《The Billionaire鈥檚 Creed》


 Chapter 1

    ADLEY


    What¡¯s wrong with me?


    This guy was attractive, had a good sense of humor, and we were into the same music and food. Yet, it didn¡¯t feel right.


    I pulled away and stepped back. I could still taste the beer he had drunk. I could still feel my lips tingling as a reminder that he was a good kisser.


    We had met in a bar earlier tonight. After a few drinks, he took me to his ce, and he didn¡¯t initiate until I told him it was okay. His apartment was pretty decent, and there were no signs of a red g.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His hands were cupped around my face.


    With my eyes still closed, I sighed, disappointed with myself. I honestly didn¡¯t know what was wrong with me. I hadn¡¯t had a boyfriend for a year now. That was why I tried going out there like every lonely woman should.


    I bit my lip as I opened my eyes to look at him. His brows met together as he looked down at me. He was tall, towering my five foot and two inches with four inches added, thanks to Louboutin.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I sighed again.


    ¡°Are we moving too fast?¡±


    I shook my head, trying to pull myself together. I didn¡¯t want to sound rude, but here came the cliche part. ¡°It¡¯s just. It¡¯s me. I haven¡¯t dated in a while, and I¡¯m not usually like this. I don¡¯t rush things. I¡¯m not spontaneous like other women-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to exin.¡± He ced his hands on my arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I made you ufortable.¡±


    ¡°No. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°Okay. We can just sit, watch a movie, and get to know each other.¡± His suggestion should have made me rx, at least because it showed how gentlemanly he was.


    When the situation became awkward, I smoothed my hands over my dress. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t. How about a rain check? Give me your number, and I¡¯ll call you next weekend.¡±


    He smiled and said ruefully, ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I will, Knox.¡± I pulled out my phone from my purse and gave it to him.


    While he typed his number, he said, ¡°If you need anything. It doesn¡¯t have to be sexual. Call me or hit me up.¡±


    I managed to ster a smile on my face and dialed his number so that he could have mine saved. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Let me call you a cab.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    ¡°The least I could do, Adley. Is Adley your real name?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°See you.¡±


    My face was burning as I walked out of his apartment. I was over my ex. He¡¯d moved on as well. When my best friend, ze, told me to start living like a single woman, I agreed because I realized I missed out on a lot of things.


    I¡¯d been busy working for mypany from the ground for almost two years, and my ex dumped me because I was too swamped with the home design business.


    I pushed the elevator button with my stomach in a knot. I felt terrible for what I did, but I couldn¡¯t force myself to do something I was ufortable with. I couldn¡¯t push myself to be someone I was not. And change wouldn¡¯t happen overnight.


    I was not against hookups, but maybe, I was not that person.


    I pressed the button to the lobby. When the elevator door slid close, someone just slipped in.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    I stepped aside.N?velDrama.Org content.


    I was alone in the elevator until a giant man in a suit joined me, interrupting my thoughts. Before I could finish my contemtion, he must be eyeing me up and down as I could feel him standing still, watching me. His stare was unsettlingly direct and unwavering. And something tickled my nose like an expensive woodsy and pine.


    ¡°Not a talker, eh.¡± His voice was deep and sharp, like someone used tomand and order around.


    I was sure he was talking to me, considering it was just the two of us in the elevator.


    ¡°Do I have to say something?¡± I replied as I nced up at the man. His chestnut brown eyes focused on me. His thick dark eyebrows nted. He had a five o¡¯clock shadow that added sharpness to his jaw. And I tried hard not to notice his strong jawline and cleft chin.


    ¡°Ah, it didn¡¯t go well.¡± He released a shortugh. There was a hint of amusement in his voice, which irritated me.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I pierced my eyes like aser beam at him.


    He slipped his hands into his pockets and shrugged. ¡°It didn¡¯t take a lot of time. You don¡¯t look exhausted, and there¡¯s no glow on your cheeks.¡±


    I swallowed in an effort to collect my thoughts, trying not to get his remarks under my skin. He was a stranger, and he should not affect me. It was my decision to leave when I could have a little fun.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± My stomach rolled violently.


    He chuckled. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just admit he¡¯s a lousyy?¡±


    ¡°And let me guess, you are good in bed.¡± I shot back, irritation dripping my sole existence as I shot him a harsh look. ¡°And you just came out from your meal of the night, and the next thing you¡¯d say, the best night of her life. Yeah, maybe I didn¡¯t sleep with him because that was my decision, and if you have a n on saying another word, I¡¯m gonna gouge your eyes out, jerk. Life doesn¡¯t revolve around sex, and our lives don¡¯t revolve around a man like you, asshole.¡±


    He turned to face me with the most intense look causing a chill to race down my spine. When I thought I should feel panicked as he would do something to corner me, pin me against the elevator wall, and hurt me, but it did not happen. Instead, his body shook until he burst outughing.


    I almost jumped. My heart hammered in my chest.


    His eyes glittered. His perfect teeth were white and natural. His espresso hair needed a haircut and was in disarray from his wild night with whoever was the luckiest woman.


    With wide eyes, I was stunned to say something and, at the same time, pissed at this awfully intrusive stranger- a strikingly attractive stranger, if I may add.


    He then abruptly stopped. He traveled his gaze from my eyes to my lips and down to my chest. The intensity caused my spine to stiffen.


    I was wearing a V-neck dress. I was not as tall as a model, but I was happy with the ss hour figure. I may not have butt as the Kardashians, but mine was natural.


    ¡°His loss.¡±


    ¡°I said if you something- ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna gouge my eyes out. I heard you. It was not an insult. Your gorgeous, and I would totally-¡±


    Thankfully the elevator dinged. The door slid open before I could poke his- well, to be honest, he was dangerously handsome in an annoying way, especially when he smiled. He was the kind of man you would second look at and daydream of being with him under your sheets. Maybe if I was too bold and met him in the bar, but I wasn¡¯t. And this guy screamed danger with yboy persona written all over his face and would break your heart and not care.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Go to hell.¡± I walked out of the elevator.


    ¡°I already am, baby.¡± I knew he was following me, or we both went in the same direction.


    I quickened my pace, but considering how tall he was, he didn¡¯t need an effort if he wanted to catch me. Still, I ignored him out of annoyance.


    Thankfully, it didn¡¯t take long to hail a cab. The exorbitantly handsome even waved his hand and said goodbye.


    ***


    ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡±


    I poured coffee into my mug, ignoring ze behind me. ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°Or you just chickened outst night.¡± He helped himself with the coffee pot before he joined me on the ind.


    ¡°Both. Then, there was this elevator guy who¡¯s a total jerk.¡± The word guy was even offensive to him because he was nothing like that. He was a man-an extraordinaire with an outstanding ego.


    His blue eyes prated mine. ¡°What do you mean? Who¡¯s the elevator guy?¡± He was the one who encouraged me to get a life as if my biological clock was running out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know and don¡¯t care. Sost night, I met a guy. He¡¯s kind, and we clicked right away. We went to his apartment, and we started kissing. Then suddenly, it felt like I was cheating on someone. I felt terrible. He still gave me his number even if he said it himself that I wouldn¡¯t call him. He said if I need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to call me, even if not a booty call.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad. It happens when you¡¯re holding up on something. It doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s kind; he¡¯s the right guy. You know when he is the right one for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not looking for a rtionship.¡± I grabbed myptop and checked my email.


    ¡°You¡¯re not looking for a fling either.¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°I want a fling, but maybe, he¡¯s looking for a rtionship. That¡¯s why it didn¡¯t work outst night.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. You will still go out on Friday. Anyway, we have a client.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°I already set up a meeting. And guess who¡¯s our client?¡±


    ¡°A rich old man with a terribly gone wrong botox just got married to an attractive social media influencer around my age in one of the resorts in Chile?¡±


    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s Mr. Creed.¡±

 Chapter 2

    MYKEL


    She¡¯s fucking hot!


    Stunning. Exquisite.


    Before the situation became awkward, I made my point and left the woman after our quick sex. I was a one-night kind of guy. Most people knew that. I was a busy person; making my own empire and rtionship was not my priority for the next ten years or more. Of course, a man still had needs once and a while. I was still a human in need of a woman¡¯s touch.


    Then I saw someone walking out of Knox¡¯s apartment. I was even shocked to discover that the woman I had with was living just next door, but I had no time to back out and change my mind. She made me hard, and she was a willingy.


    In the next second, I was following the woman. She was short to be my type, even if she wore fuck-me-high-heels, but damn. There was something about her that triggered something inside me. I couldn¡¯t take a good look at her face, but I knew by heart she was stunning, like a million-dor piece of art. The more it got old, the more the value became pricey.


    My heart began racing as I joined her in the elevator. I was immediately hit with the scent of her. Her smell was like an expensive perfume, and I knew when I smelled one.


    The fascinating woman looked delicate and ssy in a red V-neck dress that hugged her curves in the right ces. She may not have a body like a model, but for me, she was perfect. I knew a woman¡¯s body pretty well. I had a pretty share of models and celebrities, but this one was different in so many ways, making her more intriguing, sophisticated, and remarkable.


    But my mouth and my brain did not y along pretty well.


    When she started talking, her voice was sexy as I had imagined, and it was toote to y nice. But the good part had yet toe-she didn¡¯t have any idea who I was.


    After she left in the cab, I took a photo of the license te and sent it to Sax Ryder, my bodyguard.


    My phone vibrated right away after the message was sent.


    ¡°What do you want me to do with this, boss?¡± he asked as a greeting.


    ¡°Ask for thest passenger¡¯s address. A woman. Tell them you have to return something she left in your apartment.¡±


    ¡°Do I need to pick you up?¡±


    ¡°No. Find out who the woman is and report it to me as soon as you find something.¡± Because somehow, I felt like I knew her.


    ¡°Got it. Do you want me to return what she left?¡±


    ¡°No. She didn¡¯t leave anything.¡±


    There was a few seconds of silence before he replied, ¡°I see. I¡¯ll call you soon, boss.¡±


    ¡°Good. Thanks.¡±


    As soon as I arrived at my penthouse, I received the info I was asking for. I didn¡¯t know how Sax found out about her quickly. Needless to say, I was impressed with his resourcefulness.


    ¡°Adley Xael Kross.¡± Her name was as sweet as a vintage wine. ¡°Kross, huh? What a small world.¡± A smirk spread across my lips.


    I quickly searched her name on social media, where you could easily find everyone you wanted to look for. I found her right away. Her personal ount was not yet verified, but her business ount was.


    I felt like I had just found the golden pot at the rainbow¡¯s end.


    I dialed my assistant. I didn¡¯t usually barge her at this hour, but I needed a huge favor, and it couldn¡¯t wait. It had been long overdue, and now it was a perfect time.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Elise, I know I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I made sure there was ace of guilt in my voice.


    ¡°Do you want me to drive you home?¡± She sounded like she had just woken up, and I felt guilty even more. Elise was one of the first people I hired into my wing. She was like a sister I never had with whom I could share my secrets and heartaches, and she wouldn¡¯t judge.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m already home. But I want you to hire someone to design the office here in my loft.¡±


    ¡°I thought you don¡¯t want an office and bring your work home.¡±


    ¡°I changed my mind. I know I mostly worked on myptop when I was home, but I realize an officees in handy, and it¡¯s not such a bad idea, is it?¡± I didn¡¯t know why I had to exin, maybe because I had something up on my sleeves.


