When my best friend's brother came back from the military, I never thought he’d look exactly like the man I had a one-night stand with four years ago.

The man who disappeared the next morning.

The man who never knew he had a daughter.

I tried to keep my distance.

But fate had other plans.

He started showing up at my store, teasing me, helping me, watching me with those same burning eyes I’d never forgotten.

And then—my daughter ran into his arms and called him “uncle.”

The way he looked at her... at me... I knew everything was about to change.

--

My bestie's brother got discharged from the military.

I heard he got injured on a mission and lost his fertility.

My bestie sighed and groaned:

"I'm child-free by choice, and now my brother is injured. Looks like the Williams family is about to fall behind, fall apart, and be all alone!"

A few days later, I finally met the legendary tough guy.

I was completely stunned.

How could he look exactly like the father of my child, the guy I slept with a few years ago!

"Blame my dad for giving us such unlucky names! I'm Missy Williams, and my brother is Andy Williams."

"One means 'miss,' the other means 'end.' How could that be good!"

At the barbecue restaurant, my bestie hugged a beer bottle and wailed like a baby.

"I originally planned to introduce him to you when he got back, so Nina could be my real niece."

"But a guy who can't have kids. What's the difference between him and a useless piece of trash?"

"We're such good friends, how could I mess you up like that!"

Just as she was talking, her phone rang.

I glanced at the screen.

Andy.

My bestie was already passed out on the table—she didn't hear a thing.

I hesitated for a moment, but when the impatient ringing started for the third time, I answered it for her.

"Mom said if you're not dead, get your ass back home."

The voice was deep,

and surprisingly pleasant.

I pinched my earlobe, which was suddenly feeling hot for some reason.

"Hello, I'm a friend of Missy's."

"We're at a barbecue place. Do you have time to come pick her up?"

Looking at my bestie like this, she'd struggle to get home by herself tonight.

I'd drunk quite a bit too.

It'd definitely be easier if someone could pick us up.

Before he could reply, my bestie—who'd been lying on the table—suddenly "came back to life."

"Oh, my poor brother! He went to military school so young, and he's still a virgin even now. With his situation, no one's gonna want him later…"

The other end of the line fell into an eerie silence.

The awkwardness sobered me up a little. "She's really had a lot to drink."

"Address."

"Number 8, South Ring Road."

The call ended.

I'd heard my bestie talk about her brother before—

a tough guy with a will of steel.

He'd been her idol since they were kids.

But when we first met, her brother was already away on missions.

I had never met him.

It wasn't until a week ago, when he got discharged, that I learned he'd been seriously injured.

When it was about time, I helped my bestie to the entrance to wait.

In the distance, I saw a black car approaching.

A tall man got out.

He was wearing a neat work jacket, with broad shoulders and long legs.

I couldn't see his face clearly, only a sharp silhouette.

At the same time, a video call came in.

"Is that Nina?"

My bestie glanced at my phone, half-asleep.

"She's calling so late—something might be wrong."

"Hurry and answer. My brother's already here."

As she spoke, she waved at the man in the distance.

I was also a little worried about my child.

I didn't have time to greet him. I just waited for him to get closer, then stepped aside to take the call.

Almost instantly.

Nina's little face appeared on the screen.

"Mommy!"

My kid was grinning, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I missed you, Mommy!"

As she spoke, my mom's voice came from the other end.

"I took her to the countryside to catch shrimp today, she had a blast."

"She wouldn't go to sleep when we got home, insisted on video calling you."

You're out? Why haven't you come home yet?

I'm out with Missy.

My mom took the kid back to our hometown for a few days, so I finally got a rare break.

Is godmommy there too?

Nina's little face squeezed in again: "Mommy, I wanna talk to godmommy!"

I turned to look at the main entrance.

Missy was already slung over a tall man's shoulder, tossed like a sack of potatoes into the SUV next to her.

That's right.

Tossed.

I twitched my mouth.

So... tough guy.

Having Nina was an accident.

Four years ago, I'd just broken up.

I got drunk at a bar and met a guy.

Sexy and restrained.

Every breath he took was exactly my type.

Fueled by alcohol, I slept with him.

Surprisingly, we were incredibly compatible that night.

I still remember the faint shiver when his rough large hands brushed over me.

At the time, I thought maybe I could start a relationship with him.

But when I woke up the next day, he took a call and his expression turned serious.

"Got it. I'll head over right away."

Then he quickly got up and dressed.

