**************CHAPTER 7~Blaze’s POV~The door clicked shut behind her, and I allowed myself a rare moment of amusement. Kaia was fire wrapped in stubbornness, and though I’d expected resistance, her defiance had a certain charm.I walked back to my seat and leaned back in my chair, replaying the last twenty-four hours in my mind. From the moment she walked into my office, bag slipping from her fingers to her demanding why I’d hired her as my personal assistant—it was a show of fierce determination and vulnerability I hadn’t anticipated.She was a formidable presence. I respected that.When her application for the Head of Finance position landed on my desk yesterday, it caught my attention immediately. Not because of her qualifications—though they were impressive—but because of the name attached—Kaia Gold.It was the same Kaia who had, in a whirlwind of bad decisions and mutual desperation, become my wife.That night at the lounge, I’d seen her across the room, her laughter carefre
**************CHAPTER 8~Kaia’s POV~Later that night, I stood by the large window in my bedroom, staring out at the city lights as I tried to quiet my restless mind. Blaze’s words kept replaying in my head, his calm, arrogant declaration that I should work “where he could see me,” echoed in my mind. The sheer nerve of him.I crossed my arms, frowning as the memory of his smirk surfaced. This wasn’t just a job anymore—it was a challenge. It was a test of willpower.And if Blaze thought I’d roll over and play the obedient little assistant, he was in for a rude awakening.For now, though, I’d play his game. But I’d play it my way.Movement below caught my attention, and I peered down to see Blaze’s sleek car pulling into the driveway. My heart gave an involuntary jolt as I watched him step out, his broad shoulders silhouetted in the glow of the headlights.I wasn’t sure what I’d expected. Maybe that he’d come upstairs, knock on my door, and issue another round of commands. Maybe even
**************CHAPTER 7~Kaia’s POV~My eyes widened as I scanned the document Blaze had pushed across the desk. It was a detailed merger proposal—complex, high-stakes, and riddled with financial projections that would challenge even the most seasoned analysts.But that wasn’t what shocked me.The name of the company stood out like a beacon on the first page. Caldwell Enterprises.My heart stuttered, and I glanced up at Blaze, who was now lounging back in his chair with that infuriating smirk.“This is…” I trailed off, trying to keep my voice steady.Blaze’s gaze sharpened. “A merger proposal,” he said smoothly. “Caldwell Enterprises approached us last month. Their CEO is eager to partner with Apex Global. I want you to evaluate it, assess its viability, and draft a preliminary report by the end of the day.”I bit the inside of my cheek, my emotions whirling. He knew. He had to know. There was no way this wasn’t intentional.Shawn Caldwell’s name wasn’t explicitly on the document, bu
**************CHAPTER 10~Kaia’s POV~How do you explain to your two best friends that you got married before your wedding day—and to a complete stranger, no less?The incredulous stares from Tiffany and Bethany made my skin prickle. Bethany’s arms were still crossed, her policewoman pose in full effect, while Tiffany leaned forward, eyes wide, waiting for an explanation.“I’m waiting, Kaia,” Tiffany said, her tone teetering between frustration and disbelief.I sighed, rubbing my temples. “Okay, look. It’s not as awful as it sounds.” “Not as awful as it sounds?” Bethany's voice lacked warmth. “Yeah. We got married on the night of my bachelorette party,” I blurted out. Only then did I realize just how truly awful it sounded."You have just informed us that you married a man you barely knew, even before your wedding day, and then neglected to inform us."Tiffany leaned back with a loud scoff. “Who even does that? Is this some kind of post-breakup rebound thing? Because, Kaia, this is…
**************CHAPTER 11~Kaia’s POV~I stared at him, blinking as his words sank in. “A family dinner? This evening?”Blaze didn’t even flinch, his hands casually gripping the wheel as he steered the car. “That’s correct but not this evening. Tomorrow. My granduncle’s 70th birthday celebration.”I gaped at him. “And you dragged me away from my apartment tonight for a dinner happening tomorrow? Are you serious?”Blaze glanced at me briefly, his lips curling into that infuriating smirk. “Yes. You need a fitting tonight. Your dress must be tailored and ready for the event. Impressions matter.”I rolled my eyes, sinking back into my seat. “This is ridiculous.”“Perhaps.” His tone was maddeningly calm. “But it’s necessary.”I crossed my arms, my jaw tightening. “Why do I even have to go? Couldn’t you just tell them I’m busy or something?”Blaze’s smirk faded, replaced by a steely expression that sent a shiver down my spine. “My family expects to meet my wife. They insist on introducing my
**************CHAPTER 12~Kaia’s POV~I blinked, momentarily stunned by Shawn’s words. Brother? Blaze’s brother? The revelation was like a slap, but I quickly schooled my expression, unwilling to give Shawn the satisfaction of seeing me falter.Turning to Blaze, I searched his face for an explanation. He didn’t look surprised, nor did he bother offering me any clarification. Instead, his broke the ice, “Half-brother,” Blaze corrected. “And whoever she is with… I doubt it is any of your business.”Shawn’s gaze darkened. “Brother, it is my business. She called off our wedding without any reason, and now—”Without any reason? His words snapped something inside me. Anger surged through me, my heart pounding as memories of his betrayal flashed in my mind.My lips curled into a venomous smile as I stepped forward, my voice steady but laced with fury. Since Shawn wanted to embarrass me, he should not blame me for retaliating.