    ¡°You came up with this idea just right now, at this time?¡± She groaned.


    ¡°I know we had an agreement. Note-night calls, but you can do this in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t it wait until morning?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elise.¡±


    ¡°Save the guilt trip. It¡¯s fine. Anyway, I know good interior designers. I¡¯d been following them on their IG business ount. Just tell me if you have any specific instructions, ideas, or price margin?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be there to suggest.¡±


    ¡°Why? Since when do you have time, I¡¯m-a-busy-capitalist-no-time-for-bs?¡±


    I chucked. ¡°It¡¯s personal to me.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Call you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hire interior designers. I got it covered. Sending you the link.¡± I sent it to her email.


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Secondster, she sounded surprised. ¡°What the hell?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°How did you find K&B Designs?¡±


    ¡°You know it?¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Creed. They¡¯re the one I was talking about,¡± she said gleefully. ¡°They work magic. And you¡¯d love your new home office. Trust me.¡±


    Well, what a coincidence, right? I might believe in destiny bullshit after all. ¡°I guess we have the same taste then. See youter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting paid on the weekend, Creed.¡±


    ¡°Fine, little bully.¡±


    ***


    I had just received a message from Elise that she was on her way, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see the reaction on Adley¡¯s face upon seeing me after calling me namesst night.


    If I was being honest, I deserved it. I just thought Knox didn¡¯t deserve her. So did I. And I was thest person she should think about sleeping with, but I was a greedy and selfish bastard. So either she had me, or she would remain single for the rest of her life. And this was just the beginning.


    My doorbell just went off.

 Chapter 3

    MYKEL


    Elise had a key to my penthouse, but she always rang the doorbell when I was home. Even if she knew I would never bring women to my loft, she still respected my privacy. That was why I cared about her a lot.


    ¡°Morning.¡± She ced the bag I bought for her on the lounge chair before showing me my schedule on the iPad. I was generous to my employees, especially her and my security details, Sax and Kye.


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°I moved your meeting on Monday evening to the afternoon so you can have time to rest before your flight to LA.¡± She sent it to my phone.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a long flight, Elise.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t want you toin of not getting enough sleep, and you¡¯re a terrible boss when you¡¯recking it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna stand in front of the UN councils. This is your idea, remember? Addressing and encouraging the youth to work for their future.¡± I quoted in the air.


    ¡°It means a lot to me. I just don¡¯t want you to change your mind.¡±


    ¡°I know, and I won¡¯t. You know I never back down once I¡¯mmitted to something. And I¡¯ve been a college student once. I got this.¡± Her idea of epting an invitation to speak in front of the senior student was not a bad PR. ¡°And I have a business meeting after that, anyway.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Another doorbell interrupted us.


    ¡°That¡¯s them.¡± She strutted toward the door in a lively manner.


    I waited for them to walk in, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see Adley as she shot me her sarcastic remark.


    ¡°Thanks foring on such short notice. I really admire your works and have been your follower since you did my friend¡¯s apartment. I thought it was gorgeous. He loves it, and his wife couldn¡¯t stop babbling to her friends about your designs.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s so kind of her. They let us do the magic, and we were d she loved it.¡± Adley was wearing a pair of boyfriend jeans and a white shirt. Her wavy copper brown lock was tied in a bun with a few loose strands, showing her delicate slim neck, and she¡¯d never looked more appealing to me.


    Then a guy just joined them-the business partner. ¡°We¡¯re happy to make your dream officee true.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have to worry, right? I was sure he was not into her, or Adley was too naive to notice if he was interested. Did he know Adley went out on a datest night? I bet he did.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to meet my boss. It¡¯s his office you¡¯re gonna do your magic with.¡±


    They made their way. The business partner was still busy checking out the paintings on the wall.


    ¡°You?¡± Okay, I was expecting that reaction. Her big sterling eyes grew bigger as she instantly recognized me, reminding me of a stormy sky.


    ¡°Adley, right?¡± I closed our gap, extending out my hand.


    Just as I imagined, she red at me, not even caring at my hand in the air waiting for her soft, delicate, and small palm for a handshake.


    ¡°I¡¯m her business partner, ze Burns. Nice to meet you in person, Mr. Creed.¡± The bastard interrupted us instead, shaking my hand.


    ¡°Mykel is fine.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hart, I¡¯m sorry to have wasted your time. I may have overlooked our calendar, but we are fully booked for the whole month. I can give a few preferences for interior designers, though.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ze held her arm as he stared at Adley in confusion. I was an ass to herst night, and she didn¡¯t definitely expect to see me sooner again. I wasn¡¯t surprised if she turned me down, even if I was going to be a big client.


    ¡°Adley, can we talk?¡± He then looked at me apologetically. ¡°Please, give us a minute.¡±


    When they were at the corner, they whispered and hissed at each other. Elise came, throwing me a quizzical look.


    Before she could ask something, I knew she would. I told her first. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then why did she act so shocked and about to punch you in the face?¡±


    ¡°Long story-¡±


    ¡°The elevator guy? The jerk you were talking about is him?¡±


    Elise chuckled beside me. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°The jerk, the elevator guy is here.¡± I waved my hand.


    Adley¡¯s heart-shaped face reddened in annoyance, making her cheekbones more pronounced. I couldn¡¯t remember thest time a woman had left me so amazed, and I had never encountered such a woman who never batted hershes at me. She¡¯s something. And I couldn¡¯t wait to watch her work in my office.


    Damn, even her re was sexy. And I was losing my shit over here.


    ¡°I¡¯ll double the payment, or you can name your price.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need your money. We offer our service, and you will pay the same as our previous clients.¡±Of course, I know money is not an issue for her.


    ¡°Very well then.¡±


    ¡°Let me show you the office.¡± Elise offered ze.


    When we were inside, I watched Adley as she looked around the in white room, and ze started measuring the four corners from end to end.


    ¡°Would you like to incorporate the color and designs from your living room, Mr. Creed?¡±


    ¡°I have enough with the living room. How about you, Adley? What would you like to suggest?¡±


    She stopped scribbling something on her notes before she lifted her gaze and looked at me. A frown line was still deep on her forehead. ¡°I have a lot of ideas. You see, Mr. Creed, a home reflects the personality of a person living in it. I can do that for you if you want.¡±


    A smile spread across my lips voluntarily. ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    From the corner of my eye, ze was giving her a signal.


    ¡°ze, care to show me some color schemes?¡± I reminded myself to give Elise a bonus and maybe, another designer bag she adored.


    ¡°Sure. Follow me.¡±


    ze and Elise left the room. Adley suddenly shifted, aware of the fact that we were alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna do something stupid likest night. This is a professional courtesy.¡± I had waited for her to throw her sarcasm, but it did not happen.


    ¡°You do not seem surprised by me showing up in your penthouse. You handpicked me to do this job, didn¡¯t you?¡± She shot back, annoyance dripping from her lovely face.


    ¡°Busted.¡± I smirked.


    ¡°Now tell me what you want? First is the style. You can choose from minimalist, modern, electric, traditional-¡±


    ¡°Do what you want? The budget is limitless. And maybe it¡¯s a good idea to reflect on my personality. How about over dinner? So that you can get to know me well.¡±


    For a sophisticated woman like Adley Kross, I knew it would not work. She ignored my invitation. ¡°What color do you not like to incorporate?¡±


    ¡°Pink, yellow.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, maybe, I would mix it, Mr. Creed.¡± She tried to hide her smile, but it slipped eventually.


    ¡°And don¡¯t even try. You¡¯re gonna have to redo it. Unless you intend to see my face again.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m doing this because you are our client. Nothing more.¡±


    I followed her as she walked out. ¡°Nothing more?¡±


    She paused, turning around. ¡°I¡¯m still thinking of gouging your eyes out, Mr. Creed. So be careful with the words you¡¯re going to say next, or you might find your office in a Peppa Pig theme.¡±


    ¡°Call me Mykel.¡±

 Chapter 4

    ADLEY


    Fate hates me.


    I was looking forward to this project when ze told me who our client was. And honestly, I was picturing an old bald billionaire in my head, not this jerk who made fun of my non-existence sexual life.


    Despite our not-so-great second encounter, I couldn¡¯t say no to clients because of our little dispute. I was taught to be better than that. And he would be our biggest client so far-a billionaire.


    I knew what it would do to our business-boosting thepany¡¯s image in return.


    ¡°What really happenedst night? Did Mr. Creed sexually assault you?¡± ze still looked perplexed.


    A girl could hope to be touched by those big hands, but that was not the point.¡±Nothing happened. He did not do something like that.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not gonna tell me, are you?¡± I knew what was in his head. His eyes may be focused on the road, but his mind was running a mile.


    ze was driven by his goal as I was. It was just the two of us when we started this business. We kept in mind that client was client no matter their social status. We loved what we did, and my bruised ego would not be the hitch of getting a big client like Mykel Creed.


    ¡°It¡¯s just my fragile ego. That¡¯s all.¡± Whatever issue I had with Mykel, we had to set it aside until this project was over.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay to work for his office?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Nice of you to ask. But he¡¯s not the most difficult client we¡¯ve had. Remember the brat from the upper east side?¡±


    ze scoffed. ¡°How could I?¡±


    ¡°And on Mr. Creed¡¯s side, he¡¯s targeting me because he thinks I¡¯m overreacting and sensitive. But don¡¯t worry, I got this.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I want your mind one hundred percent on this project.¡± ze knew me pretty well, considering we¡¯d been best friends since college. ¡°And no hidden agenda.¡±


    ¡°Tempting. I just told him that I might.¡± Iughed.


    ze narrowed at me before he parked the car in front of our office.


    ¡°It was just a joke,¡± I added.


    ¡°Make sure you won¡¯t put it on the motion.¡± He gave me a look one more time before he hopped out of the car.


    For most of the day in the office, I focused on sketching ideas on the iPad since Mykel would not be avable until Tuesday. Before we left his impressive penthouse, he made sure to be part of the brainstorming and decision-making despite giving me the trust of the design.


    ***


    On Tuesday, I walked into the Creed Tower. My team had sent him a copy of the design I made yesterday. Instead, he emailed my personal email with three words; Tuesday, 10:00, Office. Like seriously?


    ¡°I have an appointment with Mr. Creed at ten. It¡¯s Adley Kross with K.¡±


    ¡°Give me a minute.¡± The petite receptionist barely looked at me as she checked the monitor screen. ¡°Sorry, Miss Kross, you¡¯re not in his schedule.¡±


    My brows met together. ¡°Can you double-check it, please?¡±


    She then lifted her gaze. She was no younger than me, and I knew how hard to get a job at a billion-dorpany like this. Good thing she did it again.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Kross.¡± She looked apologetic. ¡°But you¡¯re not on his appointment. I can reschedule you for an appointment if you want. Just give me yourpany name.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Thanks.¡± My jaw clenched as I turned and dialed Elise.


    She picked up right away. ¡°Hey, Miss Kross. How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for picking up. Your boss, Mr. Creed, sent me an email saying Tuesday, ten a. m, office. And I am here at the reception right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boy.¡± She sighed over the phone as if she knew her boss too well.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for this. The office he mentioned ishispenthouse office. He just left five minutes ago. Let me call Sax and help you out.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I hung up the phone.


