**************CHAPTER 54~Kaia’s POV~Shyne.I knew that name.At Blaze’s uncle’s birthday celebration, I had seen her approach Blaze, a woman too poised, too familiar, and clearly accustomed to getting attention. Even then, I had noticed how his entire demeanour barely shifted the second she appeared—his features hardening, his irritation barely concealed.Back then my anger or jealousy didn’t make me see it, but later, when I thought about it, he masked it, which was why I thought he was entertaining her.And now, here she was, calling at this hour.I wasn’t sure what to think.Was she just some annoying family friend? Someone his father had imposed on him? Or was she—I cut off the thought before it could fully form.Blaze hadn’t even responded yet. He just sat there, his grip on his phone tightening.I suddenly felt like an intruder in a conversation I wasn’t supposed to be a part of.“I’ll leave you to it,” I murmured, stepping back and smoothing the creases of my apron, as if
**************CHAPTER 55~Kaia’s POV~The moment I stepped downstairs, I could feel the shift in the air.Blaze stood at the bottom of the staircase, dressed in a black tuxedo, his hair styled just enough to look effortlessly put together. His blue eyes flickered up, and for the first time tonight, his usual cocky smirk vanished.His gaze raked over me, from the deep emerald silk gown hugging my figure to the high slit that teased my thigh with every step I took.I knew I looked good.And from the way Blaze’s jaw clenched slightly, I knew he knew it too.I descended gracefully, keeping my expression composed. “Are we late?” I asked as I reached the last step.Blaze blinked once before schooling his face back into its usual unreadable mask. “No,” he said, offering me his arm. “But you sure know how to make an entrance.”I smirked and looped my hand around his arm. “That’s the idea.”With that, we headed out.**************~At the Event~The venue was a masterpiece—elegant chandeliers
**************CHAPTER 56~Kaia’s POV~Blaze’s voice penetrated through the fog in my mind. The moment the three men turned, a force of raw fury crashed into them.Blaze.I barely had time to process what was happening before Blaze’s fist connected with the first man’s jaw. The sickening crack of bone against bone echoed through the corridor. The man staggered back, blood spurting from his nose.Jesus!Before the second man could react, Blaze spun, delivering a brutal kick to his stomach. He doubled over, gasping for air, but Blaze didn’t stop there.His rage was unchecked.He grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the wall so hard the paintings rattled. “Touch my wife again,” he growled, his voice deadly, “and I’ll break you.”The third man, clearly realizing he’d made a mistake, tried to bolt. But Blaze was faster. He caught him by the back of his shirt and yanked him backward, sending his knee crashing into the guy’s gut.The man let out a choked gasp before collapsi
**************CHAPTER 57~Kaia’s POV~I could feel the hunger in his touch, the barely restrained desire. And yet, beneath it all, there was a tenderness I hadn't expected.I clung to him, my fingers tangling in his hair, his clothes, anything I could grab.I wanted more.I needed more."Blaze," I gasped, my body arching off the bed as he kissed his way down my neck, his tongue tracing patterns on my heated skin.Blaze smirked, nipping at the sensitive spot where my shoulder met my neck. "Is this what you want?" he asked, his voice low and husky.I whimpered, my hips bucking involuntarily. "Yes," I breathed, my eyes fluttering shut as pleasure washed over me."Or would you like me to quench your desire?"I happily nodded, unsure of what his question truly meant.But it was all the permission Blaze needed.He tugged my dress down, baring my bra, and then the gown was completely off.My cheeks burned at the thought of Blade seeing me almost half naked, but the next second, he leaned do
**************CHAPTER 58~Blaze’s POV~I watched the doctor, one of my close friends, Sam, check Kaia over, my arms crossed tightly as I leaned against the wall. Her breathing was steady, but she looked so damn pale. The way she had passed out earlier had nearly given me a heart attack.I wasn’t used to seeing her like this—weak, vulnerable. Kaia was always the strongest person in the room. But now? Now, she looked small and fragile.“She needs to sleep,” Sam concluded, standing up straight. “Let her be. Her body will naturally process the drug. In a day or two, she should be fine.”My jaw clenched. “And her mental state?”“She’ll be a little disoriented,” Sam admitted. “But there should be no permanent damage.”I exhaled, some of the tension in my chest easing. “I see.”“She also seems a little dehydrated. Keep an eye on her and ensure she drinks plenty of fluids,” Sam added.I nodded. “Yeah. Of course.”Once that was done, he exhaled and packed up his things, zipping up his bag bef
**************CHAPTER 59~Kaia’s POV~I stared at Blaze, my mind spinning from everything that had happened. The drug. The fight. The hotel room.And now… this conversation.Well, it was apparent we had concluded. My craziness yesterday hadn’t landed me in bed with Blaze Black.My fingers tightened around the blanket as I sat up a little more. “Okay, serious question—how did you change my clothes?”Blaze smirked, leaning back against the chair beside the bed. “Kaia, I can disable a bomb without looking. You really think I can’t change your clothes with my eyes shut?”I exhaled, letting my shoulders relax. “Fine. Fair point.”Then, just as I started to let it go, he added, “Doesn’t mean I didn’t look.”I blinked. “You—”Blaze chuckled, but before he could finish his laugh, I grabbed the nearest pillow and launched it at his face. He caught it effortlessly, amusement dancing in his sharp blue eyes.