**************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 19~Kaia’s POV~After the bunch of work, I couldn’t face Blaze at home just yet. I still felt the intensity of our earlier encounter lingering on my lips and mind, and I needed air, space—anything to calm my racing thoughts.That was how I ended up at the upscale mall, accompanied by Blaze’s ever-efficient butler. Shopping had seemed like the perfect distraction—a mundane activity to take my mind off the chaos.I was browsing through clothes racks when my fingers brushed over a stunning ivory blouse with intricate lace details. It was elegant and simple, the kind of piece that would fit perfectly into my wardrobe.Just as I was about to place it in my cart, a manicured hand shot out, yanking it from my grasp.“Excuse me?” I said, turning to face the intruder.My stomach dropped.Standing before me was none other than Summer—the woman who had ruined everything.Her dyed-blonde hair was styled in loose waves, her lips painted an artificial red that matched her too
**************CHAPTER 20~Kaia’s POV~My pulse quickened as I read Blaze’s second message: ‘No need. I’m on my way.’I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, mentally bracing myself. Of course, he couldn’t just leave it alone. Blaze Black never did subtle.I tried to focus on the shopping at hand, pulling myself together as the butler silently trailed me. But no matter how many racks of clothes I flipped through, my nerves refused to settle.Exactly twelve minutes later—yes, I was counting—he appeared.Blaze walked into the store, commanding attention with his presence alone. Flanked by three bodyguards dressed in all-black tuxedos, Blaze exuded the aura of a powerful CEO who was impossible to ignore, even in a mall.Quickly, I looked away and focused on finding the clothes that I needed. Unfortunately, I was near the lingerie section when I felt him before I saw him. The faint scent of his cologne, warm and sharp, wrapped around me like an invisible tether.“Hello, wifey,” came his
**************CHAPTER 22~Kaia’s POV~I flipped through the document on Blaze’s desk while the air conditioner hum eased my thoughts. The numbers didn’t quite align, and I needed his signature before finalising the report.Blaze sat across from me, his chair reclined slightly as he reviewed another set of papers. His concentration was intense, his jaw set as he scanned the page.“Blaze.” I tapped the document. “You need to look at this.”He glanced up, his piercing blue eyes briefly locking onto mine before reaching for the paper. “What’s the issue?”“There’s a discrepancy in the financial projections for the third quarter,” I explained, leaning over to point out the relevant figures. “If we don’t adjust these numbers, it’ll affect our presentation to the board.”He studied the document for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. “I see what you mean. We’ll need to get the finance team on this immediately.”I nodded, jotting down a quick note on my tablet. “I’ll schedule a meeting wit
**************CHAPTER 1My head throbbed, each beat matching the slow, pulsing ache behind my eyes as I squinted against the morning light pouring into the hotel room. I reached for my phone, hoping to check the time, but froze at the sight of an unread message. Blinking, I rubbed my temples, half afraid of what awaited me."Congratulations on your marriage. Here's your wedding picture. Happy married life!"My heart skipped, and I bolted upright, instantly regretting the movement as nausea washed over me. With trembling fingers, I opened the attachment. There it was—a photo of me and a tall man, his face shadowed, holding a marriage certificate. I was laughing, eyes slightly glazed, looking deliriously happy, even if I could barely recognize myself."This has to be a mistake."Panic rushed through me as the events of last night trickled back—the music, the drinks, the stranger who seemed to understand my every unspoken word, the wild thrill of something forbidden, something I sho
**************CHAPTER 2I swear I did not understand him. What did he feel like? We were both doing this for our selfish gain. Why did it seem like I had just dug my grave?I shook my head, tossing the thought to the back of my mind as I drove home. My eyes flickered to the card on my dashboard before focusing on the road. I arrived at my parents' house, ready to tell them the news, when my father's cold voice made me stop. "She did what? Kaia broke the marriage?"I inhaled. I should have expected this. Shawn would make a fuss trying to use my parents to control me. Stepping into the living room, I met my parents, both dressed for the occasion. My dad had his phone pressed to his ear, clearly in a conversation with that cheat."Dad." He froze, ending the call and turning to look at me. My eyes glanced around, taking in the sight of my mother seated opposite him, watching with a worried expression on her face, "Mum, I can't marry a jerk. I know he is well to do, but he is a cheat."