    Not so long, Sax, or the bald man in a suit, came to me with a broad smile. ¡°Can I help you with that, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks.¡± I was carrying my handbag and my tote. It was a little bit heavy, but I could do this for work¡¯s sake.


    We walked into the parking lot. When he asked to drive me to the penthouse, I didn¡¯t resist.


    Mykel¡¯s private elevator looked cozy and smelled musk. Everything about this man screamed the dor sign.


    We entered the same door, and he led me to the office we were working on.


    ¡°Thank you, Sax.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, ma¡¯am.¡±


    I knocked as soon as Sax left. A deep voice behind the door, which I recognized was Mykel¡¯s, said toe in.


    I pushed the door open, and I stood frozen instantly. I tried hard to hide my shock to see him sitting on the nket on the floor with a basket, some tes, two sses, and a bottle of red wine. He only wore a simple dark blue shirt and slim straight jeans, yet he looked sexy, making me droll.


    Have mercy.


    My mind told me to turn and walk away, but ze¡¯s angry face sprung into my head.


    I looked away and drew in a deep breath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get that idea in your head. I¡¯m hungry. I barely slept from the flightst night. Then I woke upte and thought I would work from home instead. Come in.¡±


    ¡°Next time, if you will send me an email, be specific. Your email signature is way longer than the body. Text me instead.¡± I released a weighted breath as I walked in.


    ¡°d to hear there¡¯s a next time. And noted, I will text you.¡± I ignored the amusement in his voice.


    ¡°You can just ask your assistant to email me if you are too busy to do it yourself.¡±


    ¡°I can always spare my time for you, but I don¡¯t wanna give you the impression of a malicious idea like what happened in the elevator,¡± he stated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it,¡± I replied as I ced my things on the floor.


    ¡°Join me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks. I had breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Wine? It¡¯s rude to decline a wine, Adley. I promise this ispletely work-rted.¡±


    I tried hard not to roll my eyes. I sighed. ¡°Fine, it¡¯s because you are my client.¡±


    I joined him in the nket. Like seriously, we were a few steps to his kitchen. He could eat there, or maybe he didn¡¯t want a stranger to be in his kitchen. Some people were very protective of their sanctuary. Maybe there were lots of memories that happened in there. Who knew.


    When I lifted my gaze, he was staring at me. His focus was directly on my eyes.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a busy person. Have you taken a look at the design I forwarded?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Impressive. You have a great talent for graphic design. Have you tried painting?¡± He looked at my hand wrapped around the wine ss.


    I swirled the dark red liquid before I lifted it into my nose. When I took a sip, I knew it was a 1995 Cabe. This guy knew his poison.


    A smile spread across his lips. Those lips were so full, and they had kissed a lot of women. My stomach began twisting up in knots as if reminding me he was a client. But the least to say, he was undeniably attractive. It even annoyed me.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± I asked as I waved away the thoughts in my head.


    ¡°You guessed it right.¡±


    ¡°Guess what right?¡±


    ¡°The wine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a connoisseur.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, Adley. You did not answer my question.¡±


    ¡°No, and I don¡¯t paint.¡± I sipped again. I stopped after I went to college. My kind of family had no time for art. As rebellious as I was, I still chose another path and stayed away from the family business.


    I looked at Mykel, really looked at him to see if he knew something about me. All I could see was a yful side of him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Anything I should revise, change colors, furniture. And the executive desk, I gave you choices.¡± I pulled out my copy from my tote.


    ¡°If you were to be in this office, is there anything you want to change personally?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d choose the dark ss top desk.¡± I showed it to him.


    He barely looked at it before he agreed, ¡°Then, it is.¡±


    ¡°Decor? Curtains, shelves, sofa set-or you could use your connection to order in a French luxury brand, or do you prefer Italian leather? Just remind me the exact measurement.¡±


    ¡°Do your magic. Elise told me that you¡¯re good at what you do.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. It means a lot. Why us, though? And it looks like the rest of your penthouse is fully furnished but this one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a hardworking person, but I always believed that I won¡¯t bring work home. I usually worked with myptop on the kitchen ind and was okay with that for almost a year. I kept telling myself that I won¡¯t need a home office, but maybe, in this case, it just told me that it was about time to get one.¡±


    ¡°Lucky me, I guess. I mean ourpany,¡± I corrected right away.


    ¡°Lucky me, too.¡±


    Silent stretched between us. For the first time, I ran out of things to say. So I scrambled to my feet. Mykel did the same, dusting off his jeans. When I picked up my tote, he called my name.


    ¡°About the other night-¡±


    ¡°Forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Then why do I feel that there¡¯s a huge barrier between us. Like you built your walls so high when you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°This is me when I am at work.¡±


    ¡°Making your client not trust you, or just me that you don¡¯t trust?¡±


    ¡°Thest time I checked, our clients were satisfied with the oue.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s just me then.¡± His words sent a pang of strange guilt into my chest. ¡°Maybe because we started on a wrong foot.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, forgotten. It was just a wrong approach and wrong response.¡±


    ¡°So, are we good?¡± He extended his hand.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I turned around and walked to the door.


    Before I could grab the brass handle, he had already pressed his hand against the door. ¡°We¡¯re not, Adley.¡±


    His words jolted me out of my trance. Considering how tall he was, he was overshadowing me, and with his perfume tickling my nose, I could sense him everywhere.


    He¡¯d crossed my little space.


    I knew it wasn¡¯t a good idea, but I had to end this. I did my best to gather my wits before I turned to face him. I met his gaze, and he was staring back at me with an intensity that my chest felt as if it had been set on fire.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. If you¡¯re not, that¡¯s your problem. I work just fine with the project, and since I get what I want to finish what I started, we don¡¯t have to see each other again. If you have a problem with how I handle this, you can just cancel the contract.¡±


    He looked pissed, and that made the two of us. No matter how hard I tried to be polite and professional, I was losing my patience. I handled difficult clients before because it was part of an upational hazard. This time was different, and he would not just let it go.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯re good, Adley. You hate me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to like you to work with you. In a few days, we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Suit yourself.¡±

 Chapter 5

    MYKEL


    Damn it. She¡¯s a pain in the ass. Or I am.


    She was so headstrong, and nothing seemed could break her. I knew she was attracted to me, and she was doing a bang-up job fighting it and staying professional as fuck.


    I was fucked in the head. What was I thinking? I¡¯d never been attracted to anyone before that I was willing to jeopardize the trust of a hardworking woman. I admired her tenacity, though, and it pissed me off at the same time.


    What couldn¡¯t a few days of work wait? Then I would ask her out, and she had no reason to say no when our working rtionship was over. The billion-dor question was, would she ept it?


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you have time to drink.¡± Dash Chandler joined me in the VIP lounge at Night Stalker Club. He had been my best friend since college. We invested in one of our friends, Crypto and NFT Games, and we were both risk-takers regarding investments.


    ¡°For you? Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Cut the shit,¡± Dash called out for his drink. Thanks to one of my friends, Pyke, the staff knew us. I also invested in his business. He was the club owner-a reformed yboy and now, happily married.


    Sometimes, I thought of my future ten or fifteen years from now, but I didn¡¯t see myself happily married to someone.


    ¡°Mykel, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± He arched an inquisitive brow before his frown line deepened.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m free tonight, so I thought, why not have a drink with you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been best friends for ten years. I know you through and through. So just cut the shit, and tell me what¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s not about the dip in the Crypto, is it?¡±


    I shook my head and let go of a shaky breath. ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but who¡¯s the lucky woman?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, not liking the sound of it. ¡°No one.¡±


    Heughed heartily, grabbing his drink from the barkeep. ¡°Thanks, man.¡±


    I cursed under my breath.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t slept with her, but you like her a lot, and let me guess, she likes you, too, but she does not like your rep. How am I doing so far?¡±


    The uneasiness roiling in my stomach turned to dread when I realized Dash was right. Did she search for my name online? I hope not.


    Oh, fuck me! I did not apologize.


    ¡°That look alone, you just realized something.¡±


    I red at Dash, frozen. His coffee-brown eyes were judgmental.


    I snorted and gulped my drink. ¡°I will get her in my bed, and she will fall hard in love with me in days.¡±


    ¡°If you like her this much, I¡¯m not liking the sound of your brain reeling, Mykel.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Remember Pyke? What happened to their sappy love story? He made a bet with Xandry. It didn¡¯t end pretty well.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to agree with me. But they ended up together. And we don¡¯t have to live happily ever after. I will just take her to bed. End of the story.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your best friend. You don¡¯t date, and rtionship is not in your vocabry. When she falls in love with you, what will you do afterward?¡±


    ¡°None of your business.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boy.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°You¡¯re gonna regret this.¡±


    I texted Elise after I left the club.


    ***


    I was swamped with work the entire morning. Adley probably received the flowers, but I did not receive anything from her regarding my apology.


    I knew she and ze were working tirelessly for the office. Tomorrow their work will be done, and there was no reason not to ask her out.


    I was exhausted, so I left the office early. As soon as I set foot in my penthouse, I threw myself on the couch. I was also starving, but I needed a power nap. I had a lot of things in my mind, but I couldn¡¯t put them into action when my body was deadbeat.


    I rubbed my temples and closed my eyes when I heard a familiar voice from a distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for thest package. It would be here in a minute. Don¡¯t wait for me. Have dinner. Love you. Bye.¡±


    Fuck. Adley was still here.


    I rose to my feet, cut through the hallway, and headed straight to the office. I halted to stop to see her scribbling on the notes in front of the box. She hadn¡¯t noticed my presence until I cleared my throat, which startled her.


    She looked shocked to see me. Those big eyes were gorgeous, and she had these bushy brows making her face more stunning.


    ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t mean to startle you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re home early.¡± She quickly shut her eyes closed, realizing that it sounded homey. When she opened them, she smiled politely. ¡°It came out wrong.¡±


    ¡°It came out perfectly fine to me.¡± Maybe it sounded exactly like it.


    ¡°Elise told me that you usually came homete. And thanks for letting us in without supervision.¡±


    ¡°I trust you. Can I help you with that?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m almost done. I¡¯ll be leaving in a few. And you could use a good shower and a nap.¡±


    I raised my arm to smell myself.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. You look exhausted. I don¡¯t know making billions is arduous.¡± She shut her notes closed.


    ¡°You have no idea. You¡¯re pretty hands-on yourself.¡± I leaned against the doorjamb.


    ¡°I just love to work to perfection. I don¡¯t like to hearints from the clients. Bad reviews are not good for business.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. Can I get you something to drink?¡±


    This time, she smiled genuinely. ¡°If it isn¡¯t too much, that would be great, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for thest box to arrive.¡±


    ¡°I heard you talking with someone over the phone.¡± I looked over my shoulder, and she was following me. ¡°If it takes a while, I could make us sandwiches.¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, but you could use one, though.¡±


    I smiled as we reached my kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m that look exhausted, huh?¡±


    ¡°I think it won¡¯t kill your business to get a good sleep once in a while. What¡¯s a billion-dor if you neglect your health.¡± I agreed with her. Sometimes, I missed the whole point of being filthy rich.


    ¡°It¡¯s fifteen billion, actually, but who¡¯s counting.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look surprised, and neither did I.


    I poured her a ss of red wine and offered it to her. I grabbed some ingredients for the sandwich from the fridge and started working on it.


