**************CHAPTER 48~Kaia’s POV~I could still feel the imprint of Blaze’s lips on mine, the heat of his touch lingering as he leaned closer, his smirk growing more insufferable by the second.“Wifely duties?” I echoed, raising an eyebrow and folding my arms across my chest. “You must have hit your head, Blaze Black, because I don’t remember signing up for that part of the contract.”His smirk widened, his gaze dropping to my lips briefly before returning to meet my eyes. “Oh, it’s in there. Probably in the fine print. You should read the clauses more carefully.”I scoffed, stepping back, but he didn’t let me get far. His hand shot out, capturing my wrist again. The way his fingers wrapped around me was firm but careful like he was afraid I’d vanish if he wasn’t careful enough.“You’re not funny,” I muttered, tugging my wrist half-heartedly.“I’m not trying to be, Kaia. You are my wife. It’s not a joke.”There was something in his tone—serious and raw—that made my heart skip a
**************CHAPTER 49~Kaia’s POV~The D-day arrived. The conference room was filled with anticipation as we took our seats. Today was the second round of the city project bidding—a make-or-break moment for Apex Global.Blaze sat beside me, exuding his confidence. I, on the other hand, was trying to keep my nerves in check. The stakes were high, and the competition was fierce.Across the room, I spotted David Mercer seated with his team. His eyes met mine briefly, and he offered a polite nod. I returned the gesture, keeping my expression neutral. The last thing I needed was Blaze catching wind of anything and turning this meeting into another unnecessary power play.And trust me, that man’s ego was something else.The government official leading the project stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen, today’s presentations will determine the finalists for the city project. Each company will present its detailed proposal, after which our panel will deliberate. The
**************CHAPTER 50~Kaia’s POV~It had been a long day. After the bidding, we returned to the office, where Blaze worked like a maniac.His earlier teasing right now felt liek an imaginary thought I had with how focused he was.Based on what he said, thanks to the presentation, he saw a way to tweak the project to better benefit the masses while also giving the elites of society a way to spend their money and show the masses they aren’t all rich bastards.He called for a meeting with his team. After careful deliberation, the project was adjusted, but not in a way that would affect the results.I sighed, cleaning sweat from my brows. I watched Blaze from a distance. He had a glass of scotch in his hand while typing furiously.He had refused to hand the work over to someone else, and from the looks of things, Blaze was determined to see it through.Standing from my seat with my bag in my hands, I approached him, standing in front of his table. "It's late. I should advise you to c
**************CHAPTER 51~Kaia’s POV~If I wasn’t awake, the morning sunlight that streamed through the large windows of my bedroom, did so much to wremove the sleep from my eyes.I had just finished my shower, the lingering scent clinging to my skin as I rubbed body cream into my arms.Wrapped in a towel, I hummed ‘Bad Romance by Lady Gaga’, softly, enjoying the quiet moment. But just as I turned to grab my robe—A knock landed on my door.Before I could respond, the door swung open, and Blaze stepped inside like he owned the place.I gasped, clutching my towel tighter. “Excuse me?!” I snapped, eyes wide. “Do you just barge into people’s rooms without permission?”Blaze smirked, completely unfazed. “Technically, I do own this house. That includes this room.”I scoffed, folding my arms. “Not my room. This is my zone, my space. You don’t get to barge in.”Blaze leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking far too smug. “Relax, Kaia. It’s not like I haven’t seen a naked woman be
**************CHAPTER 52~Kaia’s POV~“Bingo… a way to tame the hot CEO, Blaze Black.”Tiffany spread her arms dramatically as if she were staring at a billboard showcasing her master plan.From the couch, Bethany raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Yeah, Tiff? And what exactly is Lesson 101 on achieving that?”Tiffany spun around, her gaze locking onto me like a predator spotting prey. “Simple,” she said with a devilish grin. “We bring out the seductress in Kaia and tame the untamable CEO.”I blinked. “Excuse me?”Bethany chuckled, throwing a piece of popcorn into her mouth. “You heard her, babe. Apparently, our resident Ice King needs to melt a little.”Tiffany leaned forward, excitement buzzing in her eyes. “Think about it, Kaia. He’s so used to being the one in control. You, on the other hand, always react to his moves. It’s time to flip the script.”I scoffed, crossing my arms. “And how exactly do you expect me to do that?”Tiffany smirked. “By making him want you even more—but giv
**************CHAPTER 53~Kaia’s POV~Blaze’s phone call lasted longer than I expected. He had walked out of the kitchen, irritation across his face as he answered. I lingered for a moment, listening to the deep rumble of his voice before deciding to focus on dinner.The aroma of roasted chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, and garlic-buttered asparagus filled the kitchen. I plated everything carefully, setting the table like nothing happened even though my mind kept circling back to Blaze’s tense expression.As soon as I was done, I wiped my hands on a napkin and made my way to his room. Just as I reached his door, it swung open, and Blaze stepped out.“Dinner’s ready,” I said simply, stepping aside.Blaze hummed in acknowledgement, his usual smirk absent as he followed me to the dining table.For a while, we ate in silence.It was strange. The teasing, the heated moments, the arguments—all of it seemed to have faded into the background, leaving behind an unsettling stillness. I sig
**************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 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