**************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 15~Kaia’s POV~I stormed away from Blaze, my heels clicking sharply on the floor as I headed toward the balcony. The cool night air would do me some good—anything to clear the boiling frustration in my chest.I hadn’t even reached the doors when I bumped into someone, the impact spilling a glass of wine all over his suit.“Oh no, I’m so sorry!” I blurted, panic and mortification filling my voice.The man stepped back, looking down at the stain with a slightly amused expression. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and his dark hair was neatly styled. His sharp suit, now splattered with red wine, was clearly expensive.“It’s fine,” he assured me calmly. His gaze met mine, and I caught the faintest hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Though I think this makes us even. You look like you could use a drink.”“I—” I hesitated, unsure how to respond.“For spilling my drink,” he continued, the smile widening slightly, “you at least owe me something. And judging by the
**************CHAPTER 16~Kaia’s POV~Blaze’s lips on mine was a force I wasn’t prepared for. My mind screamed at me to pull back, to push him away, but my body betrayed me, melting against his touch. The softness of those lips made me wish for more.When I finally managed to snap out of the haze, I tore myself away, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I stared at him, wide-eyed. “What the hell was that?” I managed, my voice shaky with anger and something I didn’t want to name. He didn’t answer but kept his piercing gaze fixed on me, his expression unreadable. I had soon forgotten we had company. My entire attention was fixed on Blaze and believe me, he loved it. Before I could react further, his hand shot out, catching my wrist as I instinctively stepped back. “Time to go home,” Blaze muttered in a commanding tone. Too stunned to argue, I let him lead me out of the party. My mind whirled, my heart pounding, the memory of his lips against mine refusing to fade. The dri
**************CHAPTER 17~Kaia’s POV~“Jealous? Of you or them?” I shot back, my voice laced with incredulity. “You must be dreaming, Mr. Black.”Blaze’s smirk widened, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes as he leaned against my desk. Right now he was the perfect picture of nonchalance. “Really? Because last night told a different story.”I folded my arms tightly across my chest, summoning every ounce of indignation I could muster. “Last night was… a mistake,” I said firmly, though my voice wavered slightly under the weight of my own lie.“A mistake, huh?” Blaze said, tilting his head as though pondering my words. “Funny how mistakes feel so intentional.”The casual arrogance in his tone made my blood boil. “Don’t twist my words,” I snapped. “Whatever you think happened last night—it won’t happen again.”Blaze stood upright, his towering frame closing the distance between us in a few measured steps. “Won’t it?” he murmured, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone that sent an inv
**************CHAPTER 18~Kaia’s POV~The door to my office swung open with a resounding thud, shattering the charged atmosphere like a glass shattering on tile.I stumbled back instinctively, my lips tingling from the kiss and my heart hammering in my chest like I’d been caught red-handed. Blaze, on the other hand, didn’t flinch. He straightened leisurely, his expression infuriatingly calm, though his eyes still burned with a dark intensity that made my knees weak.I looked at the door to see who had interrupted us and there she stood. Natalie. Of course, it was Natalie.Her perfectly made-up face froze for a split second and her carefully painted lips parted in what looked like genuine shock. But the moment passed quickly, and she schooled her features into a mask of composed superiority, crossing her arms over her tailored blazer as she stepped further inside.“Am I…” Her lips curled upward in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Interrupting something?”Blaze didn’t miss a beat
*****************CHAPTER 111~Kaia’s POV~I stormed into the bathroom and shut the door—not too hard, but enough to make a point. My fingers gripped the edge of the sink as I stared into the mirror. My reflection didn’t look as calm as I wanted to feel. I took a few deep breaths, trying to push back the swirl of emotions crawling under my skin.How was this even happening?Everything felt so sudden. One second, we were still untangling our mess, and the next, we were being shipped off to some luxury villa like we were on a second honeymoon. Not like we had one in the first place. Grandma meant well, but… this wasn’t how healing worked—not for me or us.I splashed water on my face and stood there, letting the cold sting pull me back to earth.When I finally walked out, Blaze was on the couch in the living room, his shirt sleeves rolled up, fingers sliding across his iPad as he scrolled. The villa was silent except for the gentle hum of the AC and the occasional rustle of palm leaves
*****************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.