    ¡°Where you from?¡±


    ¡°I grew up from here. I actually finished college at NYU.¡± Why wasn¡¯t I so surprised that she didn¡¯t know anything about me yet? But it was Adley Kross who seemed not to give a damn about my life.¡±You?¡±


    ¡°Born and raised here by my grandpa. My parents died in a ne crash when I was eight.¡±


    I stood frozen, and at the same time, it felt like a knife stabbed and twisted in my chest. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I should have known better.


    ¡°That was a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Are you and your grandpa closed?¡± I didn¡¯t miss noticing the change in her posture. It might be a sensitive topic, or she was trying to hide who she really was. ¡°Forget that I asked. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°I wish I was. My grandpa died hating my father. My father is a douchebag. My parents divorced, andter, my father knocked up his assistant. So, he and I are not closed. My mother ispassionate and old-schooled sometimes, and I love her with all my heart. She never wants to do anything with my money. The only thing she took was the house I gave her because she liked theke view.¡± I chuckled as I remembered how she cupped my face with her teary eyes and told me how proud she was.


    I ced a slice of sandwich on the te.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I was starving. I took a huge bite of my sandwich, and so did she. ¡°How long have you known ze?¡±


    ¡°Since college. He¡¯s the closest to a brother that I never had.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re living together?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, since we started K&B.¡±


    ¡°He seems a good guy.¡±


    ¡°He is.¡±


    ¡°And you told him about our elevator encounter.¡±


    Her face turned red as she grabbed the wine ss. She emptied and rose from the stool. ¡°Thanks for the wine and sandwich. They were lovely.¡±


    She turned to her feet and left me hanging.


    If this was how she wanted to y, then I could be the cat and she could be my mouse.


    Then I¡¯m in.

 Chapter 6

    ADLEY


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to judge.¡±


    I groaned in annoyance as I shut myptop close. ¡°Personal space, please?¡±


    ¡°Since when?¡± ze asked. ¡°I saw the look in your eyes, Adley. He¡¯s not bad. Actually, I admire that guy.¡±


    ¡°What kind of look exactly?¡± I breathed out. ze knew me well, and he definitely knew when I lied.


    ¡°You¡¯re being a judgmental queen.¡±


    I raised a brow. ¡°Really? I¡¯m not being judgmental. He¡¯s-¡±


    He pressed a finger on my lips. ¡°Stop right there. You can¡¯t judge someone for putting his passion and priority on top.¡±


    I grabbed his hands off. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Okay, denial queen. That guy started his empire from scratch. His father may be big-time, but nothingpares to what Mykel¡¯s have now. He¡¯s proven himself that not all the sons and heirs are brats. You of all the people should know that.¡±


    ¡°I was just trying to figure out his personality and maybe his businesses.¡± And personal life, which was not surprising for many women linked to him. Yay! I¡¯m officially a stalker.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. In his social status, you can¡¯t me him for being too careful and cynical. Besides, his parents are not together anymore. Being raised by a single mom made you think if a longsting rtionship exists. Get to know that man on your own. Don¡¯t trust what you saw and heard.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    ¡°And he has a half-brother. They are not closed, but they¡¯re in good terms that they¡¯re different.¡±


    I remembered Mykel mentioned his father knocking up someone. ¡°You seem to know a lot about him, huh?¡±


    ¡°Personally, no. Remember when we finished college and told you I wanted to work in designs.¡±


    I closed my eyes before I faced him. ¡°You wanted to work at hispany? Why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Specifically on Creed Technology. I don¡¯t know. I was about to apply for the job, but maybe that was not my calling.¡±


    ¡°You can always tell me when you decide to change the carrier path, ze. I would be happy for you.¡± I squeezed his hand.


    ¡°I know. I heard they¡¯re working on advancing the batteries for transportation. You should be surprised that Mykel is among many billionaires funding the biggest Green Hydrogen Project. That guy cares more about our than most of the loyal rich guys in the world. You just have to give yourself a chance to know him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the enlightenment.¡± My words came out sarcastic and bitter because ze might be right, and here I was judging his bluntness to the fault over my bruised ego. ¡°Our work will end tomorrow afternoon. Once we get paid, Mykel and Adley¡¯s cockfight is over. I won¡¯t see that cocky face ever again.¡±


    ¡°Your world and his are not so different after all, Adley. You¡¯d be surprised the next fundraising you¡¯ll be attending; he¡¯s standing next to you.¡± He snorted.


    ¡°Good thing grandpa-¡± My words were cut short when my phone vibrated on the coffee table.


    ¡°Speaking of the-¡±


    ¡°Why is he calling me?¡±


    ¡°Answer him to find out.¡±


    I blew a breath before I hit the answer button. ¡°How have you been, Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°I have an appointment with my doctor on Saturday.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me toe with you?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll be attending annual benefits for Canary on my behalf.¡±


    Oh, boy. I red at ze because I knew he could hear Grandpa talking from the other line. ¡°Can¡¯t your CMO, COO, or assistant attend on your behalf?¡±


    ¡°No. You are my granddaughter. Whether you like it or not, you are a Kross, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa-¡±


    ¡°No. If you want to continue with whatever you are doing, then do me a favor and attend the fundraising. Its profit is for the medical supplies of the local children¡¯s hospital. The car will pick you up at six. Don¡¯t bete.¡± He was not giving me a choice, was he?


    I defied him for not working in hispany-ourpany. I wanted to do something that I loved. He respected my decision even if he disagreed with my ns. He believed I would realize sooner,e to him, and work for him one day.


    ¡°Of course, Grandpa. I can¡¯t wait.¡± For the sake of the children.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± ze watched a frown fall against my face.


    ***


    We were almost done with the project. The sofa set he ordered wouldn¡¯t arrive until early next month, so my job felt iplete, but I loved the oue of the concept style we did. It was exactly what I wanted. The color schemeplemented perfectly, and the room was equipped withfortable and elegant furnishing that created a great working space and would allow him to rx at the same time.


    The floor-to-ceiling window was covered with remote control dark metallic blue curtain. I also did pay attention to a technical-function design with the arrangement not to overpower the room. With the lighting from the ceiling, I added threemps. I chose wrought iron and stainless brass steel for filing cabs and bookcases instead of the typical wood. To add a personal touch, I affixed his certificate, awards, and his antiques on the shelves, and as a person who loved our earth, I finished it with a green and eco-sustainable element-the nt.


    The office looked rich, but nothing overdone. It screamed luxury, functionality, and the man himself, Mykel Creed.


    ¡°Adley, I¡¯ll bring these things down. Do you need anything else?¡± Ste, one of my team, asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re done here. Thanks, Ste.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going with Adley. You can go home and bring those things to the office tomorrow.¡± Like always, ze never missed appreciating the hard work of everyone. ¡°Thanks, everyone. Good job.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, guys.¡±


    A few minutester, the main door opened while I checked the Canary fundraising website. The first to appear was Elise. She bore the same smile. It looked like Mykel was lucky to have an assistant like her.


    ¡°Hey, guys. Can¡¯t wait to see the office,¡± she said enthusiastically.


    Then the door closed without Mykel.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll like it,¡± ze said. He smiled at her, the kind of smile they looked forward to more after this. Interesting.


    ¡°Oh, we would.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your boss?¡± I asked. I couldn¡¯t help it. First, I was tired and wanted to go home and treat myself to a bubble bath. Second, I wanted this to be over, andstly, I wanted to find out if he wanted some changes.


    ¡°I came with my car. We had just wrapped up a meeting, and he said toe here immediately.¡± She went towards the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m sure you guys are tired, but it would be worth it. I have no idea what¡¯s in there, but I strongly feel he¡¯s gonna be amazed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very optimistic, while I suddenly feel nervous.¡±


    ze chuckled heartily. ¡°You? Since when?¡±


    ¡°Do you ept constructive criticism?¡± She poured wine.


    ¡°Yeah. Of course, I do when I know I can do better.¡± I grabbed a ss. I badly needed this to calm my nerves. I didn¡¯t know why all of a sudden, I felt nervous. I¡¯d been doing this for almost two years, and the revtion part always excited me. Not this time, though.


    ¡°He¡¯s more intofort than elegance. You see that leather couch over there?¡± Elise pointed at the living room. ¡°It doesn¡¯t cost a thousand dors, but he prefers that one to the one we have in our office.¡±


    ¡°For the love of God, Dru, don¡¯t push it because it¡¯s not happening. And I¡¯m swamped with work.¡± The door mmed close. ¡°I said no one. Nothing can change my mind. I have to go. I¡¯m meeting my friends. Bye.¡±


    Before I realized something, I was already walking toward him and asking, ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    He stopped, nced, and smiled at me. ¡°Yeah. That was my father on the phone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to tell me. It¡¯s none of my business.¡± I bit my bottom lip nervously. What was wrong with me?


    ¡°I still wanna tell you. He asked me to attend a family dinner. And as always, I declined for the hundredth time.¡±


    ¡°Correction, a million times,¡± Elise agreed.


    ¡°Probably,¡± he seconded.


    I felt conscious when he did not break his nce at me.


    ¡°Do you wanna see your office now?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he answered almost instantly. ¡°Please, lead the way.¡±


    We headed to the door of his office. ze had my wine in his hand while Elise offered her boss a whiskey.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    When I opened the door wide, he didn¡¯t say anything. He just walked in. His expression was neutral, not sad nor surprised. He didn¡¯t have displeasure on his face either. But I still felt like I had let him down.


    Well, I did my best. I made sure I did something distinctive to avoid derivatives. If he didn¡¯t like it, we had to redo it until he was satisfied.


    I squeezed ze¡¯s arm and mumbled, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± he mumbled back.


    Elise was giggling as she ran her fingers on the desk. ¡°Oh, my God.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    Mykel went to the chair and picked up the multipurpose remote. The moment he pressed a button on the screen, the curtain slid on both sides, revealing the skyscrapers and skyline around us. The city lights were magnificent.


    All I could see was his sigh, and he admired what was outside our work. A small smile spread across his lips before he faced us, making me release the air that had been stuck in my lungs for so long.


    ¡°I choose wrought iron and stainless steel brass panels over wooden shelves. I know you love the view. The curtain would also add excitement and privacy and maximize the natural light. Once the sofa set arrives, it will fill the missing area. Anything you¡¯d like us to change, rece, or remove?¡±


    ¡°I love the nt.¡± His smile widened.


    ¡°It¡¯s Dracaena, an air-purifying nt, and also low-maintenance.¡±


    ¡°To my new office.¡± He proposed a toast as he raised his ss.


    ¡°To your new office.¡± I raised my wine before I sipped it.


    Elise and ze retreated as if on cue, leaving Mykel and me alone. My heart started racing.


    ¡°You¡¯re good at this. You did a great job.¡± His voice was softer.


    ¡°I did not do this alone. I have a team.¡±


    ¡°Common, you did the design. I¡¯m sure ze shared his idea, but I saw the n you sent me. Just ept mypliments, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. And I don¡¯t wanna change a thing. This is perfect. I love the modern minimalism, technical function, and creativity you put into this. If there¡¯s one thing to say, you look good sitting at this desk. And you are the missing part.¡±

 Chapter 7

    MYKEL


    My father pissed me off. It was toote to fill the father of the year role.


