POV ZaraI wandered around the shop, trying to keep myself occupied. This wasn’t just any car dealership; it was a luxury car showroom designed to cater to the wealthy. The whole place felt more like a posh café in a hotel lobby than a place to buy cars. Plush seats were scattered around, and the coffee tables were adorned with beautiful decor. I noticed some snacks on one of the tables and, without thinking twice, I grabbed a few. Might as well make myself comfortable while I waited.The staff was extra courteous to me, probably because I had walked in with Kayden. I could feel their eyes on me, a mix of envy and curiosity. It wasn’t every day that a celebrity strolled into their showroom, even if they didn’t fully recognize me. I had only done one TV series, and it was set in ancient times. The costumes probably made me hard to recognize.Just as I was munching on a snack, I heard a voice that sent a chill down my spine. It was a voice I knew too well, one that dripped with class an
POV KaydenZara touched her new car with excitement, her fingers tracing the sleek curves as if she could already feel the thrill of driving it. But then, her expression turned a bit sheepish, and she looked up at me with those wide eyes of hers."On average, how long does it take to learn to drive?" she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and hesitation.I couldn’t help but smile at her innocence. "If you want to learn, I can teach you right now. It should be easy to pick up."Her face lit up like a child being offered candy. "Really?""Driving is actually not that hard," I assured her. "Come on, we’ll go on an empty road. I’ll teach you there."She practically jumped with excitement, tugging on my hand. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself looking forward to this more than I expected.Once we were outside, I got behind the wheel to demonstrate. The sports car was tight for someone my size, but I managed. I could see her watching me, slightly embarrassed by how cramped I
POV ZaraI got a call from Yvette. She told me I got selected for this year's debut actress for the Starlight Annual Award Festivals. This is such a huge deal for me.I went to the company where Yvette invited me to a private room and told me how the higher-ups in the company were so happy with my performance and everything.I discussed all the essential details with Yvette and I decided to drop her off when we come across an old man at the entrance of the company door.Yvette sees him and excuses herself while I wait there. She approaches the man and they start arguing soon. I pick up some words here and there, “… need money…. Ungrateful daughter…. Loan… die…”What is going on?Staring at man coldly, she waved to the security guards, “There’s a man loitering here and hindering our work. Please take him out!”The security guards quickly approached, ready to escort him out. The old man’s shouts grew louder and more desperate with each step. I couldn't stand to watch any longer, so I hu
Back home, I was ready to start cooking, but as I looked at the kitchen, my excitement quickly turned into depression.I put on an apron, trying to look professional, but when it came to cutting the vegetables, I was all thumbs.Kayden stood to the side, silently watching me, his worry clear.Especially when the knife came dangerously close to my fingers, I could practically feel his tension.“Okay, okay. Let me help you cut the vegetables,” he said quickly, walking over.“No need. I’m doing just fine. See? I think my knife skills are getting better. My learning ability is really high… Ouch…”My tone fell as I nicked my fingertip with the knife.The knife clattered to the floor. Luckily, it was a small one, so it didn’t bounce.Even so, anyone would have been scared seeing it drop like that.Kayden rushed to my side and lifted my hand, concern etched on his face as blood started to flow from the cut.“You really are something… I told you not to cut anymore,” he said, his tone half sco
The Starlight Annual Award Festival was finally here, and the excitement was palpable. Being nominated for the Best Newcomer Award was surreal. The company took it seriously, turning the whole thing into a grand affair. They even hired professionals to help me prepare for the event.As I stood in front of the mirror at home, I couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable in the dress they picked for me. The long skirt had a daring split that went up so high it made me uneasy. But I knew it was part of the game. The company told me there would be a lot of big shots at the awards, and if I wanted to stand out, I'd need something eye-catching.But honestly, I didn't care about stealing the spotlight. Just being at such a grand event was enough for me.Still, as I adjusted the dress, something felt off. Was it the dress? Or was it just nerves?Suddenly, Kayden walked in. I could see him taking in the sight of me in the mirror, his eyes narrowing as he got closer. His voice was low and te
As soon as I got off the stage, I spotted Yvette rushing toward me. Her face was lit up with excitement, and before I could say anything, she grabbed my arms and squealed, “You did it! You actually won!”I shook my head in disbelief, still trying to process everything. “I honestly never thought this award would be mine. God, what is going on?”Yvette smiled warmly, her eyes shining with pride. “It seems like there’s still some fairness in this world.”I nodded vigorously, unable to hide the delight on my face. Winning this award felt like a dream, something I never imagined would actually happen to me.“Remember to treat us,” Yvette teased, nudging me playfully.“Of course! I’ll treat you all,” I promised with a grin, feeling the weight of the trophy in my hand.As the awards ceremony wrapped up, I was still on cloud nine. Walking out, my phone suddenly rang. I pulled it out, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw Kayden’s name on the screen.I quickly answered, “Kayden!”His voice ca
