006

Martins walked quickly into the house, looking around for Lyon. He found him sitting on the couch, but something about the way Lyon was sitting, tense, shoulders tight, made it clear that he wasn’t fully relaxed.

“Fiona said you were resting. Is everything alright?” Martins asked, his tone cautious, sensing something wasn’t quite right.

Lyon looked up at him, his eyes a bit sharp, as if the question caught him off guard. He hesitated for a moment, then forced a smile. “Yes,” he said a little too quickly, his voice edged with impatience.

Without waiting for Martins to say anything else, Lyon stood up abruptly, as though he couldn’t sit still any longer. His movements were fast, almost hurried, as he rushed past Martins and headed up the stairs.

Martins watched him go, standing there for a moment, feeling the odd tension in the air. He wasn’t sure what had just happened, but Lyon’s quick departure and the look on his face told him that something was off.

He sighed quietly, unsure of whether to follow or give him space. It didn’t seem like the right time to press, but Martins couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on than Lyon was letting on.

Lyon went to his study, pacing. He didn't want Kathryn to notice his state, not now that he is trying to get along with her, even though he was a bit tired of everything.

“Oh, God! I've been so silly! How did I get here?” Lyon snapped, hitting his hand on the table.

“Is everything alright, sir?” A voice asked, outside the door.

Lyon didn't respond, he kept mute knowing fully well it was Fiona.

Fiona stood for a while, hoping she'd get a response, but that was a lie because she never got any.

Lyon signed under his breath, took out his phone, “I can't make it today, I'll try tomorrow.”

He dropped his phone and signed after sending the message across Wendy.

He arranged his collar and made for the exit.

***

The afternoon sun streamed through the large windows of the Alberto living room as Trisha walked in, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. She looked around, surprised to see Lyon sitting on the couch with his laptop open, looking unusually relaxed.

“Well, look who’s finally decided to grace his own home with his presence,” Trisha said, her tone sharp and sarcastic. “What happened? Did your office kick you out?”

Lyon looked up briefly, unfazed by her jab. “Always a pleasure, Trisha,” he replied flatly, before going back to his work.

Before Trisha could fire back, Kathryn walked in from the kitchen, her face lighting up when she saw her sister. “Trisha! You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“I wanted to check in on you,” Trisha said, her eyes darting back to Lyon. “Though I didn’t expect to find Mr. Never-Home actually here. Did the world stop spinning?”

Kathryn forced a laugh, brushing off the comment. “Come on, let’s sit,” she said, guiding Trisha to the couch.

Lyon stood, clearly uncomfortable. “I’ll leave you two to catch up,” he said, closing his laptop and walking out of the room without another word.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Trisha turned to Kathryn, her eyebrows raised. “Okay, what’s going on? Since when does Lyon hang around the house during the day?”

Kathryn let out a small sigh, sitting down. “It’s a long story. We… agreed to spend more time together for the next three months.”

Trisha’s eyes narrowed. “Agreed? Or was this one of his schemes?”

“It’s not like that,” Kathryn said quickly, though her voice wavered.

Trisha leaned forward, her tone softening but still firm. “Kat, come on. Don’t do this. Don’t pretend everything’s fine when it’s not. This is Lyon we’re talking about. Why would he suddenly care about spending time with you unless he needed something?”

Kathryn swallowed, looking down at her hands. “It’s complicated, Trisha. He’s… trying. And I want to believe he can change.”

“Trying?” Trisha’s voice rose slightly. “Since when has he ever tried for you? You’ve been bending over backward for three years, and all he’s done is ignore you. And now, because he needs something, he’s suddenly making an effort? Kat, that’s not love.”

Kathryn’s chest tightened. She had thought the same thing at times, but hearing Trisha say it out loud made it harder to ignore. “People can change,” she said, though the words felt hollow.

“Maybe,” Trisha admitted, “but not people like him. Kat, I hate seeing you stuck like this, clinging to a man who doesn’t see your worth. You deserve someone who loves you because of who you are not because they have to.”

Kathryn blinked back tears, her throat tightening. She wanted to tell Trisha she was wrong, that Lyon really was trying. But was he?

Trisha reached out, placing a hand on Kathryn’s. “I’m saying this because I love you. Don’t waste your life on someone who isn’t willing to give you their whole heart. Just… think about it, okay?”

Kathryn nodded slowly. “I will,” she said softly.

Trisha stood, grabbing her bag. As she headed for the door, she paused. “And Kat? Be careful. Men like Lyon don’t change overnight. Don’t let him hurt you again.”

After Trisha left, Kathryn sat in silence, her sister’s words echoing in her mind. Deep down, she knew Trisha was only trying to protect her. But as much as she wanted to believe Lyon was different now, doubt crept in, leaving her questioning everything.

Lyon walked into his bedroom, already unbuttoning his shirt. The day had been exhausting, and all he wanted was to forget everything for a while. He tossed his shirt onto the chair in the corner, then sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching for his belt.