    He¡¯d been so persistent in being in my life again when he knew I didn¡¯t need him anymore. He missed that chance a long time ago. When I needed him the most, he wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Mykel.¡± He extended his hand.


    ¡°Dru.¡± I shook his hand just for the sake of the formality and this event, and I couldn¡¯t change the fact that he was still the sperm donor.


    ¡°Lyra wants to meet you, Mykel. Give her a chance.¡±


    My temper sent roaring. The audacity. ¡°If she wants to see me, then you should bring her with you tonight. You know that I will be here. Will she be thest?¡±


    My father looked offended. I had known to have no filter. I would say it out loud if I wanted to express my feelings.


    ¡°I hope so. Look, son. I will always love your mother. She¡¯s your mother, but our marriage didn¡¯t work out. You have to respect our decisions.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want him mentioning my mom again. ¡°It wasn¡¯t mutual decisions, Dru. You left us. And I¡¯d better be out of your life. This wouldn¡¯t do good for both of us. I don¡¯t wanna be an asshole and ungrateful, and I don¡¯t wanna say something you don¡¯t like in front of your future wife.¡± My voice was matter-of-fact. I walked away.


    I met some familiar faces, including these great guys who helped the corporation with a sustainable renewable green energy project.


    ¡°Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Cenric, it¡¯s been months. How have you been?¡± I shook his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m great. Still single, I see?¡± He smiled as he noticed I hade alone.


    ¡°And where is your lovely wife?¡± I waved my hand. Sadie saw me before Cenric could reply. She was at the corner with a group of women.


    Cenric used to serve in the military. He¡¯s a real hero, and he was one of a few guys who believed in me when I was just starting up. That was why I owed him big time.


    ¡°How¡¯s Cas?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing great, and you two seem to be having a bet who would stay single longer.¡±


    Iughed at his remark. Before I could say something, someone like an angel just walked in.


    Fuck me.


    Even these people caught her attention, and she didn¡¯t give a damn fuck. So much of making an entrance as she walked to the sea of attendees. Quite frankly, I could pick her out of the crowd of these people just by her back. And thankfully, she came alone. Maybe that was why her grandfather was not here. She came on behalf of Lex Kross.


    I felt myself staring as if she would disappear if I blinked. This seemed surreal. Thest person I expected was here.


    I felt tongue-tied. I was sure Cenric was asking me something, but my only focus at this moment was the woman who had been in my thoughts more than I¡¯d like to admit.


    I stepped forward, leaving Cenric behind, making way to the crowd. We were a few steps closer, and she saw me. She smiled as if she didn¡¯t hate my guts days ago.


    Adley seemed different tonight, like having a dual personality. The woman in front of me was the extrovert and spontaneous one. I still liked this version of her, but I liked the first version most.


    ¡°Adley, I¡¯m d to see you here. You looked stunning.¡± I offered my hand. I was grateful that the headstrong Adley wasn¡¯t here. She was wearing a white off-shoulder full-length evening gown with a high thigh slit. Her wavy hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders. She entuated her looks with teardrop diamond earrings, making her look ssy and regal.


    ¡°Mykel.¡± She ced her hand on my palm.


    I let out a sigh of relief and smiled. I felt her soft skin against mine for the first time-my nerves buzzed. My skin tingled. And it didn¡¯t end there. Before hooking it around my arm, I nted her hand on my lips for a quick kiss. She always smelled good, and her smell was already inked inside my lungs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Your eyes screamed a thousand questions.¡± Maybe.


    ¡°Not gonna. I¡¯d rather enjoy this night with you,¡± I assured her as much as I wanted to ensure myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m kinda relief I found a familiar face here.¡± Well, what a lucky man I was despite the encounter earlier.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Me? Beyond grateful that I saw you first before those guys. I was with my father earlier, and it ruined my mood. Then I met an old friend before you stole the show.¡±


    She gave me the ndest smile. I guessed the old Adley was sprouting out after all. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating it.¡±


    ¡°I swear I¡¯m not.¡± I grabbed two Champagne flutes and gave one to Adley.


    She lifted the ss with ss and sipped the bubble. I swore I¡¯d never been turned on to someone drinking Champagne until Adley came to my life like a tornado, ruining what I believed in and my entire ns for the next fifty years.


    At the corner, Cenric raised a ss for me.


    ¡°Let me guess, billionaires club.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a hero. He served in the military before he created one of the most sessful cryptocurrencies. He also started an NFT Game with his brother.¡±


    ¡°Wait, The Travelers?¡±


    I was surprised she knew it. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my man, Cenric Wollf. You y games?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. Some in my office do.¡±


    ¡°Cenric also put his wife¡¯s father in jail, who¡¯s, by the way, a bad guy.¡±


    She looked at me in shock. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? How did his wife take it?¡±


    I raised my ss at Sadie. She smiled brightly. ¡°Considering that he literally sold her to Cenric, she was relieved and still happily married to this day.¡±


    ¡°Wow! A father could do that?¡± She watched Cenric walk toward his wife and nt a kiss on top of her head.


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what a father is capable of doing,¡± Imented with a bit of disdain. ¡°I trust that man more than my father.¡±


    She looked up at me. ¡°Sorry, that happened to you. I have two people in my life that I can say I¡¯m lucky to have. It¡¯s good to know that you trust other people than yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trustworthy too, Adley. You should just give me a chance.¡± My smile broke.


    I brought her to the center, where everyone started dancing. ¡°Dance with me.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I promise my grandfather to be polite tonight, just don¡¯t abuse it.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡± Despite her high heels, my size overshadowed her. I ced my free hand on her lower, and we started dancing to the live band.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re really active with charities,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Did you google me?¡± I asked, part amused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. It was just work-rted. I wanted to know more about your color.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± I arched a brow. ¡°You can ask me personal questions, business, anything that intrigues Adley Kross. I have nothing to hide. Let me clear one thing first, I regretted my behavior that night, but I never regret saying what I said.¡± I was taking advantage of this moment if this was the closest I could get.


    She looked exquisite. Her heart-shaped face was so delicate that it almost made her look vulnerable and fragile. And damn if I didn¡¯t want to kiss those red lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever think about that.¡± She bit her bottom lip nervously.


    ¡°About what?¡± I innocently asked, even if she could see the wave of desire in my eyes.


    ¡°Did you just think of kissing me?¡± Her almond-shaped sterling eyes narrowed.


    ¡°A man could dream, Adley, but it didn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to do it.¡±


    When the song ended, I let her meet Cenric, Sadie, and some of the people I knew.


    Thest person I avoided just came out of nowhere, almost catching me off guard.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce me to your date, Mykel?¡±


    I wanted to take Adley away from him as far as possible. I tried to protect her from him, but it was toote.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dru, Mykel¡¯s father.¡±


    ¡°Adley Kross.¡± Because she was polite and ssy, she shook my father¡¯s hand and sent him a weing smile.


    ¡°By any chance, are you rted to Lex Kross?¡± Of course, he would y that card. And I hated it.


    ¡°My grandfather.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you¡¯re dating a Kross, Mykel.¡± Since when did he learn I was dating someone?


    ¡°For the love of God, Dru.¡± As if we shared pleasantries and personal life stories together.


    ¡°Maybe it didn¡¯te up. We just started datingst week.¡±


    A little smile softened my face. Did she just y along?


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring her over the weekend?¡± My father turned to me.


    ¡°This weekend?¡± Adley looked at me. ¡°Maybe we can move our n?¡±


    My mind wentpletely nk.


    ¡°If you have ns, then maybe at the end of the month. Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Out of the blue, I epted it. Fuck.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nice to meet you, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    When my father was gone, I faced Adley.


    She seared me with a scowl. ¡°I just saved your ass. You owe me.¡±


    ¡°Really? Do you think my father will stop asking us until we go?¡±


    ¡°Your problem, not mine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re ying with fire, baby.¡±


    She walked past me. ¡°Tell him we broke up.¡±


    I sped up my pace. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I just started enjoying our little pretend rtionship, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that.¡±


    I wrapped my hand around her waist as we walked out of the venue. ¡°I¡¯m sending you home.¡±


    ¡°I have a driver.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send him home.¡±


    She stopped as we reached the parking. ¡°I told you not to abuse my kindness.¡±


    ¡°I owe you. The least I can do is make sure you get home safely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s grandpa¡¯s driver. He should send me home safe and sound if he wants to keep his job.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Where¡¯s your driver?¡±


    The ck sedan parked in front of us. The tall beefy driver in his early forties rushed to open the door. I helped Adley climb in since her gown was lengthy. Then I closed the door.


    It was now or never. I rounded to the other side and climbed in, joining her.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She red at me.


    ¡°To her apartment,¡± I told the driver.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t just tell him that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to your apartment or your grandpa¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    I texted my driver to meet me at Adley¡¯s address, and then I slipped my phone into my jacket pocket.


    ¡°Are you always this annoying?¡±


    ¡°Among other things.¡±


    ¡°Do you know my grandfather before we met?¡± she shot back.


    ¡°Yeah. I was his protege.¡±


    ¡°When did you know I¡¯m his granddaughter?¡± she asked, stunned.


    ¡°After the elevator encounter.¡±


    Her eyes went wide in horror. Her expression would be adorable if this conversion were not serious. I felt guilty for not telling her sooner, but this was the time to tell her the truth since she had asked.


    ¡°And you intended not to tell me. Why?¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯te up. Besides, you¡¯re avoiding me like the gue.¡±


    She looked ahead and did her best to keep a straight face.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? I would find it out anyway. I¡¯m very resourceful when I¡¯m interested in a certain thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a thing.¡±


    ¡°Certainly not, but you get my point.¡±


    This time she faced me. ¡°What do you want, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°I thought we were clear from the start that I want you. I like you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I take that as a challenge.¡±

 Chapter 8

    ADLEY


    ¡°Check the avability of the Ratan set. If not, we should go for wood.¡± Our client wanted a contemporary outdoor, so we looked forward to giving what she wanted.


    ¡°On it,¡± Ste replied. The rest had their respective assignments.


    ¡°That¡¯s all, guys. Thanks.¡± I picked up my things from the table. ¡°ze, are you up for this project?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Do you have a date or something?¡± He smiled mischievously. I wish.


    A girl could hope. ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°So the-saver billionaire sent you home, huh?¡± Of course, he knew.


    I was relieved when I got home he was having fun with his friends because I knew him-ze would not stop until he got what he wanted.


    ¡°It was my ride. Thest thing I knew, he climbed into the backseat with me.¡±


    ¡°A little defensive, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    I propped my hand on my hip. ¡°I¡¯m trying to exin what happened because I know you won¡¯t let it go.¡±


    ¡°What did you talk about on the road?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    He squinted his eyes. He wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°Do you really think that I believe you?¡±I hope so.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t talk.¡±


    ¡°But the tension could cut an ice.¡± He was right.


    My heart was hammering all the time. I could feel the heat of his hand on my back burning through me like a hot rod. And I knew Mykel felt I was tense all the time. What¡¯s with him not epting no for an answer?


    ¡°Rx. I¡¯m not gonna do anything stupid. Unless you¡¯ll force me.¡±


    I faced him, scowling. ¡°Like how?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best that you don¡¯t ask.¡± He dropped his gaze down my lips.


    I swallowed hard. I wet my lips as they went dry. My pulse elerated, and my body felt like it was burning within. As my breathing caught, my lips voluntarily parted.


