Eliana caught Chase's curious stare and quickly got the drift. She nodded towards Howard, grinning, "Hey, meet the hubby, Chase. And this dude here's his sidekick, Austin."

Both Howard and Chase were like deer in headlights.

Chase's eyes widened with surprise. He hadn't expected Eliana to drop the "hubby" bomb so casually.

He figured she'd brush off his inquiry with a shrug. His emotions? A mix of shock and a dash of joy.

Chase's rigid expression softened. "Nice to ...