“You’re impossible,” I muttered, rubbing my temples.“You love it.”I glared at him, but
**************CHAPTER 60~Summer’s POV~My breath came in short, panicked gasps. My pulse pounded so hard it echoed in my ears. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. Blaze wasn’t supposed to care about Kaia this much.Not enough to do this. Not enough to terrify me in a way I had never known before.I yanked at the ropes binding my wrists, my nails digging into my skin. “Blaze,” I forced out, trying to keep my voice steady, “you don’t have to do this.”Blaze exhaled. He rested his elbows on his knees, watching me like a predator studying his prey.“You’re right,” he said calmly. “I don’t have to. I want to.”I swallowed hard.This was bad.Really, really bad.“I just…” I tried to force my voice into something sweet, something desperate enough to pull at his heart—soft, something that might appeal to the man I used to know. “Blaze, I just—”His chair scraped as he leaned forward, cutting off my words with nothing but his sheer presence.“Shut up, Summer.”The way he said my name
**************CHAPTER 61~Kaia’s POV~"Okay, this looks good," I muttered to myself. With my hands resting on my hips, I stepped back to take one last look at the table. The aroma of roasted lamb, garlic mashed potatoes, and honey-glazed carrots filled the dining room. The table was set elegantly, with a simple but classy arrangement of silverware, wine glasses, and a bottle of aged red wine."I hope he likes it."It wasn’t every day I did something like this—cooking for Blaze. It wasn’t because I couldn’t cook but because I had never really felt the need to go out of my way for him. But after everything that had happened the day before, after how he had taken care of me, I wanted to say thank you in a way that felt more personal.Just then, I heard the sound of an engine pulling into the driveway. My heartbeat quickened. He's here.Quickly, I untied my apron and smoothed out my short green dress. I checked my reflection in the hallway mirror, running my fingers through my hair t
*****************CHAPTER 107~Kaia’s POV~We arrived at the vacation suite later in the night. I stood outside the private villa, arms crossed tight over my chest. The soft breeze from the ocean did nothing to calm the irritation bubbling inside me."This is ridiculous," I muttered.Blaze sighed beside me, rubbing his temple like he was the one being ambushed. "I didn’t plan this.""Sure you didn’t," I snapped, dragging my suitcase across the smooth stone floor and inside before I said something I’d regret.The villa was stupidly perfect. Warm lights. Floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the beach like a painting. A giant bed with silky sheets that screamed honeymoon. There was even a jacuzzi out on the terrace, already bubbling like it had been expecting us.I didn’t care. I stomped in anyway.Blaze shut the door behind us and loosened his tie, eyes trailing after me as I flung my bag onto the bed and started unpacking. A little more violently than necessary. Okay, a lot more if I
*****************CHAPTER 107~Blaze’s POV~Before we left, Kaia and I headed for the house. I told her it wasn’t time for the trip, and we needed to show Grandma that we were good. I also needed to settle a thing or two in the company before going anywhere.So I informed Kaia we would be travelling the next day or the day after at the latest, which would allow us time to settle many things.She did not oppose my thoughts, and I was glad she didn’t, to be honest. I did not want our relationship to be characterised by quarrels, even though that seemed pretty much the case right now. We pulled into the driveway soon after. The sun was barely out, casting shadows across the front lawn. Kaia hadn’t said a word since our last conversation. It felt like she was just a passenger to everything that was happening. She was looking out the window like she was somewhere else. Mentally, maybe she was.I parked and glanced her way. “You okay?”She blinked, then nodded. “Yeah. Just… processing.”F
*****************CHAPTER 108~Blaze’s POV~I sat at the bar, swirling my whiskey, watching the ice melt into the amber liquid. My jaw was tight, my mind replaying those damn photos over and over again. The way she looked at him. The way his hand was on her waist. The way it felt like my whole world had just caved in.Sam Allen slid onto the stool beside me, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips."You look like you want to punch something," he mused, signaling for a drink."Not something," I muttered. "Someone."Sam’s smirk widened. "Let me guess. A certain wife of yours?"I clenched my jaw but didn’t reply.He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Blaze, you’re playing a dangerous game."I scoffed, downing the rest of my drink. "What the hell are you talking about?""You’re jealous."I laughed, but it was hollow. "Jealous? Of what?"Sam just raised a brow. "You tell me."Frustration burned in my chest as I ran a hand through my hair. I didn’t want to talk about this. Didn’t want t
*****************CHAPTER 107~Kaia’s POV~I should have known it was coming. I mean, I did know, but still, seeing it happen was totally different.The second David and I decided to play along, to let Crystal and her people think we were on board, I should have expected them to strike first. But this? This was a whole new level of ruthless.It started with a text.A simple message from an unknown number."Your husband isn’t as devoted as you think. He’s already doubting you. See for yourself."I stared at the screen, heart pounding only to see an image attached. I tapped it open, and the air rushed from my lungs.It was David and me. But not just the parking lot picture from earlier that was sent to me. This was far worse.The setting was a dimly lit hotel hallway. I was standing outside a suite, David close behind me, his hand at my waist, his lips near my ear. The way the picture was taken… looked bad—really bad.The next photo was even worse.David was stepping inside the suite, an
*****************CHAPTER 106~Kaia’s POV~I crossed my arms, leveling Blaze with a glare.