    My mind was telling me to look away, but those dark chocte eyes were could light the Amazon forest on fire, hypnotizing me to do something bold.


    ¡°Adley, don¡¯t do this to me.¡± His voice was rasp and low that I couldn¡¯t almost hear it if he didn¡¯t groan after.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Earth to, Adley.¡± ze snapped his fingers on my face. ¡°So there was really something happened between you two.¡±


    I red at him. ¡°No. He¡¯s an ass, and he hasn¡¯t apologized. I can¡¯t even stand his face. He¡¯s too spontaneous and cocky for me. Not even a one-night stand, I would ept.¡±Liar, liar.


    He snorted. ¡°One day, you¡¯ll gonna eat your words, my dear.¡±


    My assistant, Kaelie, popped her head through the door. ¡°Adley, someone here would like to see you.¡±


    My heart nearly stopped. ¡°W-who?¡±


    ¡°Expecting him, huh?¡± It was ze.


    ¡°He said you know him,¡± Kaelie answered.


    I pasted a smile. ¡°Send him to my office. Thanks, Kaelie.¡±


    ¡°Still nothing, huh? I¡¯ll leave you to your visitor.¡± ze left the conference room.


    I carried my things and went to my office. To my shock, I stopped suddenly, and my smile started to fade as I let the door shut close by itself.


    ¡°Gary, what are you doing here?¡± He was wearing a sweater with a dress shirt and tie and was already sitting on the chair.


    He smiled cockily. If Mykel did such a thing, it would annoy me how it looked good on him, but Gary, on the other hand, gave me a creepy vibe.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get my message?¡± Since when did we be chatmates or whatever?


    ¡°I was at the meeting. I haven¡¯t checked my messages.¡±


    He finally stood and looked around. ¡°So you work here, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, for almost two years.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a coffee shop nearby, and I¡¯d like to take you there for a break?¡±


    I would really love to have one, but definitely not with you. ¡°Sure.¡±


    The coffee shop was just a walking distance. Once we reached there, I ordered Vienna coffee, and he chose ck.


    ¡°Did my grandfather send you?¡±


    ¡°You know our families have been friends for a long time. He didn¡¯t have to ask me a favor to check on his granddaughter. But my visit is personal.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I politely replied as I sat across the table.


    ¡°I was expecting you at the family dinnerst month.¡±


    ¡°You were there?¡±Why?


    ¡°Yeah. Lex invited me. I was with my father.¡± Of course, for a trust fund boy. He was an Ivy League but still depended on his father¡¯s bark. What a great example.


    ¡°I was busy with work.¡±


    ¡°How about this weekend?¡±


    Our coffee arrived. I thanked the waiter.


    He looked at my coffee with cream. ¡°Aren¡¯t you girls supposed to watch your calories?¡±


    I kept my cool. I ignored his question because it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant if I said something.


    ¡°You could do better if you work in your familypany, Adley. I mean, you can make millions over how much you make a month in your home makeover? You can just appoint anyone to take your position to keep it running.¡±


    Okay, that¡¯s enough.


    ¡°If you¡¯re here to convince me to stop what I¡¯m doing? You can stop now. Grandpa tried it, and it didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told. I just want to see you, Adley. And maybe to enlighten and remind you on your role as a Kross.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me? I¡¯m still a shareholder, and whether I sit pretty for the rest of my life, I¡¯m still rich. As long as Grandpa is alive, I¡¯m not stepping in. You call what I do a home makeover, so what? That¡¯s what I wanna do.¡± I rose from my seat. I pointed at my coffee. ¡°And this coffee? I¡¯d rather consume than listen to your voice every day. Pay for the freaking coffee and make sure to leave a generous tip.¡± I walked out. I couldn¡¯t stand his infuriating attitude anymore.


    I knew from the start that was a bad idea, but I didn¡¯t want to be rude by declining his invitation. I knew for a fact that there was more to it than a single visit. I would find out whatever Grandpa was cooking up to make me agree to work in the family business.


    I went back to the office building. Instead of going to my office, I ordered Java from the cafeteria. I picked up my phone and dialed Grandpa.


    I was surprised he picked up right away.


    ¡°Stop sending your friends or their sons.¡±


    ¡°I miss you, too, honey.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m serious. If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ll pay someone, take him to Vegas and marry him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Gary is a good kid.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll gonna pull the Ivy League card again? He¡¯s an asshole and just insulted me.¡± I huffed. My voice shook in anger.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good guy if you just give it a chance to know him.¡± Wow! Just wow! From a good kid to a good guy. I thought I knew where this was going.


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡± I was surprised I wasn¡¯t screaming in anger yet. ¡°Did you hear yourself?¡±


    ¡°Youe back and work for me, or I will choose a man for you to marry. Your choice, youngdy.¡±


    For a second, I thought he was joking, but the moment he mentioned me marrying someone, a knot formed in my stomach. ¡°Is that an ultimatum? Do you know what year it is, Grandpa? No one does that anymore.¡±


    ¡°I want to secure the family business. If you don¡¯t wanna work in thepany, at least I can appoint someone I trust. Your husband.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dead serious, Adley. Your parents wouldn¡¯t be so happy with what you are doing.¡±


    ¡°I thought we had an agreement. You can¡¯t do this to me. And I have a boyfriend.¡± I crossed an arm over my chest.


    ¡°Who? Mykel? Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know if you are dating anyone?¡±


    Oh, my God! He knew that too? ¡°Here¡¯s what I want you to know, Grandpa. You can¡¯t force me to date that scumbag or marry someone. I might just sell my share to Mykel now that you mentioned him, and I will join hispany instead. How does it sound, huh?¡±


    ¡°How about your parents¡¯ share?¡±


    ¡°I will call mywyers to consolidate my assets. Or you can have their share. I¡¯d rather have my parents back than their money anyway. I¡¯m happy with my own.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push my button, Adley Xael. You¡¯re not going to like it.¡±


    ***


    I blew my nose for the umpteenth time, and I was surrounded by the soiled tissue in bed. I couldn¡¯t just leave thepany I worked hard to build. Even if I owned eighty-five percent of K&B, it wouldn¡¯t be the same if I wasn¡¯t the one running it.


    I stirred the pot. I poked the bear, and I knew Grandpa was lenient for the past years, and if he said he would do it, he would. And it was only a matter of time before I found myself back at the Kross Mansion.


    ¡°Adley, open the door, please?¡± ze had frequently been knocking on the door for about an hour. He wouldugh his ass out if he saw me crying for some stupid reasons.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Now open the door, or I will kick this down. I¡¯m running out of patience, woman.¡±


    I pulled myself together and dragged myself out of bed. I threw the soiled tissue into the bin and drew a deep breath.


    I opened the door and propped my hand on my hip. ¡°¡® Sup?¡±


    ¡°¡® Sup?¡± He narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡±


    ¡°Would you like to run thepany if I let you take over my seat?¡±


    He stared at me, not buying it. ¡°I said what¡¯s going on, Adley?¡±


    ¡°I still have a few choices to consider, but there are consequences.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still confused.¡± He dragged me to the couch. ¡°Sit and exin it to me.¡±


    ¡°My grandfather gave me an ultimatum. I knew from the start that I had to take his words into consideration. Since I¡¯m already twenty-four, I¡¯m entitled to do whatever I want with my share at the Kross Corp. But thest thing I want is to sell it. My grandfather is still handling my parents¡¯ share. I can only have ess to it on the day of my wedding day. Well, not really. Not until I receive the transfer, but you get my point.¡±


    He blew a breath and blinked. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s a lot to take in. Why do rich people have to beplicated? It¡¯s your parents¡¯ money, why can¡¯t you have it? You are the only living daughter-¡±


    ¡°Grandpa is alive, and remember they died when I was eight. The Will clearly states that only if I¡¯m married. However, they gave me a trust fund. My parents¡¯ assets and shares are my birthrights to have it.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Gary, the guy who visited me at the office earlier.¡±


    ¡°The sweater guy?¡± He wrinkled his nose. ¡°There¡¯s a trust fund neon sign on his forehead, and the only thing he knows is to y golf. Seriously?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Unfortunately. And he belittled K&B.¡±


    He was quick toe to my defense. ¡°Where can I find this guy and break his bones?¡±


    I held his hands. ¡°That¡¯s noble of you, but calm down.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so what are our choices?¡± His eyes softened.


    ¡°Sell my share, or you will take my seat?¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡± He red at me.


    ¡°Deadly.¡±


    He stood up, his hands on his hips. ¡°No. There¡¯s another option, Adley.¡±


    ¡°None that I could think off. Mywyers told me the same before we started K&B.¡±


    ¡°Get married.¡±


    I burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re not serious. You¡¯re not actually considering it.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Myugh faded.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to sell your share. You get what truly belongs to you. Problem solve.¡±

 Chapter 9

    MYKEL


    I received a call from Lex this morning. I knew it had nothing to do with me hitch-hiking his granddaughter¡¯s ride. Now I wondered what this was all about.


    His office was ssic and rich. He did not change anything since thest time I was his young protege.


    ¡°Lex.¡±


    ¡°Have a seat, Mykel. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Great. Thanks for asking.¡± I took a seat. ¡°But this courtesy call has nothing to do with me, is it?¡±


    He gave me a shot of whiskey.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I met your father yesterday. Imagine my surprise.¡± He sat back in his chair.


    I sipped the amber liquid before cing it on the coffee table. This old man knew his poison. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°That you and Adley are dating.¡±


    A smile spread across my lips. ¡°And you don¡¯t believe it?¡±


    In my twenty-seven years, even my father had never intimidated me, not in the case of Lex Kross, and I admired and respected the man sitting across me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t wanna double-cross me, Mykel. Don¡¯t y with my granddaughter or with me. You¡¯re going to break her heart.¡±


    ¡°No offense, Lex, but she¡¯s an adult. You can¡¯t control her life anymore. She¡¯s old enough to do what she thinks is right. She can decide what she wants to do in her life, and if she likes me, you can¡¯t hold that against us.¡±


    ¡°Since when did you stick your junk to one woman?¡±


    I raised my brow. ¡°Look, I respect Adley and the rest of the women I had been with. Adley knew my past. It¡¯s not my intention to hide it from her.¡±


    ¡°Does she also know that Knox is your half-brother? And she went on a date with him.¡±


    My mood turned sour. I hadn¡¯t mentioned it to Adley, and I doubted if she knew my rtionship with Knox. ¡°It didn¡¯te up. I suppose you¡¯re going to tell her?¡±


    ¡°All I want is for her own good, for her future.¡±


    ¡°And the next thing you¡¯d say is to stay away from her and that I¡¯m not good enough for her.¡±


    ¡°She turned down Gary.¡±


    ¡°Gary? Gary Merick? Are you serious, Lex? The trust fund guy doesn¡¯t even know how to close a deal? Seriously? That¡¯s how you secure Adley¡¯s future? And let me guess, he disagreed with Adley¡¯s choice of running her own business?¡±


    ¡°She deserves something better, and that-whatever it is, she¡¯s wasting her time,¡± he yipped. His scowl deepened.


    ¡°And that scumbag is better for her? Does she know?¡±


    ¡°They met yesterday.¡±


    My jaw almost cracked. I looked down at the whiskey. I picked it up and downed it even if it burned my throat.