The room was quiet, but his mind wasn’t. Kathryn’s words from earlier replayed in his head. The divorce. The contract. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair, wishing for just one moment of peace.

As he stood up to grab a fresh shirt, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at the screen, expecting some work notification, but his stomach dropped when he saw the name, “Wendy”

“Not now,” he muttered, grabbing the phone. He unlocked it with a swipe, and the message made his heart pound:

"You’re ignoring me, so maybe this will get your attention."

Attached was a photo a dimly lit alley, smeared with blood. The crime scene. From ten years ago.

Lyon’s breath hitched. His chest tightened as memories he’d tried to bury came rushing back. The photo wasn’t clear, but he didn’t need clarity to recognize it. He could feel the suffocating guilt creeping in, the weight of that night settling heavily on his shoulders.

His phone buzzed again:

"Want me to share this with someone else? Or are you ready to talk now?"

He gritted his teeth and gripped the phone tightly, anger and panic warring inside him. Wendy was pushing him harder than she ever had before. He thought he could control her, keep her at bay, but this was too much.

“Lyon?” Kathryn’s voice startled him.

He shoved the phone into his pocket and turned just as she opened the door. She stood there, watching him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, stepping into the room. “You look… off.”

“It’s nothing,” Lyon said quickly, turning away.

Kathryn didn’t let it go. She walked closer, her heels clicking softly on the floor. “No, it’s not nothing. You looked like you saw a ghost just now. What’s going on?”

“I said it’s nothing,” he snapped, his tone sharper than he intended.

Kathryn folded her arms, her expression hardening. “Don’t do that, Lyon. Don’t shut me out and act like I’m stupid. I know something’s wrong.”

“It’s work,” Lyon said, forcing his voice to be calmer. “That’s all. Just stress.”

Kathryn studied him for a long moment. “Work? Really? What kind of work stress makes you look like that?”

Lyon sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Can you drop it, Kathryn? I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Of course you don’t,” she said, her voice colder now. “You never want to talk about anything, do you? It’s always ‘drop it.’”

“Kathryn, please…”

“No,” she interrupted, stepping back. “It’s fine. Keep your secrets, Lyon. But don’t expect me to keep pretending like I don’t notice how distant you are. Every single time.”

She turned and walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Lyon stood there, staring at the closed door. His phone buzzed again in his pocket, but he didn’t take it out this time. Instead, he sank down onto the bed, his head in his hands.

“How long can I keep this up?” he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the empty room.

The door cracked open again, and Lyon sat up slightly, his heart skipping a beat. Kathryn walked in, her face calm but distant. She didn’t say a word or even glance in his direction. Instead, she went straight to the wardrobe and pulled out her nightwear.

Lyon stayed still on the bed, watching her quietly. She unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor in one smooth motion. The sight of her, so close yet so far away emotionally, stirred something inside him, but he didn’t move.

Kathryn grabbed her lotion and sat down at the edge of the bed, rubbing it onto her arms and legs. Her movements were steady, almost mechanical, as if she was deliberately ignoring his presence.

Lyon shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do or say. The room felt heavy with unspoken words, and he couldn’t shake the knot tightening in his chest. He decided to close his eyes and pretend to be asleep, hoping to avoid any confrontation.

When Kathryn finally finished, she glanced over at him briefly, noticing how still he was. She let out a quiet sigh, climbed into bed, and lay down at the far edge, her back to him.

Lyon opened his eyes just a sliver, watching her silhouette as she adjusted the blanket. She was so close, yet it felt like there was a wall between them.

For a moment, he thought about saying something maybe an apology, maybe a plea to talk but the words stuck in his throat. Instead, he turned his head back toward the ceiling, the silence of the room wrapping around them.su

***

The sun rose quite early, Kathryn yawning and stretching at the sight of sunlight. Lyon had just opened the window, that was unusual of him because, he was usually nonchalant.

“Good morning, Kat..” he muttered, buttoning his well ironed white long sleeve.

Kathryn turned and saw him standing, “Good morning, husband.”

The word “husband” sank in for a while before he spoke again, “ I just want to say, I'm sorry about yesterday.”

Kathryn smiled, one thing was, she loved hearing such words from him, she sat up and strode towards him, arranging his collar, “sit.”

Lyon found himself sitting, there was this charm in Kathryn's voice that seemed charming.

Kathryn let her hand slide down his shoulder, bringing out a comb, she combed his hair gently, her hands touching the back of his neck at intervals. Lyon felt relaxed, to an extent, he felt safe in this woman's arms.

“Kathryn, I know this isn't part of the agreement but, I really need to take care of something real quick,” he said staring straight at her, his voice mild, to a fault, he didn't know why he sounded so calm.

Unsure of what to say, Kathryn muttered, “If only you promise to be back home soonest.”

“I promise,” Lyon said, a smile escaping his cheeks, he kissed her knuckles and dashed out.

“Martins…” Lyon called while climbing the staircase, “we should get going..”

“Where are we headed, Lyon?” Martins asked.

“You don't have to know.”