“My matrimonial bed?” I repeated, arching a brow. “I don’t recall signing up for this little sleepover.”Blaze’s smirk widened as he leaned against the doorframe, looking completely unbothered, as always.“You promised Grandma.”Damn him, he heard it all. Was he plotting this with his grandma, or was he innocent? And if Blaze Black was innocent, how much of what he heard did he hear? From the start, where we spoke on Isla or just the matrimonial bed?I didn't know what to believe at this pint and just jumped on the latter since he wasn’t getting angry about his secret stash of childhood love.“Kaia? You promised grandma.”I rolled my eyes at him. I had promised. And now here he was, standing there all smug and insufferable, knowing damn well I couldn’t back out without proving his grandmother right—that I was, in fact, avoiding him.I huffed, turning back toward my desk. “Fine. But don’t expect
*****************CHAPTER 105~David’s POV~The dim lighting of the VIP lounge cast long shadows across the polished bar, and the low hum of music vibrated through the walls. I leaned back against the plush leather booth, absently swirling the whiskey in my glass. The ice clinked softly as I exhaled, and my mind ran over the conversation I’d just had with Crystal.She had no idea I’d recorded the whole damn thing, which was good. If I were to play the good cop, I needed to be a secret agent.Pulling out my phone, I tapped the screen. The recording was still running. I smirked. With one swipe, I stopped it, saved the file, and immediately forwarded it to Kaia.David: We need to meet, Kaia. Because we need a plan, and we must go through with their plan.As soon as the message was sent, a slow satisfaction settled in my chest.I wasn’t a hero—never claimed to be. But if I wanted a real shot with Kaia, I had to prove I was more than just another guy orbiting her life. I needed to show her
*****************CHAPTER 104~David’s POV~The clock ticked closer to 3 PM, and I leaned back in my office chair, rolling my shoulders to loosen the tension that had been building all damn day. My mind was still partially stuck on the mess from yesterday—Kaia, Blaze Black, my own goddamn jealousy—but I pushed those thoughts aside as I pulled up my laptop for the video meeting.A sharp chime signaled the incoming call. I clicked to accept, and within seconds, Kelvin’s face appeared on the screen, followed by Acer’s.Acer grinned. "Look at these two bastards. Still ugly as ever."Kelvin scoffed, adjusting his glasses. "Speak for yourself. The last time we saw you, you were practically balding from stress."Acer chuckled, running a hand through his dark, slightly disheveled hair. "Yeah, well, I’m back now. And this time, I’m staying for a while."I frowned. "Wait, what?"Kelvin’s brows lifted in surprise. "You’re coming back to the city?"Acer leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Damn
*****************CHAPTER 103~David’s POV~“So tempting,” I muttered, glancing at the window where morning sunlight streamed through the glass, casting golden streaks across the marble floor. The breathtaking city I had conquered lay before me, yet today, it brought me no satisfaction.I leaned back in my leather chair, legs propped up on my desk, my fingers absentmindedly tapping against my stomach as my mind drifted far away.Kaia Gold.I sighed, shutting my eyes for a moment. I should have stopped thinking about her. But after yesterday—after the way she had looked at me, wary yet intrigued, after the way Blaze had claimed her so damn possessively—I couldn’t get her out of my head.And yet when Crystal proposed me a deal… I had not jumped at the offer.I had never been the type to chase a woman who belonged to someone else. But the opportunity presented to me was tempting.A way to break them apart and still get what I wanted. Just a little scandal nd nothing more but I knew Kaia.
*****************CHAPTER 102~Shyne’s POV ~I tapped my nails against the wine glass, watching as Crystal leaned in with a wicked glint in her eyes. After our last intervention, I expected to have heard the news from Blaze’s parents concerning my marriage to him and his divorce from Zara but no, they did not say anything which could only mean, Sherry’s plan and mine failed.“What if,” she whispered, “we make Blaze think Kaia is actually cheating?”I smirked, swirling my drink. “Go on.” I was always a sucker for good plans, especially one that put my enemies beneath me.Crystal’s lips curled in amusement. “Blaze is already jealous. He’s already questioning everything. All we need to do is push him over the edge.”I tilted my head, intrigued. “And how do you suggest we do that?”Crystal leaned closer. “We stage it. A moment—one he can’t ignore. One that makes him doubt everything.”I exhaled, considering. “And who’s the lucky guy?”She grinned. “David Mercer.”I let out a small laugh.