    For the first time, I felt sick, powerless, and terrified. The fact that Adley kept fighting her attraction toward me, I didn¡¯t think I would win over this. I was still taking it as a challenge. I never gave up on something I wanted in life.


    ¡°If shees to you and asks for help, I want you to turn her down.¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°Or what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡±


    I needed to leave before I could say or do something I couldn¡¯t take back.


    ¡°What if I will win her heart? What if I fall for her? Adley is maybe stubborn, but she¡¯s kind, motivated, fun, and the most selfless woman I¡¯ve ever met. She does what she believes is for the better. And I don¡¯t think I would break her heart. It¡¯s the other way around.¡±


    ***


    Groaning, I shut myptop close.


    I couldn¡¯t concentrate when my mind was bouncing between Adley and Lex. I couldn¡¯t believe someone like Lex still believed in an arranged marriage to keep the business running.


    I rubbed my face in annoyance. My stubble was getting longer, and I didn¡¯t have time to trim it. I was tempted to go out and get some release, but every time I thought of fucking someone, those big sterling eyes and full lips always crossed my mind to taunt me. How could someone captivate me when she had no interest in sleeping with me?


    I pinched the bridge of my nose when I started to have a headache. I was not much of a drinker, and I tried hard not to get used to having alcohol as my best friend if I had issues.


    I was also tempted to call Dash, but he would only shove the fact into my face that I had nowhere close to getting Adley into my bed.


    My phone vibrated, which caught my attention. It was a new number. No one could ess my personal number without getting through Elise first.


    I picked up and answered, ¡°Mykel Creed.¡±


    ¡°Do you always answer like that?¡± she greeted with a question. I instantly recognized her voice. My heart began racing.


    I found myself grinning. ¡°So you do have my number?¡±


    ¡°I asked Elise. Does it sound creepy?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Can Ie up?¡±


    I froze for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re down?¡±


    ¡°I also asked Elise where I can find you. Am I intruding?¡±


    ¡°No, baby. Please,e up.¡± Fuck me. It was happening. Lex knew Adley very well. I may owe him big time, but this was his granddaughter¡¯s idea. ¡°Kye, the tall blond guy will help you up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s with me right now. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± I hung up the call, walked toward the door, and waited for Adley to appear. I started rubbing my palms together as seconds ticked by.


    A few momentster, she showed up in simple jeans and a shirt, and a pastel blue zer hung over her shoulders. Her hair was pulled up in a bun this time. She looked delicious and like an addictive pain-reliever that just took my headache away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for showing up unannounced.¡± She looked apologetic enough that I wanted to cup her face and tell her everything would be okay, even if there were no guarantees. But first, I didn¡¯t know what this surprise visit was all about.


    I was way over my head. ¡°d you dropped by. Come in.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I shut the door behind me and drew a deep breath. ¡°You thanked me a lot, Adley. Can I get you something to drink?¡±


    ¡°If you have white. Thanks.¡± She helped herself and took a seat on the sofa.


    I chuckled. ¡°I do. Be right back.¡±


    I went to the kitchen and sent a quick text to Elise. I grabbed a bottle of white wine, uncorked it, and took two sses with me.


    When I returned to Adley, I realized something different about her. She looked lost, like she was carrying the world over her shoulder. She nkly stared at the wall, and her mind was somewhere far beyond.


    I poured the sses and offered one to her.


    This time she didn¡¯t thank me again. She drank it empty in one gulp. She asked for more, then did the same. When she asked for another, I shook my head.


    I wanted nothing but love to be with her right now, but not drunk. ¡°Take it easy.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    I poured onest time, and she didn¡¯t touch it. I sipped mine and watched her intently. ¡°You okay?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. Have you been in a situation where you have to choose between things you dislike?¡±


    ¡°Many times.¡±


    She turned her head and stared at me for a moment before she spoke. ¡°How did you deal with it?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Certain things we like we don¡¯t get, and we are offered the things we like less, but many of those things are better for us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why I am here.¡±


    ¡°Thest ce where you wanna be?¡± I wanted to smile, but I hid it pretty hard.


    ¡°You are full of yourself, shallow, narcissistic, arrogant, cocky, obnoxious, blunt, obscene-¡±


    ¡°Yet you came to me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She looked down at her fingers. She was shaking.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I sat closer to her. ¡°Whatever is going on, we can get through this.¡± I held and squeezed her hands. ¡°And it would be better. I promise you that.¡± There was no guarantee of what the future held for us, but Adley would be better with me than with that scumbag.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°I may not know this now, but we will find a way.¡±


    She drew a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m always a nner, obsessed with perfection, but at this moment, I find no other way. And please, don¡¯t tell ze that I¡¯m here. He¡¯s gonna make fun of me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t if you tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± I looked at her, really looked at vulnerable Adley sitting next to me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but I need your help.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with asking for help. In fact, that¡¯s the right thing to do. That¡¯s not a weakness, Adley. I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m asking for.¡±


    ¡°Then walk me through it.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 10

    ADLEY


    ¡°Let me see if I got it right.¡± Mykel seemed to understand more than I expected. Of course, he was brilliant. Apparently, he was top of the ss and graduated with honor. ¡°Lex wanted you to work at Kross Corp., but you refused. He gave you an ultimatum or what?¡±


    ¡°He wanted me to make babies with Gary.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± He cursed under his breath. His eyes shed with anger before he blinked it away.


    ¡°Not exactly the exact words. Gary came to my office two days ago. He convinced me to work with my grandfather, insulted my business, called it a home makeover, and said I could make more money than I¡¯ve been doing for the past years. In short, I¡¯m wasting my time. Apparently, Grandpa invited him and his father over dinner at the mansion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always hated men bullied women. I may be an asshole, but I¡¯d never done that in my entire life. So, you got your trust funds when you turned twenty-one, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°The only thing you¡¯re worried about is your parents¡¯ shares.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m selling my share if I don¡¯t have other choices.¡±


    ¡°Why the fu- would you do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving Grandpa a chance to control me. I¡¯m my own person. I do what I love, and if I let him manipte me, he¡¯ll get used to it. And I¡¯m not going to give him the victory he hopes for.¡±


    ¡°You do realize that he¡¯s your grandfather, right?¡± He seemed to look proud of me, contradicting his words.


    ¡°So you do realize that he¡¯s still your father, right? Why didn¡¯t you ever ept his invitation?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s totally different. Because he¡¯s an asshole.¡±


    ¡°So, I may have decided to sell my share.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. You¡¯re a Kross. That¡¯s yourpany too. How about your parents¡¯ shares. You¡¯re the only living daughter, am I correct?¡±


    I sighed as I looked down at my fingers. I was shaking with anger earlier, but somehow I felt hopeful that I had someone who understood my situation and he was willing to listen.


    ¡°There¡¯s a use in the Will that I can¡¯t do it alone. My parents didn¡¯t trust the younger me, that I might turn out a disappointment, which I am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re far from being a disappointment, Adley. What do you mean there¡¯s a use?¡±


    I grabbed the wine ss and gulped the content empty. ¡°I need to be married to have it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± He leaned against the chair. He looked like he¡¯d been running his fingers through his hair.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice before that you have a tattoo.¡±Jeez, way to go, Adley. He had a tribal tattoo on his arm. I had nothing against people with tattoos, but I¡¯d rather not have one. Looking at Mykel¡¯s, though, gave me a rebel-hot-vibe. Maybe I should get one to prove to Grandpa that I could stand on my own.


    ¡°I have another one, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not interested in knowing where it is. So, how far are you willing to go to get what¡¯s rightfully yours?¡±


    My jaw dropped as I stared at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to sell your share.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you wanna buy it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Lex would sell it to me even if the hell freezes over.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°My father told him that we are dating. Remember the-saving-my-ass-moment at the benefit? And he couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut. Your grandfather isn¡¯t convinced about that. He literally ordered me to stay away from you.¡±


    I was beyond shocked. So, all these talks were useless. I nodded in dismay. ¡°I understand. How did you find that out?¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather asked me to meet in his office.¡±


    ¡°So, you knew what I was about to tell you before I did.¡±


    ¡°Not entirely. And he ordered me to turn you down if ever you wille, asking my help.¡±


    I grabbed my bag. ¡°It¡¯s a stupid idea anyway.¡± I looked at him one more time. Even though my world was falling apart, at least I got to see the beauty in front of me. ¡°Thanks for listening. You¡¯re not as terrible as I thought you were, Mykel.¡±


    I was about to rise from the couch when he called my name, ¡°Take a seat. This conversation is not over.¡±


    I did as he told me to.


    For a moment, he looked agonized, truly in pain, as if he remembered a painful past he wished not to visit. ¡°I spent most of my life hating my father for abandoning us when we had nothing. My mother could barely make ends meet. He left us because Mom wasn¡¯t born to a rich family. When Dru made peace with my grandfather, he should leave us in return.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mykel.¡± I swallowed hard as I shook my head empathically. I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what he¡¯d been through.


    ¡°Thenter, my mother found out he knocked up someone.¡± He snorted, the pain set deep in his eyes. ¡°Since then, I promised myself I would do everything to make my mother proud and give her what she couldn¡¯t have while we were in that apartment. I got a schrship. I finished college, and then the rest is history.¡±


    It was inspirational. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°She must be so proud of you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s gonna love you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± My smile faded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like when people threaten me. I don¡¯t take it lightly. So, my question is, how much are you willing to sacrifice to get what you deserve?¡±


    ¡°What are you suggesting?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give them what they want. Let¡¯s get married.¡±


    I was quicker on my feet as I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    He shrugged casually. ¡°Maybe I am, but I hate your boyfriend Gary, and I don¡¯t like how Lex warned me and gave you an ultimatum.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sick. Who would you want to throw your freedom away because of an empty threat and a bully? And correction, he is not my boyfriend. I left him in the coffee shop when he literally told me not to drink Vienna coffee because it has calories.¡±


    He shook his head in amusement. Then he looked at me from head to toe before focusing on me. ¡°So Lex is throwing you to the rabid wolf for business ties? Grandfather of the year, eh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d been telling you.¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ.¡±


    ¡°Is Kross Corp dering bankruptcy?¡±


    ¡°No, baby. Did you get a second opinion from yourwyers?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Pretty much not helpful. They can only protect my asset and share.¡±


    ¡°Think about my offer.¡±


    Dazed, I eyed him suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s your intention and benefits on this?¡±


    ¡°I told you-¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    He threw his head back and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°I get it you don¡¯t trust me. I wanna help you.¡± He then looked at me. ¡°We¡¯ll sign a prenup if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Considering you are far wealthier than me, of course. You can have any woman in bed if you¡¯re after is sex.¡±


    He shook tough. His eyes glimmered. ¡°I¡¯m not desperate, Adley. Are you?¡±


    Heat flooded my face. I was utterly embarrassed by the fact that he once knew it didn¡¯t go well that night. ¡°Son of-¡±


    ¡°I like you, and you know that since we first met. I still do, but marrying you has nothing to do with sex.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just throwing away your freedom because you wanna be a hero, helping a damsel in distress, that¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a win-win.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t entirely understand you. A sensible man who doesn¡¯t do rtionships wants to marry a woman he barely knows. I¡¯m not buying it.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you think it¡¯s ridiculous, then forget what I said. Maybe you can just ask a man you find in the street to marry him and offer him ten thousand dors to be Mr. Kross.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a jerk.¡±


    ¡°If you choose a stranger over me. Go ahead. Try also asking ze.¡±


    I kicked his foot under the table. ¡°That¡¯s crossing the line. He¡¯s my best friend.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡± He winced. ¡°You came to me. That¡¯s my counter offer. You have two days to decide. Otherwise, you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    I swallowed hard as I fought back the tears that threatened to fall while he kept staring at me.


