<h4>Chapter 41: pped</h4>


    <strong>**************</strong>


    <strong>Chapter 41</strong>


    <strong>~Zara’s POV~</strong>


    "Mr. ke," Snow greeted coldly. "I wasn’t aware we had a meeting scheduled." He shot me a re.


    ke didn’t flinch, rather, he straightened his back, smirking slightly. "I thought I’d drop by to get a feel for things firsthand. And Zara here was just filling me in on the details."


    I could feel the tension thickening in the room. Snow’s posture was rigid, his jaw clenched tight as his gaze briefly flicked over to me before returning to ke.


    "Well," Snow drawled in an icily polite tone. "I handle the majority of business decisions for Aurora Conglomerate. Perhaps we can reschedule for a more formal meeting?"


    From the way ke’s eyeszily moved between us, I could tell he already guessed there was a lot of tension between Snow and me.


    He stood up, smoothing his jacket down. "Of course. I’ll let you two... discuss. Zara, it was a pleasure. I’ll be in touch." He gave me a nod before walking out, leaving me with an uneasy and enraged boss.


    As soon as the door clicked shut, Snow turned to me, his eyes zing. "Care to exin?"


    Here we were? I stood, crossed my arms, feeling defensive. "I was securing an alternative option. Marcus is dragging his feet, and ke is more than capable."


    Snow took a step closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "Is that all?" I lifted my eyes, expecting a sensible exnation when he sprouted out insults. "Or are you eagerly unting your beauty and chasing men? Tell me, Zara, are you so insatiable?"


    ’The Actual Fuck!’


    My fingers balled at my side, anger swirling into little fists, controlling the urge to smack him across the cheek.


    "What? You suddenly be too small or innocent for those kinds of words or..." The sound echoed loudly to cause an uproar from Snow. I did it. I pped Snow before I could control myself.


    His eyes seemed to have seen stars as they red daggers in my direction.


    To my surprise, Snow didn’t do or say anything and the tension seemed to have spiked, but I didn’t care anymore.


    I may be working for him, but that didn’t give him the right to speak to me in such a manner.


    "Zara," he said after some time. I could see his fist clench and unclench. Good, he felt it.


    "Snow." My breathing ragged as I waited for him to spew more nonsense, probably words like, you’re fired, but he didn’t.


    My palm still stung from the impact, but it was nothingpared to the fury zing in Snow’s eyes. He stared at me, stunned, his expression unreadable at first, and then a slow, dangerous smile crept onto his lips.


    "You’ll be punished," he said, his voice calm yet seething with restrained anger. He waited for me to say something, but I didn’t.


    Just as he was about to leave, I responded, ring at him, my breathing ragged. "I’m counting on it," I shot back, but the tremor in my voice betrayed the adrenaline racing through me.


    Snow halted in his steps, his eyes narrowing on me as if to ask what the hell was wrong with this woman—like I were a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve.


    His breathing came in measured, and he finally spoke. "You don’t make deals without consulting me first, Zara. That’s not how this works."


    "I was trying to help. Something you’d have noticed if you weren’t so..." I snapped, my frustration bubbling over. "I’m not some pawn you can push around, Snow. I can make decisions too."


    He stared at me, his eyes darkening with something I couldn’t quite ce—anger, jealousy, possession.


    "You’re mine, Zara," he whispered through gritted teeth. "Stop pushing me."


    My breath hitched at his words, the intensity in his gaze making my heart race. But I wasn’t about to back down. Not after everything.


    "And you don’t get to control me. I am not your toy, Snow," I shot back, my voice trembling slightly as the weight of his stare bore down on me.


    The tension between us was thick. Snow leaned in closer. "You’re ying with fire, Zara. And you’re going to get burned."


    I swallowed hard, trying to keep myposure. But the truth was, every word he said sent shivers down my spine, and for a brief moment, I wondered if I’d really be burnt.


    Before I could respond, Snow stormed out of the office without another word, mming the door shut behind him.


    As soon as he was gone, the weight of what had just happened hit me. My knees buckled, and I sank into the chair behind my desk, my chest heaving with anger, regret, and confusion.


    What the hell had I done?


    I stared at my shaking hands. I had pped Snow. The CEO of Aurora. My... husband.


    The realization settled in like a cold, sinking stone in the pit of my stomach. Sure, he deserved it after the way he’d spoken to me—insinuating I was some sort of attention-seeking flirt. But now, in the silence of the aftermath, I couldn’t help but feel... guilty.


    My breath hitched as I tried to justify my actions to myself. He had pushed me too far, insulted me, questioned my loyalty—questioned me, my work, and my motives.


    But...


    I felt Astrid’s disapproving stare in my mind.


    And then I remembered the look in Storm’s eyes before he stormed out. There was more there than anger. He felt betrayed.


    I stood up, pacing the length of my office, reying the events ofst night in my mind. Ivan. Of course, this was about him. Snow was still angry that I’d even entertained a conversation with Ivan. He had seen it as some sort of betrayal, and I hadn’t bothered to exin. That must have driven him to act out today.


    I paused, leaning against the cool surface of the window as I stared out at the city. But why hadn’t I exined myself to Snow? Was it pride? Fear? Maybe both.


    "Damn it," I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temples. I had handled this all wrong, and now I was tangled up in a mess of my own making.


    But what now? Snow had left, and I knew he wouldn’t let this go. And as much as I hated to admit it, I had crossed a line. He wasn’t going to forgive me so easily.


    The source of this c??ntent is fre??w(e)bn(o)vel