: Morning Distractions

Nene stirred awake slowly, stretching against the warm sheets, her body relaxing for exactly five seconds.

Then—something shifted.

A presence.

A very large, very warm presence.

Her eyes snapped open.

And there, lying beside her, one arm lazily draped over the space between them, golden eyes half-lidded with sleep—

Was Zhao Alexander.

In his underwear.

Nene's brain short-circuited.

Her entire body locked up.

WHAT. THE. HELL.

She barely had time to process the broad expanse of his bare chest, the sharp lines of his abs, the way the sheets were barely covering his lower half—

Before Alexander let out a low, sleepy hum, shifting slightly.

Then—without even opening his eyes—

"Staring, wife?"

Nene immediately smacked him with a pillow.

Alexander grunted, finally cracking one eye open, smirking.

"That's not a no," he murmured.

Nene scowled, throwing off the blankets and scrambling out of bed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped.

Alexander stretched lazily, completely unbothered.

"This is my bed," he pointed out. "You walked here."

Nene froze.

Oh. Oh no.

Not again.

She stared at him in horror. "You're lying."

Alexander smirked. "Am I?"

Nene's stomach twisted.

Because she didn't remember coming here.

She had gone to sleep in her own bed.

And yet—

Here she was.

Again.

Nene was still glaring, arms crossed, when Alexander—still shirtless, still smug—sat up slightly, resting one arm lazily on his knee.

"You seem upset," he murmured. "Should I be offended?"

Nene huffed. "Upset? Upset?! I woke up next to you—again!"

Alexander tilted his head slightly.

"You walked here, wife," he said smoothly. "Again."

Nene gritted her teeth.

"I don't remember doing that."

Alexander's smirk deepened. "Oh, I know."

Then—before she could react—

He reached for his phone, tapped the screen, and turned it toward her.

Nene froze.

Because on the screen—

Was security footage.

Of her.

At two in the morning.

Walking half-asleep through the house, straight into his gym—

And grabbing him.

Nene's stomach dropped.

"What."

Alexander let the video play.

[Security Footage – 2:07 AM]

Alexander: Training shirtless in the gym, focused, punching a sandbag. 

Nene: Sleepwalking straight into the gym, hair a mess, wearing an oversized hoodie. 

Alexander: Pauses mid-punch, confused. "Nene?" 

Nene: Wordlessly walks up, grabs his wrist, and pulls. 

Alexander: Blinks. "What are you—" 

Nene: Keeps walking, dragging him with her. 

Alexander: Sighs. "Fine." Follows her.

Nene's entire body locked up.

She stared.

Then—slowly, carefully—

She looked up at Alexander.

"...I did that?" she asked weakly.

Alexander's smirk widened.

"You dragged me out of the gym," he confirmed. "Didn't say a word. Just grabbed me and left."

Nene's soul left her body.

"I—" she struggled. "Why didn't you stop me?!"

Alexander chuckled.

"You looked determined," he said smoothly. "I was curious."

Nene covered her face with her hands.

Oh. My. God.

"And the worst part?" Alexander mused.

Nene peeked through her fingers. "What?"

Alexander leaned in slightly, voice too smug.

"I didn't even get to shower."

Nene let out a strangled scream.

It was't her. This was some weird wolf thing happening.

Nene was still recovering from secondhand embarrassment, her entire soul crumbling, when Alexander leaned back against the headboard, watching her with pure amusement.

"You know," he said smoothly, "there's a simple solution to this."

Nene lowered her hands slowly, eyes narrowing.

"I swear to god," she muttered. "If you suggest chaining me to my bed—"

Alexander chuckled.

"Tempting," he mused. "But unnecessary."

Nene crossed her arms. "Then what?"

Alexander's golden eyes flickered with something knowing.

"Sleep here," he said.

Nene stared.

Then blinked.

Then—

"WHAT?!"

Alexander tilted his head slightly, completely unfazed.

"It'll be easier for you," he explained, "less aggressive instinct flare-ups. You clearly feel the need to be close to me at night."

Nene nearly choked.

"EXCUSE ME?"

Alexander's smirk was lethal.

"You've walked here three times now, wife," he said, "so logically, you should just start here."

Nene's eye twitched.

"That is NOT how logic works!"

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it?"

Nene gaped at him.

He said it so calmly, so reasonably, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Like it wasn't completely insane.

"I am not sleeping here," she hissed.

Alexander shrugged. "Then you'll just keep walking here in the middle of the night."

Nene gritted her teeth.

He wasn't wrong.

And that was the worst part.

Still, she refused to give in.

She crossed her arms, glaring. "You'd love that, wouldn't you?"

Alexander's lips curved into a slow, amused smirk.

"I wouldn't hate it."

Nene grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at his face.

Nene stormed out of the bedroom, fuming, and headed straight for her office.

She needed space. Distance. Time to forget that she had once again sleepwalked into her husband's bed like some kind of feral wolf.

She shoved open the door, dropped into her chair, and groaned.

Her phone buzzed immediately.

[Text from Tian:]

Tian: "You. Office. Now. I have updates."

Nene sighed, rubbing her temple.

Fine.

Business.

That was a good distraction.

She grabbed her bag, pulled on a loose jacket, and headed straight for her own personal escape—her agency.