He wrote a string of numbers on a piece of paper: "I have an emergency mission now. You can call this number to reach me."

The whole time, I didn't even know his name.

I thought we'd never see each other again. But the next month, I found out I was pregnant.

With no other choice, I called the number.

No one answered, not even once.

I figured I'd been tricked.

He probably wasn't interested in me and just made up an excuse to leave.

Then, afraid I'd pester him, he gave me a fake contact to brush me off.

Because of health reasons, I still had the baby.

But I've never regretted that decision.

Nina is sweet and smart, and I've been so grateful for her company all these years.

The next morning, my bestie sobered up and called me to complain.

"My brother is so rough, he bruised my arm.

I'm telling you, never date a guy like that. He's got a violent tendencies…"

Before she could finish, a low, warning voice came from her end: "Missy."

y bestie went quiet instantly. Then she seemed to think of something, and her tone turned obsequious:

"Andy, you free this afternoon? Can you help my friend move some stuff?"

"No."

"Great!"

My bestie ignored what her brother said and turned to me, "I found you some muscle. He'll help you move your things this afternoon."

"Well... I can handle it myself this afternoon."

"C'mon, he's family. What's there to be embarrassed about!

He's out of work anyway, just lazing around all day with nothing to do."

I thought my bestie was just joking.

But she actually showed up in the afternoon.

And a tall man followed behind her.

I run a women's underwear shop in the city.

I've had it for years, and business is pretty good.

I don't have any employees, so I manage everything myself.

When things get too busy, Missy sometimes comes to help out.

Around noon, while I was taking inventory, I heard people arguing outside.

"The stuff you want me to move is women's underwear?"

"So what if it is? You go out without boxers or something?

Andy, if you keep this up, I'm telling Dad you're being sexist!"

"You're looking for another beating, aren't you?"

The man's tone was clearly impatient.

"You gonna hit a woman now?

I'll tell everyone about it!"

Seeing they were about to fight, I quickly stepped out.

"It's okay. There isn't much stuff, we don't need extra help."

I looked up to apologize to my bestie's brother: "I'm so sorry, Missy didn't tell you clearly what kind of shop this is before dragging you over.

I..."

Before I could finish, I got a clear look at his face.

Sharp features, a handsome, striking face.

Waves of masculinity rolled off his dark brown jacket.

I completely forgot what I was going to say as memories from four years ago flooded back.

Knuckles tangled in my hair, veins popping on his arms, heavy, powerful breaths.

I was surprised that I remembered every single detail so clearly.

"Forget it—if you don't wanna do it, leave! Putting on that grumpy face like we're begging you!"

Missy rolled her eyes and linked her arm with mine.

"Don't apologize to him. He hasn't been back in years, and now he has no manners at all!"

"Wait."

The man blocked our path.

His gaze was locked on me.

I suppressed the storm inside me and pretended to meet his gaze calmly.

He cleared his throat. "Where's the stuff?"

"What stuff?"

"Didn't you say you needed me to move boxes? Where are they?"

Andy took off his jacket, revealing a plain black T-shirt underneath.

He was very strong; the heavy boxes seemed like toys in his hands.

He carried four or five boxes at a time.

With him around, Missy and I instantly turned into "pretty dead weight".

Missy was sipping her coffee and scrolling through her phone on the side,

ordering her own brother around like it was nothing.

I hid in the stockroom, pretending to be busy taking inventory.

But my mind was a complete mess.

I never thought Nina's dad would be my bestie's brother.

So… did he remember me?

Probably not, right? It's been so long...

I was lost in thought when a man's voice suddenly came over.

"Finished moving the stuff outside."

"Oh, thanks!"

The already cramped stockroom felt even more crowded with him in it.

I subconsciously took half a step back, knocking something over. He bent down and picked it up before I could.

"You dropped this."

In his palm was a black bunny-ear balconette bra.

The thin straps dangled from his fingertips—an weirdly matching contrast with his shirt.

I remembered… that night, I seemed to be wearing…

My face instantly flushed red. His gaze on me deepened.

He leaned in close. "You seem scared of me. Why?"

My breathing quickened, our eyes met.

With no way to avoid him, my mind went blank and I blurted out:

"Missy said you hit women!"

Before he could react, I squeezed past him and rushed out.

My bestie outside heard the commotion and came over.

"Hitting women?

"Who the hell dares hit a woman!"

Andy's face grew even darker.

