Chapter 129: In Her Favour

Maya’s POV

"Helen," I finally called, rising to my feet.

She turned around. "Yes?"

I forced a smile. "Wait for me."

She smiled and continued toward the kitchen as if she didn’t understand or know what the word ’wait’ meant.

I had no choice but to follow her.

As I walked behind her, my eyes returned to the short skirt she was wearing. I shook my head.

I already had enough things to worry about without having to deal with Helen wandering around my apartment dressed like that.

With Kelvin coming home in only two hours, I could only hope she would be gone before he arrived.

But that was my wishful thinking because Helen didn’t seem to be just breezing into my apartment today.

I was already far too irritated by how easily she had made herself comfortable in my home.

Helen opened the refrigerator and studied its contents for a few seconds before reaching for a bottle of juice.

"I hope you don’t mind," she asked, giving me a sweet smile that I so badly wanted to swipe off her face.

She really didn’t know how to read the room, so I thought I should give her a hint.

"You already opened the refrigerator, so I suppose it is too late for me to mind."

She laughed and poured herself a glass.

It was either she understood my underlying words and pretended not to, or she was way too oblivious to comprehend.

I leaned against the kitchen counter and watched her. Helen had always been carefree, but there was something about the way she moved around the apartment that bothered me.

She was not visiting her parents’ house. She was not in some hotel or restaurant. She was in the home Kelvin and I shared, and I expected a little more restraint.

Still, I said nothing.

She took her drink and followed me back into the living room.

We settled into our seats, and she continued talking about the spa she had visited earlier. I listened, occasionally responding, though my attention was split between her conversation and the time.

I wanted her visit to end before Kelvin returned, not because I disliked Helen. I simply did not want anyone else in the apartment when he came home.

This was our private space, and after everything that had happened between us over the past few weeks, I valued that privacy more than I had before.

Helen eventually turned the conversation to Kelvin and how he had cared for me during my recovery.

She spoke warmly about it, clearly impressed by everything she had heard from the family.

I smiled. "He did what he was supposed to do. I was injured, and he was not going to leave me to handle everything alone."

There was a quiet satisfaction in saying it.

Despite everything that had happened between us, Kelvin had stayed.

He had cooked for me, helped me move around, made sure I took my medication, and remained close until I could take care of myself again.

He had never treated my recovery as an inconvenience. That was another reason I had stopped pushing him about the wedding.

My mother had been right.

When I stopped demanding reassurance, he became more relaxed around me.

Helen smiled. "You really are lucky."

"I know." I did not hide the pride in my voice.

Kelvin was a good man, and I was still his fiancée. That had not changed.

My phone rang before we could continue the conversation. I glanced at the screen and immediately felt my expression soften.

I answered. "Hi."

"I am leaving the office soon," Kelvin said. "I should be home within the next couple of hours."

I smiled and glanced at Helen, who was watching me with a knowing expression.

"All right. I will be home."

"I wanted to ask whether you need anything before I leave," he inquired.

The simple question warmed me.

He had not needed to ask. He could have come home without bringing anything, but he had thought about me while he was at work.

"I want dessert."

I heard the amusement in his voice. "Dessert?"

"Yes. Something good," I replied. "Choose something for me."

"I will," he said. "I know what you like."

We exchanged a few more words before ending the call. Then I lowered my phone, my eyes lingering on it for a second longer than necessary.

I was happy. It was difficult not to be.

Kelvin was coming home; he had thought about what I might want, and he was going to bring me dessert simply because I asked.

Perhaps last night had meant more than I had allowed myself to believe, and he was slowly finding his way back to me.

I looked up and found Helen still watching me.

She smiled. "Sister, you look very happy."

"Of course, I am," I acknowledged. There was absolutely no reason to pretend otherwise.

I was beginning to feel hopeful again.

Helen took another sip of her drink and then began talking about her own life. She mentioned that she had been considering a career change and had started looking for a new position.

I listened as she explained that she wanted something more stable and preferably somewhere with room for advancement.

Then her expression suddenly brightened. "Sister, I was actually hoping you could help me."

I already had a feeling I would not like where the conversation was going.

She leaned forward slightly. "I am looking for a new job, and I thought perhaps you could speak to Kelvin about getting me something at Mercer Technologies."

My expression stayed polite, but my mind immediately rejected the idea.

The last thing I wanted was Helen spending her working days around Kelvin.

She was my cousin, but I knew how women behaved around successful men. I had no interest in creating another unnecessary source of familiarity between Kelvin and a woman who would suddenly have a reason to see him regularly.

I could not tell her that, so I kept my voice neutral.

"I am not sure there is an opening at Mercer right now. The company is not hiring as far as I know."

Helen’s face fell. "That is unfortunate. I really thought it would be a good place for me."

"I am sure you will find something suitable." I offered a comforting smile.

She sighed and nodded.

I hoped that would be the end of it.

A little later, the sound of the front door opening reached us.

Helen turned towards the entrance. I did not need to guess who it was. Kelvin had arrived.

I stood as he walked into the living room carrying a small shopping bag.

His eyes found me almost immediately. "I got the dessert you wanted."

A smile spread across my face. "Thank you."

He handed me the bag, and I peeked inside. He had chosen several small desserts rather than just one, which made me smile even more.

"You bought more than one."

"I wasn’t sure which one you would prefer," he explained.

I stared at him fondly. He had no idea how much these little things meant to me.

Helen stood and greeted him politely. "Hi, Kelvin. Welcome."

"Hello, Helen. It’s good to see you." Kelvin acknowledged her with the same courtesy he would have shown any guest, then returned his attention to me.

"You look good."

"I feel good," I said.

"I can tell."

There was no lingering concern in his expression now. He had watched me struggle for weeks after the accident, and I knew seeing me fully recovered pleased him.

Helen smiled. "It is nice to finally see you both doing well again. Maya has told me how much you helped her while she was recovering."

Kelvin glanced at me. "She needed help."

There was nothing boastful in his response. He seemed almost uncomfortable receiving praise for it.

I felt another quiet sense of pride.

Helen continued speaking about how fortunate I was to have someone willing to take care of me the way he had.

Kelvin remained polite, but he did not encourage the conversation. His attention kept returning to me, and I noticed every little thing.

He had come home expecting to find me alone. Instead, Helen was sitting in our living room.

I slipped my hand around his arm when he came closer. The gesture was instinctive, but I also knew exactly what I was doing.

Helen was my family, but Kelvin was mine.

I wanted that distinction to remain clear.

Kelvin looked down at my hand around his arm before meeting my eyes. There was a faint smile on his face.

"You have been waiting for me?"

"Of course." I nodded.

"I thought so."

He rested his hand briefly over mine. That simple gesture sent warmth through me.

I glanced at Helen. She was smiling at us.

For the first time since she arrived, I felt completely at ease.

Kelvin was home. He was still affectionate towards me and continued to take care of me. He had not withdrawn from our relationship.

The wedding might still be uncertain, but I no longer felt as though I was standing at the edge of losing him.

I had waited patiently, and perhaps that patience was finally beginning to work in my favour.