**************CHAPTER 37~Kaia’s POV~The moment Blaze’s car rolled to a stop in the driveway, I unbuckled my seatbelt and flung the door open, not sparing Blaze a glance. As I stormed towards the house's entrance, my heels clicked angrily against the pavement, and my heart pounded with frustration.I didn’t care about his insistent gaze boring into my back or the sound of his hurried steps chasing after me. All I wanted was to slam the door in his smug, self-assured face.“Kaia,” Blaze’s voice was calm but edged with warning, but I didn’t care.He wanted to drag me home, fine. He tried to act like he could dictate every moment of my life, okay. But I wasn’t going to let him get away with it without a fight.Halfway to the doorbell, I felt a strong grip wrapped around my wrist, stopping me mid-motion.“Kaia,” Blaze’s low voice growled from behind me.I turned sharply, glaring up at him. “What?”His grip tightened, but not enough to hurt. He spun me around, pressing me back against th
**************CHAPTER 38~Kaia’s POV~The boardroom was filled with energy as the executives gathered for the weekly strategy meeting.Blaze sat at the head of the table, exuding his usual commanding presence, while I took my usual spot to his right.Across from me, Natalie Price settled into her chair, her sleek bun and her designer suit practically announced her confidence. She flashed a smile at Blaze as she set her tablet down.“Let’s begin,” Blaze said, his deep voice cutting through the murmurs.As the meeting progressed, I outlined the financial trends and market forecasts for the upcoming quarter.“That’s an interesting perspective, Kaia,” Natalie said smoothly after I finished. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “But I wonder if we’re being overly optimistic with these projections. Perhaps focusing on more conservative targets would better align with industry trends.”I forced a smile, though my irritation bubbled withinThe projections are based on hard data, Natalie, not spec
**************CHAPTER 39~Kaia’s POV~My phone buzzed as I exited Blaze’s office, still fuming from our heated exchange. Glancing down, I saw the message was from an unknown number.David Mercer.It was David Mercer, CEO of Mercer Enterprises. His message read: Ms. Gold, I trust this message finds you well. I’d like to discuss the proposition I mentioned in detail. Would you be available for lunch today?I hesitated, unsure how to respond but when my mind replayed the scene in Blaze’s office, my decision began to take form. The bitterness from my conversation with Blaze was still fresh. A lunch meeting with Mercer wasn’t something I had planned, but right now, it felt like the perfect distraction from the emotions swirling inside me.The decision was made. I grabbed my bag and informed my secretary of my plans. “Cassie, I’ll be back before the end of the day. If urgent, forward it to my email and give me a beep.”“Yes, Ms. Gold,” she replied, her curiosity barely concealed.Mercer
**************CHAPTER 40~Kaia’s POV~I felt the air shift as the waiter’s voice carried through the restaurant. “This way, Mr. Black.”My stomach twisted into knots. Blaze was here.Of course, he’d pick this exact place, at this exact time, to hold his lunch meeting. Was he stalking me or what?There’s no way it could have been a coincidence, right?I forced my expression into something neutral, though my pulse was racing.David was still speaking, but his voice felt distant instantly. I could barely concentrate as I imagined Blaze walking just beyond the thin walls of our VIP room.‘Focus, Kaia.’ I schooled myself. Blaze wasn’t a problem now. I could finish with David and still go to him.I offered David an apologetic smile, trying to shake the distraction. “I’m sorry, I—what were you saying?”David’s perceptive gaze lingered on me briefly before he smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You seem a little preoccupied, Kaia. Everything alright?”“Yes,” I said quickly, thoug
**************CHAPTER 41~Blaze’s POV~The company had been buzzing with the usual chaos, but my mind was set on something—or rather, someone—else. Kaia.I had booked a reservation for lunch at La Vie earlier in the day, intending it as a brief escape from the suffocating grind. She’d been irritated with me all morning, in fact, since the previous day, but I figured lunch would soften the edges.At exactly noon, I called her office to let her know. To my surprise, her secretary informed me that Kaia had stepped out.Stepped out?Something about that didn’t sit right.She was still new, and I doubted there were already business clients she needed to chase after so soon. If there was, I believe she would have informed me concerning it. I decided to head to La Vie anyway, hoping she’d meet me there. When I arrived, I had the waiter guide me to the private room I had reserved. As I settled into my seat, I pulled out my phone and called her.The faint ringtone sound reached my ears—not
**************CHAPTER 42~Kaia’s POV~The afternoon air did little to cool the fire burning inside me as I stormed out of the restaurant, my heels clicking furiously against the pavement. I couldn’t face Blaze for another second, not after his possessive display and that maddening kiss.But going home wasn’t an option either. Not with the storm of emotions twisting through me. I just didn’t want to encounter him and I knew going to my parents or even my best friend's would be like hiding in plain sight. I wanted space and I was going to get it.I flagged down a taxi that pulled up almost instantly. “Taxi!” I slid into the backseat, slamming the door shut behind me.“Where to, miss?” the driver asked politely.“Anywhere but here,” I said curtly, then sighed. “Actually, take me to the Platinum Crest Hotel.” It was far enough from the restaurant and from everything else weighing me down.The ride was silent, giving me too much time to replay the scene with Blaze. The way his gaze had
**************CHAPTER 43~Kaia’s POV~The moment the door creaked open, my heart froze.Blaze.Standing in the doorway, his tall figure created a shadow that filled the entire room. His bright blue eyes burned with anger, and his lips were pressed into a tight, harsh line.I swallowed nervously and stepped back, but it felt pointless against the intense energy radiating from him.“Blaze…” I began, my voice faltering as I tried to piece together an explanation.He didn’t immediately respond. His eyes swept over me, taking in my casual clothes, the plush luxury of the hotel suite behind me, and the phone clutched tightly in my hand.“What’s the matter?” I finally asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though my racing heart betrayed me.Thankfully, he didn’t have such perfect hearing to discern such.“What’s the matter?” he repeated in a dangerously low voice. “Would you be willing to explain the widespread belief that my wife is cheating on me?”I felt a mix of guilt and anger. I knew
**************CHAPTER 44~Blaze’s POV~Kaia’s lips collided with mine, and the heat of her sudden boldness shocked me. Kaia wasn’t supposed to do this. She wasn’t supposed to be taking control, yet here she was, grabbing the reins with ferocity I didn’t expect.For a moment, I froze, my mind grappling with the whirlwind of emotions and sensations. But then instinct took over, and I kissed her back with equal intensity.My hands found her waist, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. Every thought, every lingering trace of anger, dissolved in the electrifying connection between us. I was the one who she was kissing and not David. It was also proof that she was mine. Kaia’s fingers trailed down my chest, her touch sending sparks shooting through me.I groaned softly against her lips, feeling the tension in my body coil tighter. Just as I thought I had her, she pulled back, her hand splayed against my chest to stop me from closing the distance again.Her eyes locked onto mine, a mix
**************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