"August 17th" She said, sighing. "It's not a big deal"

Caden checked his phone.

"Yeah,I can make it be,though."

"It's not important" She said, smiling softly at him and shaking her head slightly

"Hey," He says,tone slightly cold. "Out of all holidays im going to make sure yours is the best.That's that.It's how I work so,eh,good luck trying to convince me otherwise." He says,shrugging as Murphy jumped up,Caden sticking his arm out and blocking the dog,Murphy whining as he hit the floor.Caden's eyes went to him as he whined,crouching and picking the dog up,stroking his head. "You are my child and I will never do that again." He says,kissing Murph on the head before walking over to the couch and letting him go.

Rose smiled at him, rolling her eyes playfully at him and watching him

Caden sat back against the worn leather couch, the soft hum of the TV filling the quiet room. His legs stretched out in front of him, one arm draped lazily across the armrest, while the other rested on the broad, comforting back of his Great Dane, Murphy. Murphy, as usual, was content to sit beside him, his large head resting on Caden’s knee, eyes half-closed in a relaxed daze. The dog’s thick, muscular frame seemed to take up most of the couch, but Caden didn’t mind. Murphy had always been his loyal companion, and there was no place else either of them would rather be.

Caden may have been a billionaire, with his sprawling estate, private jets, and cars that could make anyone envious, but tonight, he was just a guy with a big dog, a remote, and a favorite TV show to get lost in. Money, power, and status all seemed so irrelevant when he was at home—here, with Murphy, no one cared about the empire he ran or the numbers that made him one of the wealthiest people in the world. It was just a quiet, uninterrupted night.

The TV screen flickered with the characters of Royal Pains—the quirky, fast-paced world of HankMed always providing a welcome distraction. Caden was more of a background watcher, letting the drama unfold while he unwound after a long day. He’d always found the show’s mix of humor and medical tension oddly comforting. The banter between the characters was light, and the way they navigated the chaotic lives of the ultra-wealthy always made him chuckle. It almost felt like a bit of a self-parody for him at times.

Murphy let out a soft sigh, his big ears twitching as Caden absentmindedly scratched the top of his head. The dog’s massive body shifted slightly, curling up even more against Caden’s side as if trying to make the moment last forever. He loved these quiet evenings with Murphy—no demands, no rush, just time to relax and unwind together.

Caden took a deep breath, the scent of Murphy’s fur and the faint traces of cologne from the office mixing in the air. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of his billions still hovering over him despite the calm of the room. The world outside his mansion was chaotic, but here, it was just him and his dog. Murphy seemed to sense his thoughts, his head lifting to meet Caden’s gaze with an almost wise expression.

“You know, if I ever get rich enough to need a private doctor, I hope they don’t go running off every time my parents call,” Caden muttered, his eyes still glued to the screen. The absurdity of the scene made him laugh—Hank, the main character, was caught in a whirlwind of high-maintenance clients and their demanding parents. It was like watching a far-too-real version of the world Caden occasionally found himself in, though usually without the medical crisis.

Murphy snorted loudly and shifted in a way that looked suspiciously like he was reacting to Caden’s words. His large paw slid off the edge of the couch, and he let out a loud, startled bark. Caden nearly jumped out of his skin. “Buddy, what the hell was that?” he laughed, looking down at his dog in disbelief.

Murphy, now wide-eyed and thoroughly confused, pawed the air like he was trying to catch the invisible thing that had caused his sudden alarm. His tail began wagging furiously, knocking over a couple of coffee mugs in the process.

“You okay there, big guy?” Caden chuckled, leaning down to pat his dog. Murphy gave him a look as if to say, Why are you laughing? Something definitely just attacked me, and I’m ready to defend this couch at all costs.

Caden couldn’t help but laugh harder. “You’ve officially lost your mind, Murph. There’s nothing there. It was just your paw.”

Murphy’s response was to plop back down with a dramatic sigh, as if resigned to the fact that his paw—his very own paw—had betrayed him. Caden shook his head, still smiling. “Yeah, you’re right. You’re on guard duty now. No more Royal Pains for me.”