“You should have thought about that before going balls deep in
**************CHAPTER 13~Kaia’s POV~At the mention of that phrase, it struck me. I gasped softly, the memory surfacing after years buried in the recesses of my mind. It was a rainy afternoon. A man in a suit flustered, walked into the shop, his expression tight with frustration.“You were a student at the time,” he said, his smile widening slightly as he saw my bewilderment. “Working part-time at a coffee shop near the university.”“I remember,” I said softly. “You… you lost your wallet, didn’t you? And your phone was in your car.”The granduncle chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “That’s right. A rather embarrassing situation for me. But you were kind enough to pay for my snacks and even offered me your phone to make a call.”I felt the heat rise in my cheeks as I glanced at Blaze, who stared at me with disbelief and curiosity.“You refused to use my phone,” I continued, meeting the granduncle’s amused gaze. “You said it was your mistake and that you’d wait for your driver to c
**************CHAPTER 14~Kaia’s POV~The woman stepped into view, her movements fluid like she owned every inch of space she occupied. Her sharp features were framed by perfectly styled auburn waves, her cream gown clinging to her figure in a way that was as bold as her confident smile.“Natalie Price,” Blaze said evenly, his tone giving away none of the tension I could feel radiating off him.“Blaze,” she cooed, her voice dripping with familiarity as her lips curved into a smile that was far too pleased to see him. “I was wondering if you’d show up tonight.”My stomach churned. There was something about the way she said his name, her tone laced with something intimate, that made my skin crawl.“I’m here, as you can see,” Blaze replied, his voice calm, his stance unreadable.But Natalie wasn’t done. She closed the distance between them, her gaze flicking briefly to me before dismissing me entirely. “I’m surprised you didn’t come find me sooner,” she said, her fingers brushing lightl
**************CHAPTER 89~Kaia’s POV~I shut the bedroom door behind me, exhaling sharply as I turned to face Blaze. “She’s lost her damn mind,” I muttered.Blaze sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “You think?”I crossed my arms. “A whole month? Do you have any idea what that means?”His lips twitched. “That she’s giving us ample time to ‘bless her with a great-grandchild’? And yup, a lot of you know love making?”I glared at him. “Blaze.”His smirk faded, replaced by something more serious. “Look, I get it. But it’s better to act like we’re on board with whatever she has planned than to outrightly refuse her. At least until we figure out what she really wants.”I frowned, pacing slightly. This did not make sense. It was either she got the idea out of the blue or she simply had been planning this all along and it was also her reason, if not the major reason, for coming here. I heaved a sigh. I did not know how Blaze expected me to be on board with that. I mean we weren't seeing e
**************CHAPTER 88~Kaia’s POV~My blood boiled as I stared at Blaze, his jaw clenched, his blue eyes watching me with a mix of guilt and defiance.“You were spying on me?” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. I was furious.Blaze exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Kaia, I wasn’t spying. I was looking out for you. I was informed about Shawn and went to check the security footage to be sure.”I scoffed. “Oh? So, barging into my office, nearly ripping Shawn’s head off, and watching security footage of me is your idea of ‘looking out’?”His lips pressed into a tight line. “I was concerned about you. I was worried, alright.”I blinked, taken aback. Blaze never admitted things like that.For a moment, neither of us spoke. The tension between us was suffocating, but this time, it wasn’t just anger.It was something else, dangerous, and I refused to acknowledge. I didn’t want my feelings whacked around during tehse remaining few months. I exhaled sharply, sha
**************CHAPTER 86~Kaia’s POV~I arrived at the company as usual and decided to put in some work at the HOF office before going to Blaze’s. What I wasn’t expecting was the stupid surprise that awaited me. The moment my assistant buzzed in, I could tell something was wrong.“Ma’am, I, uh…” she hesitated. “Shawn Caldwell is here to see you. He says it’s important.”I froze.The name alone sent a shiver of irritation through me.Shawn? Here? Why?I had blocked him, ignored him, and made it crystal clear that I wanted nothing to do with him. And yet, here he was, bold as ever, daring to show up at my workplace.I exhaled sharply. My first instinct was to have security throw him out, but then…No.If Shawn wanted to play games, then fine. I needed to put an end to things with him anyway and finish whatever shenanigans he has had with me.