"Keep talking, and I might actually hit you."

Thanks to Andy, we finished moving stuff quickly.

What was supposed to take till 7 or 8 PM was done by 4.

Missy didn't want to bother me, so she grabbed Andy to leave.

But the tall guy stood calmly among the rows of underwear.

"Is the boss this stingy? Won't even treat us to a meal?"

Hearing that, my cheeks flushed slightly. "Of course I will. What do you guys wanna eat?"

My bestie's eyes went wide.

"Andy, you've got some nerve.

Making my friend pay for dinner? Have you no shame?"

"You guys pick the place, my treat."

"That's more like it!"

My bestie was finally satisfied, linking her arm with mine and lowering her voice.

"He's pretty rich, it's rare for him to splurge like this.

Think hard about what you wanna eat—don't hold back!"

I don't know if it was intentional or not.

The place we ended up choosing

was right next to the bar where Andy and I first met.

Andy and I aren't very talkative people.

Luckily, my bestie was there to liven things up, so it wasn't so awkward.

But I could always feel Andy's gaze on me, faint but there.

Burning with undisguised heat.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

My bestie immediately leaned over to look at the screen: "Is that Nina?

I haven't seen her in so long. I miss her so much."

A strange expression came over the man across from me.

It wasn't until I stepped out to take the call that I heard his deep voice.

"She's... married?"

Andy's words immediately got a reaction from my bestie:

"What do you mean? Can't she have a kid if she's not married?

You're such a conservative!"

"Not married, huh?"

Andy relaxed back into his usual casual posture.

He leaned back in his chair, took a sip of coffee, and the corner of his mouth lifted.

"Good that she's not married.

Have you met the guy? What's his deal?"

My bestie stared at him, her expression slowly turning strange.

"Andy, honestly, you're not hiding your delight very well.

You can't just resent other people's happiness because you can't have it yourself, can you?"

Andy: ?

My bestie: "When Sylvie Miller comes back, don't bring up Nina's dad. I suspect the reason she hasn't dated all these years is because she's still not over that damn playboy."

Hearing this, the smile on Andy's lips slowly faded.

I waited until the siblings finished their loud bickering before I found a good moment to sit back down.

I never told Missy the details about Nina's father and me.

For one, Nina was already born when we met.

For another, I didn't think I'd ever see the guy again, so there was no point in talking about it.

I just vaguely said that I couldn't contact the baby's father after I got pregnant.

But Missy must have misunderstood.

She thought he was a huge playboy who'd used me and dumped me, and out of consideration for my feelings, she never really asked.

So now things were awkward.

Even though it's wrong to lie to my bestie, I don't dare rashly tell them about Nina's origins right now.

After all, I don't know Andy well.

If we don't get along, it'll make it hard for Missy and me to get along too.

That evening, Missy and I had some drinks.

Andy volunteered to be the driver.

The car headed north, and Missy pressed her face against the window: "You're going the wrong way! Sylvie's house isn't this way!"

"I'm dropping you off first. I've got something to do later, won't be going home."

Missy wasn't happy to hear that, muttering, "If I'd known you weren't going home, we wouldn't have let you drive us. Sylvie and I could have just gone for a second round."

Andy glanced at her but didn't say anything.

The car stopped smoothly in front of the Williams family's house, and Missy got out reluctantly.

I felt awkward being alone with Andy, so I also started to get out.

"My place isn't far from here, I can just get a cab. Since you have things to do, I won't trouble you..."

"It's no trouble. It's on the way."

My bestie nodded, "Exactly, just let him drive you. It's late anyway, he's got nothing important to do!"

Saying no again would've been awkward, so I just accepted his kind offer.

"Where to?"

"Bliss Apartments."

He glanced at me in the rearview mirror, a smile in his eyes, "Didn't you want to go for a second round?

I can take you now."

"No, no, Missy was just kidding earlier."

I thanked him politely, "Thanks to you and Missy today. Sorry for all the trouble."

"So formal. Acting like we're strangers?"

I didn't expect him to ask so directly. My breath hitched.

Before I could answer, he confirmed it first, "You remember."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Liar."

He lowered his voice, "Didn't Missy tell you what I used to do?

I'm an expert at reading people's emotions from their breathing."

Hearing that, I instinctively held my breath.

And then he burst out laughing, "I was just messing with you."

"Andy!"

"There you are. You've been acting way too nervous around me today."

Afraid he'd figure me out, I didn't dare say another word.