But Murphy wasn’t done with his dramatic antics. With all the grace of a wrecking ball, he flopped across Caden’s lap, practically taking over the entire couch in one move. Caden raised an eyebrow at the dog's sheer size. “Really, man? You’ve got the whole couch to yourself, and you have to lay on top of me?”

Murphy just let out a contented grunt, curling into the warm space like it was the most natural thing in the world. Caden tried to adjust his legs but was swiftly trapped under Murphy’s bulk. “I swear, you’re worse than a toddler,” Caden said, half-laughing, half-sighing. “You’re probably the only thing in this house that doesn’t care about anything except your comfort.”

Murphy’s response was a soft snore, his huge head resting against Caden’s chest, completely oblivious to the man trying to shift beneath him.

With a resigned sigh, Caden adjusted himself once again, managing to find a position where he could at least still see the TV, even if it meant becoming part of Murphy’s personal nap space. He looked down at the dog, shaking his head in amused disbelief. “Well, guess it’s just me and you, Murph. Doesn’t matter how many billions I’ve got, you’re still in charge of this couch.”

Murphy’s tail thumped lightly in response, and Caden let out a laugh, settling in for the rest of the episode. Tonight, at least, nothing else mattered. No meetings, no numbers, no stock portfolios. Just him, Murphy, and the perfect kind of chaos.

Rose sat at the bar before eventually going upstairs and turning on Divergent, the first movie in the series. She sighed as she curled up at the same time, content

Caden leaned back into the couch, giving in to Murphy's overwhelming dominance of their little corner of the world. The weight of the dog’s massive body was like a comforting anchor, pulling him into a sense of stillness, one that money and power couldn’t buy. As much as he’d built an empire—one of tech and innovation, of cutting-edge ventures and deals with governments—he could never fully escape the sense that there was something more in moments like this, moments of simple comfort and companionship.

“Alright, alright,” Caden muttered to no one in particular, “You win, Murphy. The couch is yours. I’m just here for the snacks and the show.”

Murphy let out a soft, satisfied snort as if to say, That’s right, you’re in my world now.

Caden chuckled, reaching for the bowl of popcorn on the table, which had been precariously balanced on the edge of the coffee table thanks to Murphy’s earlier tail-wagging frenzy. He grabbed a handful and popped it into his mouth, eyes never leaving the screen. Hank was now in the midst of one of his usual complicated situations—trying to save a patient from a bizarre allergic reaction.

“Really?” Caden muttered with a grin. “A peanut allergy and a dog allergy in the same episode? That’s just lazy writing, Hank.”

Murphy’s head lifted slightly at the sound of Caden’s voice, his ears perking up as though he too was critiquing the episode. Caden scratched the dog behind his ears, giving him an exaggerated serious tone. “See, Murphy? Even Hank doesn’t think it makes sense.”

Murphy seemed to nod—or at least that’s how Caden liked to interpret the gentle way the dog rested his head back on his knee. They both sat there in content silence, Caden occasionally laughing at the absurdities on screen, Murphy’s tail thumping lazily against the couch. It was easy to forget, in these quiet moments, the weight of the life Caden led—the constant swirl of meetings, calls, and decisions that affected thousands of people. Here, there was no pressure, no deadlines, no expectations. Just a billionaire, his dog, and a couple of fake doctors pretending to know what they were doing.

Then came the next scene. A dramatic twist where one of the show’s characters was caught in a sudden medical emergency involving a rare tropical disease. Caden raised an eyebrow and snorted. “Oh come on. That’s the kind of stuff only happens in soap operas, not in real life.”

Murphy, apparently offended by the notion of the show’s lack of realism, gave a low, grumbling bark. His big, deep voice seemed out of place in the otherwise peaceful room. Caden jumped slightly, looking down at his dog in confusion. “What was that for?”

Murphy responded with another one of his deep, rumbling barks, as if confirming his opinion. Caden let out a laugh, shaking his head. “You really do think you're the critic around here, huh? I’ll have to start charging you for your commentary if you keep that up.”