“Send him in,” I said coolly.Moments later, the office door swung open, and Shawn Caldwell walked in looking as smug as ever.He raised his shoul
**************CHAPTER 85~Kaia’s POV~Blaze’s lips brushed against mine, softly. His warm breath teased my cheek, and I froze.My brain screamed at me to push him away. To remind him that this wasn’t real. That he had no right to do this to me.But my body? My traitorous body leaned into him, my heart hammering, my skin burning from just his proximity.Blaze smirked against my lips, sensing my hesitation. “What’s wrong, wifey?” he murmured, his voice dripping with amusement and something else. Something dangerous.I exhaled shakily. “Blaze…”He didn’t move away. If anything, he stepped closer, his strong arms caging me against the wall, his lips hovering near mine, his fingers brushing against my waist.His voice lowered. “Tell me to stop.”I hated him.I hated the way he knew exactly what he was doing. How he played this game so well, like he was testing me, daring me to admit that I wanted this as much as he did.I opened my mouth, ready to shove him away, ready to end this insanit
**************CHAPTER 84~Kaia’s POV~The next morning, I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a freight train. My mind was still a mess from last night—Blaze’s words, his touch, the way he had held me against the wall, his lips so close but his heart so far.I hated him.No. That was a lie.I hated how he made me feel.The way his jealousy burned into me. The way he claimed he didn’t love me, yet everything he did screamed otherwise.I let out a frustrated groan, rubbing my temples. I needed distance. Space. A moment where I didn’t have to think about him or the way he had kissed me in that damn car like I was his.Tossing the covers off, I got up, took my bath and changed into a black pencil skirt and a soft lavender blouse. A power move. If I looked confident, I could fake it. I grabbed my phone and keys, avoiding Blaze entirely as I left the house.I had work to do.**************~At the Office~The familiar click-click of my heels against the marble floors of the company stead
**************CHAPTER 83~Blaze’s POV~~The Previous Evening~I slammed the car door shut harder than necessary.Fuck.I ran a hand through my hair, my mind still replaying the way Kaia had looked at me before she walked away.The defiance in her eyes. The frustration. The confusion.And that kiss.I exhaled sharply, my fingers brushing over my lips. I had lost control.That wasn’t part of the plan.That wasn’t supposed to happen.But the moment she had challenged me, the moment she had tested me, I couldn’t stop myself.I had kissed her, and she had kissed me back. Willingly. Desperately. And I felt it—the way her body had melted against mine, the way she had held onto me like she didn’t want to let go.She could pretend all she wanted. She felt this too.And yet… "Tell me… Do you love me?"I clenched my jaw, irritation flickering in my chest.Love? No. I didn’t do love, not after losing Iris. Love was messy. It made people weak. It clouded judgement. And I refused to be weak.So wh
**************CHAPTER 82~Shyne’s POV~I swirled the champagne in my glass, watching the golden liquid dance under the morning light filtering through the grand windows of the Silver mansion.It was early—too early to be drinking—but I didn’t care.My mind was elsewhere. It had been since last night.I closed my eyes for a brief moment, letting myself sink into the memory of the previous evening.The moment I walked into David Mercer’s party, I was looking for him. Blaze.But instead, my eyes had landed on her—Kaia Black.A bitter taste filled my mouth at the thought. That woman should have never been there. She should have never been anywhere near Blaze. She was nothing.She wasn’t a Silver heiress like me. She wasn’t raised in wealth and in power. She wasn’t born into this world—she had merely stumbled into it.And somehow, she had taken what was supposed to be mine.She wasn’t supposed to be the one sleeping in his bed. His last name shouldn’t have belonged to her eitherBut inste
**************CHAPTER 81~Kaia’s POV~The moment the car door shut behind me, I knew I had made a mistake.The tension between Blaze and me was overwhelming. He sat beside me, his body taut with frustration, his jaw clenched so tightly I swore it might crack.I crossed my arms, matching his silence with my own, staring out the window as the driver pulled away from the gala.We didn’t speak.The silence stretched; it was almost suffocating.Then—Blaze exhaled sharply and when he spoke, it felt like a blade cutting through the thick silence. “What the hell were you thinking?”I turned to him, feigning innocence. “Excuse me?”His blue eyes flashed. “Going out with David Mercer? Really?”I arched a brow. “It was business.”Blaze let out a humourless laugh. “Bullshit. You knew exactly what you were doing.”My fingers tightened around my clutch. “Oh? And what was I doing, Blaze?”His gaze darkened. “You were trying to piss me off.”I scoffed. “Not everything is about you.”Blaze shifted in
**************CHAPTER 80~Kaia’s POV~I had barely calmed down from my argument with Blaze when my phone vibrated again.It was David.David: "There’s a business gala tomorrow night. High-profile investors, networking opportunities—the works. If you’re interested, I’d love for you to be my plus one."I stared at the message, chewing my lip.Going out with David Mercer wasn’t exactly the best idea. He was charming, flirtatious, and, most importantly, a thorn in Blaze’s side.Which meant…A slow smirk tugged at my lips. Would it be petty? Absolutely. Would it piss Blaze off? Without a doubt.But after what happened earlier—after the way he trapped me against the wall, kissed me, then refused to answer me when I asked if he loved me—I was done playing it safe.I quickly typed my response.Kaia: Sounds like a good networking opportunity. I’ll be there.David’s reply came almost immediately.David: Excellent. I’ll send a car to pick you up at 8.I put my phone down, exhaling deeply. Was t