POV Kayden I stared at Monica, my expression a mix of exasperation and cold disdain. “What exactly is going on with you, Monica? Why are you causing a disturbance here?” Her fury was palpable, and her voice was sharp. “Kayden, what’s the deal with her? Why did you bring her to our room?” I glanced inside the room, feeling an edge of irritation. “Since when did this become our room?” She looked at me, horrified. “Of course it is. We come here regularly.” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my frustration in check. “This is just a place I like. Besides you, my elder brother, younger brother, and my entire family have been here. A lot of my friends have been here too.” Her face was a mixture of confusion and anger. She had always thought of this place as ours, but now she was struggling to accept that it wasn’t exclusive to her. “But…” Her voice trailed off, unable to accept my explanation. “You know,” I continued, my tone unwavering, “look at how you’re causing a scene. Just go
As we were about to leave, I felt an unbearable discomfort in my hand. Zara noticed and looked worried. I unbuttoned my shirt to reveal a rash on my face. My old illness was acting up again.“Goodness, what’s this?” Zara asked, her voice filled with concern.I took a deep breath. “Nothing. It’s fine.”But Zara was persistent. “It’s better to give it some air. Don’t cover it.”I sent a message to my doctor that we’ll be visiting. We went to Yohan’s place, where he was already waiting.Yohan observed my condition and then turned to Zara. “It’s not because of Ma’am, right?”Zara flustered. “It can’t be. It was never like this between us…”Yohan smiled. “Before that… you’ve been touching chests often?”Zara glared at him. “This doctor is too nosey.”Yohan continued, “Then who touched this area?”I shot him a warning look. “Don’t go there.”But it was too late. Zara scoffed from the side, her eyes flashing with annoyance. “There’s no need to ask. We just saw Miss Jensen.”She glanced up at
POV KaydenAfter we got back to Chicago, I went to Yohan for a routine checkup. Knowing him, I was half-expecting him to make some snide remark. Sure enough, he had a smug look on his face as I sat down.“Mr. Marshall, I think you could consider taking that drug more often,” he smirked. “You seem rather… energetic.”I shot him a look, not bothering to respond. He must have seen Zara and me together recently because he didn’t let up.“Don’t be so serious, Mr. Marshall. A joke here and there won’t scare a girl away.”“Any other tests you need to do?” I asked flatly.“Fine, fine,” he sighed, getting a needle ready. Then, out of nowhere, he started again. “You know, Miss Wilson’s personality is actually quite complementary to yours. She’s carefree, while Miss Jensen was always a bit uptight. You two are like… concave and convex pieces, fitting together perfectly.”I caught the mischievous look in his eyes immediately. He was speaking in double entendres, and his implication was obvious. F
When I walked into the room that morning, I could immediately tell how awkward Zara felt. She sat there, her face bright red, her body still a little disheveled from the night before. I knew she was thinking about everything that had happened, probably trying to reconcile her usual reserved self with the bold actions she’d taken for my sake.I approached her, trying to check on her arm. She winced a bit when I touched it, and that’s when I realized just how much I had pushed her the night before. I was in no state to think clearly back then, consumed by the effects of the drug, and she had gone through all of it with me, without complaint."Does it hurt that much?" I asked, frowning as guilt gnawed at me.She waved it off, pretending it wasn’t a big deal, but I could see how sore she was. “I must have used too much strength…” she muttered.I couldn’t help but feel responsible for what I had put her through. "I’m sorry..." I told her, feeling the weight of what I had done sink in.She
POV KaydenI stood by the window, my body burning with an unbearable heat, the cold winter night outside in stark contrast to the fire inside me. The reflection on the glass showed a man drenched in sweat, his skin flushed, muscles tense. I couldn't calm myself. The drug was wreaking havoc on me, pushing me to my limits, testing my control.I heard Zara approach from behind, her steps light but determined. Her voice cut through the haze, "Really, let me help you. It’s been a few hours already, and you’re still not well..."I clenched my fists. The last thing I wanted was for her to see me like this, to be caught in this mess created by someone else’s malicious intent. But there she was, stubborn as always. I couldn’t bear to have her close, and yet I couldn’t push her away."Who needs you to help? Didn’t you understand when I told you to get lost?" I shouted, hoping to scare her off. Maybe if I could make her leave, I could deal with this myself.But Zara never backed down. "No, I’m n
