He had made this cake exclusively for Elysia Thorne.
From the initial concept to the perfectly crafted final product, it had taken him an entire month.
Because he couldn't spend New Year's Eve with her or cook a holiday dinner for her, he wanted her to at least have a taste of a cake he had baked with his own hands.
This cake contained dozens of different ingredients, every single one of them something Elysia loved.
To blend so many ingredients together without ruining the flavor profile, he had racked his brain, tried countless methods, and gone through numerous failed attempts before finally succeeding.
He had poured his heart and soul into this cake.
It was filled to the brim with his love for her.
And yet, Elysia hadn't taken a single bite!
Jae-hyun Kim's face darkened. He took a drag of his cigarette, Tarquin Bradford's warning flashing through his mind, and his expression grew even colder.
Clamping the cigarette between his lips, he pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Move the plan up!"
Just as the words left his mouth, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Jae-hyun shot a frigid glare toward the door, his eyes vicious and calculating.
The security monitor in the entryway lit up. Diane was standing outside.
Jae-hyun furrowed his brow, his face twisting with profound impatience.
He hung up the phone, adjusted his emotions, and got up to answer the door.
The moment Diane saw him, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips.
"Happy New Year's Eve, sweetheart."
Jae-hyun smiled and hugged her, his tone perfectly gentle.
"What brings you here at this hour?"
"I was worried you'd be lonely," Diane said. "After ringing in the holidays with my parents, I rushed right over to keep you company. Why is the living room so dark? Were you asleep?"
Jae-hyun lied smoothly.
"I was busy with the store all day, and when I finally had a moment tonight, I hopped on a video call with my family. I guess I dozed off after we hung up."
Diane's heart ached for him.
"You must be exhausted. Didn't I tell you not to overwork yourself? It breaks my heart."
Jae-hyun chuckled softly.
"I want to work hard now so I can give you a better life in the future."

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