**************CHAPTER 3While my mind played around my new surname, Blaze's estate came into view. It was breathtaking. Every inch of it was grand and meticulously designed. A butler led me through the vast, silent halls until I found myself in a lustrous living room, and there he was, standing with his usual stoic expression. My heart skipped, but I forced myself to act calm. He did not say anything more than a welcome after I greeted him before leading me into a private study.I sank into the leather chair across from him, feeling the pressure in the air. He slid a thick stack of papers across the desk. "This is the contract," he explained calmly. "The essentials are straightforward. For now, we'll present ourselves as a couple to our immediate families and a few close friends. No one else needs to know."I frowned, staring at the words in front of me. "Then why even bother with the marriage? Wasn't the whole point to keep people off our backs in the first place?"I know I sounde
**************CHAPTER 4~Kaia's Pov~For a second, I couldn't believe it. Termination? I opened the email and read the brief, cold message from HR. Effective immediately, my employment was terminated.Shock, confusion, and then anger hit all at once. It didn't take three guesses to know who was behind this. Shawn. His revenge for me left him, a way to punish me for not playing along. I could practically hear Shawn's smug laughter behind it, but instead of feeling defeated, I just felt… angry. So typically stupid.But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of watching me fall. Setting the phone down, I took a deep breath. I'd wanted to leave that job anyway; all he'd done was speed up the process. My mind raced with possibilities. I knew exactly what my next move was going to be.I set my jaw and fetched my laptop from my bag, the only belongings I picked from my parents' house. Thankfully, I had spent a night there before my bachelorette to tend to some pressing work and left it the
**************CHAPTER 22~Kaia’s POV~I flipped through the document on Blaze’s desk while the air conditioner hum eased my thoughts. The numbers didn’t quite align, and I needed his signature before finalising the report.Blaze sat across from me, his chair reclined slightly as he reviewed another set of papers. His concentration was intense, his jaw set as he scanned the page.“Blaze.” I tapped the document. “You need to look at this.”He glanced up, his piercing blue eyes briefly locking onto mine before reaching for the paper. “What’s the issue?”“There’s a discrepancy in the financial projections for the third quarter,” I explained, leaning over to point out the relevant figures. “If we don’t adjust these numbers, it’ll affect our presentation to the board.”He studied the document for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. “I see what you mean. We’ll need to get the finance team on this immediately.”I nodded, jotting down a quick note on my tablet. “I’ll schedule a meeting wit
**************CHAPTER 20~Kaia’s POV~My pulse quickened as I read Blaze’s second message: ‘No need. I’m on my way.’I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, mentally bracing myself. Of course, he couldn’t just leave it alone. Blaze Black never did subtle.I tried to focus on the shopping at hand, pulling myself together as the butler silently trailed me. But no matter how many racks of clothes I flipped through, my nerves refused to settle.Exactly twelve minutes later—yes, I was counting—he appeared.Blaze walked into the store, commanding attention with his presence alone. Flanked by three bodyguards dressed in all-black tuxedos, Blaze exuded the aura of a powerful CEO who was impossible to ignore, even in a mall.Quickly, I looked away and focused on finding the clothes that I needed. Unfortunately, I was near the lingerie section when I felt him before I saw him. The faint scent of his cologne, warm and sharp, wrapped around me like an invisible tether.“Hello, wifey,” came his
**************CHAPTER 19~Kaia’s POV~After the bunch of work, I couldn’t face Blaze at home just yet. I still felt the intensity of our earlier encounter lingering on my lips and mind, and I needed air, space—anything to calm my racing thoughts.That was how I ended up at the upscale mall, accompanied by Blaze’s ever-efficient butler. Shopping had seemed like the perfect distraction—a mundane activity to take my mind off the chaos.I was browsing through clothes racks when my fingers brushed over a stunning ivory blouse with intricate lace details. It was elegant and simple, the kind of piece that would fit perfectly into my wardrobe.Just as I was about to place it in my cart, a manicured hand shot out, yanking it from my grasp.“Excuse me?” I said, turning to face the intruder.My stomach dropped.Standing before me was none other than Summer—the woman who had ruined everything.Her dyed-blonde hair was styled in loose waves, her lips painted an artificial red that matched her too
**************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 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 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 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 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 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