POV ZaraI was sound asleep when my phone suddenly rang. I groggily reached for it, only to hear an unexpected voice on the other end.“Zara.”It was Monica.I immediately sat up in bed, confused and still half-asleep. “Miss Jensen?” I asked, my voice puzzled. What could she possibly want at this hour?She didn’t waste any time. Her tone was sharp and condescending, as if she had been waiting for this moment. “What are you doing?” she snapped.I blinked and tried to stay calm. “I was sleeping,” I replied honestly, still unsure what this was about.“Very well. I guess you’re tactful enough to know your place and not try to disturb Kayden and me,” she said with a smugness that made my skin crawl.I was tired of this back and forth with her. I decided to just lay it out. “I’ll be direct. I respect whatever is going on between you two, and I won’t interfere. You’ve just never believed me,” I said, keeping my tone as even as possible, even though my heart was already beginning to race. I d
I arrived at the restaurant where Monica had already made herself comfortable. She had dressed up for the occasion, her eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t quite place, and I was immediately on edge. This was supposed to be a simple dinner, but from the way she was looking at me, I could tell she had something else on her mind."Kayden, you’re here," she smiled, motioning for me to sit. "I waited so long for you. Come and try this house drink. I specially asked them to bring it from the cellar. It’s a premium red wine."I sat down, already feeling uneasy. Something about her excitement seemed off, but I couldn’t place it. She kept staring at me, and I couldn’t figure out why. I glanced at the wine she poured and shook my head slightly."It’s better not to drink too much wine. It’s not good for your body," I said, trying to deflect.Suddenly, her eyes welled up, and tears started falling. I was caught off guard. Had I said something wrong? Her emotions had been so fragile lately, a
I was in the middle of reading a document when Zara suddenly popped up with a bright idea.“Kayden, let’s go to the indoor ski park.”I looked up from my work, slightly amused. "No," I said, shaking my head."Why not?" She always got this look when I denied her one of her spontaneous plans.I chuckled and said, “It’s meaningless to put on so many clothes. If we’re doing something active, we might as well go to the pool. It’s more... pleasing to the eyes.”She immediately grabbed a pillow and tossed it at me. "Perv."I couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. But she didn’t give up. She never did.“Come on, let’s go try it out, Kayden.... Honey, I’ve never been to a ski park before.”That word, “Honey,” always had a strange effect on me. It was like she knew the exact button to push.I sighed, feeling a bit helpless. She knew exactly how to get her way. I reached out and rubbed her head. "Fine. Let’s go."Her face lit up immediately. “Heh heh. Thanks, Honey. You’re is the best!”I trie
POV KaydenI asked Henry to check with the hospital staff and doctors about Monica’s recovery which he said was going fine and she would get discharged in two days.Later that week I had a call from the Los Angeles Branch of Marshall Industries that needed some attention personally. I informed Zara and coincidently she too had a shoot to attend there.We both took the Marshalls private jet and she called her manager. They both set off for her scheduled shoot and I went to my own work. Los Angeles branch was doing well on its own, and it’s been like that for most of our branches. They managing directors don’t bother me unless there’s actually an issue that needs my attention, hence I make it so that I check these things personally.As I was just finishing my meeting and ready to head back in the afternoon, I got a call from Yvette. I quickly picked it up, knowing Yvette will never call me unless it has anything to do with Zara.“Hello.”“Mr. Marshall, Zara got into a small accident on
POV ZaraWhen we stepped into the Marshall residence, the chill in the air didn’t seem to matter. Kayden’s mother immediately fussed over me as usual, saying, “You’re wearing too few layers, Zara! Quick, bring an overcoat for the Young Madam.”I barely had time to protest before they wrapped me in another layer. Honestly, I was fine, but Kayden’s Mother’s warmth and concern made me feel like I was being pampered beyond belief. This was the Marshall family way—especially when it came to their daughter-in-law.As we moved further inside, I noticed the President's bodyguards stationed outside. That could only mean one thing: Kenneth was home. It was strange to see him here, since he's usually so busy with running the country. But it was New Year’s Eve, and even the President has to celebrate with family sometimes.Kenneth approached us, as poised as ever, and greeted me with his usual reserved but polite demeanor. “Zara, good to see you again.” It felt a little formal, but then again, he
This realization put me in a surprisingly good mood. If I had known earlier that she was jealous, I wouldn’t have been so anxious during those days. She was angry not because she didn’t care but because she did.And here I was, almost spoiling her too much. She was practically running circles around me. I chuckled to myself. If anyone saw how I was with her, they wouldn’t believe it. Zara had no idea just how much I was holding back, letting her get away with things that would’ve driven anyone else mad.I sat there, watching her hum to herself, clearly lost in her own thoughts. She reclined in her seat, and I couldn’t help but notice how content she looked now. But then, her expression shifted suddenly, and she pressed her hand to her stomach.I frowned and leaned forward. “Why? Does your stomach still hurt?”She nodded, wincing slightly. “It still hurts a little. It’s alright. It’s probably because I was too nervous this time. Usually, it only hurts for a day.”“Next time, take note