Murphy let out a satisfied snort, then flopped over on his back, completely oblivious to the TV show at this point, his massive belly exposed. Caden leaned over and scratched Murphy’s stomach absently. “Alright, I guess you deserve a belly rub for being the most dramatic thing in the room.”

As he continued to pet the dog, Caden’s thoughts drifted for a moment, remembering a few of the bigger deals he’d closed in the past few weeks. The meetings, the contracts, the money that seemed to pour in faster than he could keep up. For a moment, the pressure started to creep back in, but Murphy’s soft snoring was like a forcefield against the stresses of the outside world. Caden just had to focus on the simple things—like the warmth of the dog beside him and the comfort of this familiar, laid-back evening.

But then, just as Caden was starting to really relax again, the sound of Murphy’s tail thumping against the couch grew louder. A few seconds later, the dog suddenly lunged upright with a frantic bark, his body tensing in full alert mode. Caden blinked in confusion, looking over at the TV screen, which now showed a character running frantically in the background.

“Murphy, what are you doing?!” Caden said with an exaggerated sigh. “It’s just a TV show!”

But Murphy wasn’t hearing any of it. He bolted to his feet, his gigantic frame barreling toward the TV, as though he was going to fight off whatever enemy was on the screen.

“Hey!” Caden laughed, reaching out to grab Murphy’s collar before the dog could do something drastic—like knocking the TV off the stand. “It’s just pretend! No need to go full-on guard dog mode!”

Murphy, however, was relentless. His bark was so loud that Caden winced, almost falling backward as he tried to calm his dog down.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Caden muttered, using every ounce of strength to pull Murphy back onto the couch. “Man, you’re really giving me a run for my money tonight. Billionaire CEO here, can't even control his dog.”

Murphy, looking completely oblivious to Caden’s struggle, plopped back down on the couch with a content sigh, his tail wagging lazily once again. Caden shook his head in disbelief but couldn't help but laugh. “Alright, alright, you're the king of this couch, Murph. I get it.”

The rest of the episode played out without further incident, with Murphy occasionally letting out a disgruntled huff at the screen, probably judging Hank’s medical decisions. Caden relaxed back into the couch, his hand resting lightly on the dog’s back, a quiet smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

For all the wealth and success in the world, Caden realized that nights like these—stuck on a couch with his dog, watching a ridiculous TV show and dealing with the occasional chaos—were what truly made life feel right. The billion-dollar deals could wait. For now, he was exactly where he needed to be.

Rose slowly began to drift off as the movie came to an end. She wasn't tired, just mindlessly falling asleep. She sighed and got up, walking to the balcony and looking at the city like she used to. She ran through memories of her and Caden in their earliest stages of dating, just thinking. "I'll ask you a question.What's with the questions?" He asks pointing a fake microphone at her.Caden pulled the car up to the next window and paid before parking and waiting on their blizzards. She laughed at his intensity. "Just, uh, curious?" She said, nervous. "You're an interesting guy, and....uh....I want to, um, get to know you." She looked at him with a sparkle in her eye.

Caden leaned back on the couch, Murphy sprawled across his legs, taking up most of the space. The TV played Royal Pains in the background, but Caden was more focused on the warmth of his dog than the drama on screen. His billionaire life seemed worlds away here—no meetings, no deals. Just him, Murphy, and a quiet evening at home.

Murphy shifted, let out a loud snore, and thumped his tail on the couch, making Caden laugh. "You know, Murph, you’ve got life figured out. Eat, sleep, steal the couch. No stress, no empire."

Murphy responded with a lazy sigh, rolling over for a belly rub. Caden scratched his dog's stomach, smiling. "I need to learn from you."

Just then, Caden’s phone rang. It was his business partner, Greg. "We’ve got some investor pressure. We need to move fast," Greg said urgently.

Caden sighed but put the phone to his ear. "Let’s handle it tomorrow. Send me the details, but right now, I’m off the clock."

He ended the call and dropped the phone on the table, returning to his cozy position with Murphy. "See, this is the good stuff."

Murphy’s tail thumped in agreement, and Caden settled back into the moment, realizing that despite everything, this was what truly mattered: peace, comfort, and the companionship of his loyal dog.