ? " Zachary was genuinely surprised , just as Alessia emerged from the bathroom . " I just asked a friend for help . It wasn't a big deal for him , " Alessia replied , brushing it off . " Speaking of friends , Lessie , how do you know Justin ? No pressure , just curious , " Brendan clarified quickly , not wanting Alessia to misunderstand . " We've known each other since we were kids . He's a good guy . If he loses his temper , there's usually a reason - so don't worry . " " Justin ? " Ethan looked puzzled . " Yeah , Lessie said he's an architect friend . I opened the door and was surprised to see it was Justin . Genius is right - the rooms look so much better after his redesign . Lessie even wanted him to redo ours , but the layout's fine , so we let it be . " " By the way , once my internship ends and my current project wraps up , we'll finally be able to move into a bigger place . Lessie , if it ever feels inconvenient , just have Ivan move back to his old room . No reason you should be uncomfortable just for coming home . " " Does he grind his teeth at night ? " Alessia asked , deadpan . The unexpected question caught Ethan off guard , and everyone in the living room burst out laughing . " No , Ivan sleeps like a rock , " Ethan replied , with a touch of exasperation . Alessia just raised an eyebrow in response . Sensing the topic was getting old , the others let it drop . " All these renovations must have cost a fortune , right ? Lessie , keep your own רוח 15:37 money - Dad will handle the remodeling costs , " Brendan said . " Actually , Dad , once the shop's up and running and we've got steady clients , I'd like to invest in a storefront for you all . Of course , I'll be taking a cut of the profits . How does that sound ? "