I waited a long time for Kayden to call me back. Hours passed, but nothing. No reply to my texts either. I asked the maids, I asked the security guards—no one knew where he was. Or they pretended not to know. Either way, it made my blood boil. What was he thinking?I grabbed my phone, fingers trembling in frustration, and fired off a message. Whether he read it or not, I didn’t care anymore.“Kayden, I don’t know why you’re so angry. You already know I was only at the hospital because Noah got injured, right? You know he saved me from getting hit by that falling glass, or it would’ve been me lying there! How is it wrong for me to stay and check on him? Should I have just ignored him after he got hurt protecting me? How would that be fair?”I sent the message, staring at the screen like it was going to magically fix everything. But of course, no response. Not even a read receipt.Lying there on my bed, I felt like I was waiting for someone who didn’t care, like I was the only one bothe
I sat there, staring at Kayden’s pale face, feeling a mix of frustration and worry bubbling inside me. How could someone be this stubborn? He was sick, burning with a fever, yet he refused to let anyone help him. Even when I forced him to eat, he just glared at me like I’d wronged him in the worst way.After I finally fed him, I went outside to return the tray. I asked the maids what had happened, and they told me he’d spent the entire day swimming.Swimming, for a whole day, until he fell ill. I couldn’t believe it. He was like a rebellious child, pushing his body too far just because he could.Seriously… what was I supposed to do with this man?That night, his fever didn’t break. I gave him medicine, but it wasn’t working. His complexion looked worse by the hour, and I could feel the panic rising inside me. I kept glancing at him, hoping for some sign that he was getting better, but all I saw was his pained expression as he slept.I couldn’t rest either. How could I? Kayden looked s
POV KaydenI released Zara and lay there while panting, trying to catch my breath. It felt like something just came over me. I turned my head only to notice the marks spread all over Zara’s body. Oh my God, did I do that to her! “Uhm… Let’s go take a shower.”Zara did not move at all. She turned her body to the opposite side in reluctance. “I don’t want to…”I did not have a choice. I could only prop myself up and pat her. However, she still did not move. So, I could only say, “I’ll help you,” as I lifted Zara in his arms in one swift motion as whined.“Kayden…” she moaned. “Put me down.”“You need a shower. You look like a walking mess.”Zara huffed and pouted, but I ignored her. She was too beautiful to just look at. I’d fuck her again if she let me. I felt my dick grow hard again as I entered the bathroom.“Okay, okay… I’ll take a shower.”Zara gave in. I carefully placed her down and turned the shower on, the steam filled the room. I turned around to see Zara’s beautiful body, he
I stared at him, trying to keep my face composed. “What did you just say?”He coughed awkwardly and quickly packed up. Before leaving, he added, “I don’t recommend any physical activity right now. Especially the kind that wastes energy.” He was smirking as he hurried out before I could throw the nearest object at him. Too late, the book I threw hit the floor just as he disappeared out the door.I glanced over at Zara. Her face was already beet red, fiddling with her clothes as if that would distract her from the awkwardness. She was always so transparent. Her embarrassment was written all over her face.For a long moment, I just looked at her. She was avoiding my gaze, probably trying to figure out how to avoid this conversation. I sighed and said, “You didn’t get any rest last night. Go to sleep.”She looked up at me. “No, I’m fine. I’m not tired.”I raised my eyebrows. “If I tell you to go, just go.”She shook her head. “There’s no need. I should stay here and look after you.”I cou
POV ZaraWhen I woke up, Kayden was already gone. Panic set in immediately. Where could he have gone in such a weak state? I jumped out of bed and hurriedly ran through the house, searching every corner. But even after looking everywhere, I still couldn’t find him.Just as I was about to lose hope, I bumped into Yohan at the entrance. Seeing him here, still around, gave me a small sense of relief. At least he hadn’t left, so things couldn’t be too bad, right? I quickly grabbed his arm and blurted out, “Where’s Kayden? Is he feeling better?”Yohan gave me a small, reassuring smile. “He’s much better now. The fever’s gone, but his body is still weak.”“But where is he?” I asked, still anxious.Yohan sighed. “He’s someone who pushes himself hard. The moment he felt even a bit better, he went right back to work.”I could feel my heart tighten in frustration. “What? That’s ridiculous! He can’t be working in this condition.”I quickly turned and dashed to the study. Sure enough, there he wa
Later that evening, when I got home, Kayden was there, waiting for me. The moment he saw me, he frowned. “Why do you look like that?”I hesitated. “It’s nothing. I just found out that the PIPT cell phones I’m endorsing are from Miss Jensen’s family.”At the mention of Monica’s name, his expression darkened. He turned to me with that intense, searching gaze of his. “What happened?”“Nothing, really. I just didn’t know the phone belonged to her family. I’m going to shoot a commercial for them.”Kayden didn’t say anything for a moment, but I could see the gears turning in his mind. After a long pause, he finally said, “Go wash up and change your clothes. I need to make a call.”I was about to go when he added, “If you can get out of the commercial, do it.”I stopped and looked at him. “But I’ve already signed the contract. If I back out now, it’ll cause a lot of trouble for the company. Besides, it’s just a commercial. What could Miss Jensen do, anyway?”Kayden’s frown deepened, but he d
POV KaydenWhen I walked into the house, the maid came to me immediately. "Miss Jensen has arrived," she said, her voice cautious, like she was preparing for some kind of storm. I knew what to expect. As soon as I entered the dining room, there she was—Monica—sitting there with that familiar look in her eyes, waiting for me.When she saw me, she stood up quickly, her eyes lighting up as if we hadn’t seen each other in years. I sighed internally, already tired of the situation. It didn’t matter what she said, I could see her real intentions."Why did you come here?" I asked, making no effort to hide my irritation.She pursed her lips, feigning offense. "What? Do you not welcome me anymore?" Her voice was laced with false innocence."It’s just that you didn’t mention anything beforehand." I didn’t care to sugarcoat it."Why? Do you think I came here for you?" she snapped, raising her chin defiantly. "I came for Zara. My life doesn’t revolve around yours, you know. This is work."My gaze
Up on the balcony, I stood alone, staring out at the darkened sky. The cool air did little to soothe the turmoil in my chest. I felt Zara approach behind me, her presence calming, but still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.She broke the silence with a small laugh. "Kayden, can I ask you something?"I didn’t turn, but I listened as she spoke."It’s a primary school math problem," she continued. "If a man takes five minutes to shower and a woman takes half an hour, how long will it take them to shower together?"I blinked, confused by the sudden change in topic. I didn’t answer, but she went on."Person A says, ‘Fool, it’s half an hour because the time overlaps.’ But Person B says, ‘Idiot, it depends on how long the man can last!’"I sputtered, caught off guard by the joke. Turning to look at her, I saw her face flush slightly, her smile wide. She was trying to make me laugh, trying to lighten the mood."You’re a fool," I muttered, shaking my head, but I couldn’t help the smile
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