    A wave of uncertainty flooded my chest as I was about to say the terrifying words. ¡°Okay. Two days.¡±


    He just nodded.


    ¡°And if I agree, I may have some conditions.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. He just rolls his eyes at me. ¡°Why I¡¯m not even surprised? It would not be you if you didn¡¯te prepared.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can have your terms, too. We¡¯ll discuss it.¡±


    Mykel red, blowing out a hard, frustrated breath. ¡°Fine. Anyway, I have something-¡±


    My phone suddenly rang. ¡°Hold that thought.¡±


    ze was calling me. ¡°It¡¯s ze.¡±


    ¡°Answer it. Might be important.¡±


    I answered, ¡°ze?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying out with a friend. Are you okay with being alone right now? You know I¡¯m not really helpful these days, but I¡¯ll make it up to you. Promise.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good best friend, ze. I know your life doesn¡¯t and can¡¯t always revolve around me. Get a life. I¡¯ll be fine as long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. But call me if you need me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Got to go. Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you, too.¡± I stared at the screen. Life must go on.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good friend, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I should go.¡± I slipped my phone back into my bag.


    ¡°You can stay if you don¡¯t wanna be alone. I have a spare room.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I need to think through this alone.¡±


    ¡°You have to be spontaneous sometimes. You only live once to live in regrets.¡±


    ¡°Think of this as baby steps.¡±


    ¡°Just remember that you don¡¯t have to do this alone. I¡¯m here now and always will.¡±

 Chapter 11

    MYKEL


    ¡°Mr. Creed?¡±


    I repeatedly blinked when my name was called.


    ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to ask?¡± Reed asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s all. Let¡¯s wrap it up. See you all again in three months for the quarterly report.¡± I stood from my chair. From the corner of my eye, Elise was eyeing me with knitted brows.


    I ignored her even though I could see a thousand questions written all over her face.


    She followed me into the office. ¡°You okay? You¡¯ve been distracted.¡±


    ¡°I am if you stop asking questions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my business, but something is bothering you-¡±


    I went to my chair. ¡°You what? Ask me to see a shrink?¡±


    Elise smiled as if I read her mind. ¡°Is it something to do with me giving your number to Miss Kross?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I should thank you for that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± she replied.


    Just hearing Adley¡¯s name felt like dread cutting through my chest. It had been two days, and she hadn¡¯t called me or did anything people used to reach out to others these days. Nada! Zilch! Maybe she was willing to throw her life at that asshole bully rabid wolf.


    Elise was startled when the pencil snapped in half in my hand.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I threw the broken pencil in the bin. ¡°Are there any important calls or meetings?¡±


    ¡°She did not call if you¡¯re pertaining-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, Elise,¡± I denied, but I couldn¡¯t hide my nerves.


    ¡°You know, I may be just your assistant, but I can give friendly advice.¡±


    I met her gaze. ¡°You are not just my assistant. You know that. You¡¯re like a baby sister to me. And I could use some advice. Shoot.¡±


    ¡°Call her. Pay her a visit. Whatever is going on between you two, I feel like it could be something more.¡±


    ¡°Send her flowers.¡±


    ¡°Not a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Thest time you sent flowers, she threw them in the trash.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stared at her in shock.


    ¡°She hates when someone sends her flowers.¡±


    ¡°Who hates flowers? Do you hate flowers?¡± I asked in annoyance.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t hate flowers. She feels like people are using flowers to make an excuse or to apologize. If you want to give her flowers, give them personally to her.¡±


    ¡°How did you know all this?¡±


    ¡°ze told me.¡±


    I eyed her. I was protective of Elise. It was not that I forbid her to have fun or have a rtionship with anyone as long as she got the respect she deserved. Herst rtionship ended so badly for her. I didn¡¯t want her to go through that again.


    ¡°You¡¯re seeing ze?¡±


    She swallowed. ¡°It¡¯s just a one-time-¡±


    I raised my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna know as long he won¡¯t hurt because if he does, mark my word, I will break every bone in his body even if he¡¯s Adley¡¯s friend. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for being okay with this.¡± She smiled shyly.


    ¡°You¡¯re good at what you do here, and I don¡¯t have reasons to not be okay with it. Besides, you both are consenting adults.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, she¡¯s at the K&B.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I might take your advice after all.¡±


    ***


    My car parked in front of the K&B Office. Since she chose not to contact me, maybe a surprising visit would give her a little push. If she could sleep soundly at night after what we talked about, well, I, on the other hand, had suddenly developed sleep deprivation.


    Kye was already opening the door for me.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Then I looked at Sax through the rearview. ¡°I¡¯m good. You and Kye can have coffee at the nearby cafe. I¡¯ll let you know once I¡¯m done.¡±


    He met my gaze. ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Sure, boss.¡±


    I met ze halfway to Adley¡¯s office-he had juste out from his own.


    He offered a handshake. ¡°Mr. Creed, good to see you here.¡±


    I gripped his hand harder. ¡°Mr. Creed, my ass. I know you are sleeping with Elise. If you ever hurt her or if I even see her crying, I will break your skull and make sure you won¡¯t wake up from aa ever.¡±


    ¡°O-kay.¡± He looked amused and confused at the same time.


    I let go of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking kidding, Burns.¡±


    Their team, as Adley called it, was always busy. No wonder she cared a lot about thispany.


    I knocked softly, and she answered toe in.


    ¡°How¡¯s your day?¡±


    She froze stiff like a statue. She closed the folder she was reading and stared at me in surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°You have no n on talking to me afterward?¡± I asked her as I walked into her office. The idea of me getting married to a woman I barely knew should have terrified me, but somehow, I felt it challenging.


    She checked her watch. ¡°I still have six hours left, Mykel.¡±


    I sat down on the chair across the desk. ¡°Have you decided?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Six hours, please?¡±


    ¡°Have you written down your demands?¡±


    ¡°Conditions.¡±


    ¡°Same thing. Terms. So you decided to say yes.¡±


    ¡°Jeez, you¡¯re the most impatient man I know.¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And the most attractive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty.¡±


    ¡°I bet.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here, Mykel? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be busy making yourself rich?¡± she asked as she went to rereading whatever was in the folder.


    ¡°I have plenty to spend in a hundred lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Maybe by that time, your billions are only worth a penny. And the poor dear old me is busy right now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch.¡± I checked my watch. I knew she hadn¡¯t eaten anything. ¡°Come on, baby.¡±


    Her cheeks turned red. I always noticed her blush every time I called her baby. Well, if we were going to get married, it was best to give her a name.


    ¡°Fine. It¡¯s because I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    There was a restaurant across the street. It was not a Michelin, but it was pretty decent.


    Before we crossed the street, we were like in a social distancing protocol.


    I moved closer to her. ¡°Adley, if you wanna make things work out between us, you have to practice like we are attracted to each other. We don¡¯t have to act in love, just make people believe we¡¯re dating.¡±


    She wrapped her little hand around my arm.


    ¡°See? It¡¯s not that difficult. Just so you know, I don¡¯t have infectious diseases for you to be so distant from me.¡±


    She looked at me with a straight face. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. So she had ns to sleep with me after all. ¡°I know how to keep myself safe.¡±


    We settled at the corner end of the restaurant. She ordered a chicken Ceasar pasta.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the same. And a bottle of white wine. Thanks.¡±


    When the waiter left, she was staring at me.

 Chapter 12

    MYKELContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the difference between you and Gary.¡±


    I sneered a mock. ¡°I¡¯m sure we have nothing inmon. But what exactly did you notice?¡±


    ¡°I ordered pasta, and you want to have the same.¡±


    ¡°I would never forbid you to eat anything you want as long as it won¡¯t poison you.¡±


    ¡°But you only had hookups with sexiest women.¡±


    Okay, I knew where it was going. ¡°When you don¡¯t have to make an effort, Adley. Media people set that standard as sexy and beautiful. I don¡¯t. Honestly, I find you more attractive and gorgeous. You don¡¯t have to impress me. I already am.¡±


    She slightly gaped at what I had said. I couldn¡¯t read her expression exactly, but I wanted her to believe in everything I said because it was true.


    ¡°To be honest, the first time I saw in you was your pretty ass.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s really my ass on the line here. Literally.¡±


    ¡°But your ass didn¡¯t do justice to the whole package, and you are also honest and hardworking despite the fact that you can spoil yourself, sit pretty at home or throw parties, spend the weekend on a yacht on an ind. And you are also strong than most women I met.¡±


    We shared lunch in peace. When Adley was done, she searched for something from her handbag.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not gonna pay a dime for the food. Men always feel insulting when women pay for the meal.¡± She was also fun. She made meugh and annoyed me sometimes, but maybe how a real rtionship would be.


    ¡°As you know, I¡¯m not most men.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m paying for our meal?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°No. Not a fucking chance.¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± She gave me a paper.


    I took it, confused. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°My conditions.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re getting married?¡± I asked, amazed. A part of me was ttered and terrified at the same time that I might screw this up.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯ve got cold feet already, then no.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still marrying you, Adley Kross.¡±


    After our lunch, I decided to buy her a ring and took this chance to know her a little better.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should marry now,¡± I joked.


    She stopped, ring at me. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°This time, I am. But next time, I might not.¡± I held her hand before she nned on walking out from me.


    ¡°I have to go back to the office, Mykel.¡± A little frown fell against her lips, but the rest was stunning.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll drop you off. Don¡¯t worry. Live a little, Adley.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t checked my conditions.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll negotiate. Anyway, we agreed with conditions, so it means we have to work on our differences, somehow, if you want to get the shares you deserve.¡±


    ¡°My first condition is we¡¯ll be married in less than a year.¡± It stopped me. Yeah, I liked her, and I understood this marriage was just a convenience. Thest thing I had in mind was a rtionship, let alone being tied up in a loveless marriage. It all changed after I met Adley.


    Real people marry for love. Why else would someone vow to spend the rest of their lives with someone who had set terms? Maybe things changed along the way. Who knew. If it worked with Cenric, perhaps, I was lucky enough that this would also work for us.


    ¡°We can negotiate to six months,¡± she added.


    ¡°One year is good.¡± I blew a frustrated breath. ¡°Can we not discuss it here in the middle of the busy street?¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. How¡¯re your feet?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Can you still keep up?¡± I nced down at her stilettos. Her legs looked toned, longer, and sexier. Just the thought of them wrapped around my waist- damn, this is all fucking crazy.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t remember thest time I walked down the busy street. Since my status has changed, I couldn¡¯t walk alone anymore without Sax and Kye following me everywhere.¡±


    ¡°For your own safety. When was thest time you held hands with a woman?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t walk and talk much, Adley. We got straight to the exciting part. But I don¡¯t want to talk to you about my past unless you want to know. One thing I¡¯m gonna be straight with you is I won¡¯t lie and keep secrets from you. I hope you will do the same.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Wanna know my exes?¡±


    ¡°Exes, huh?¡± A smirk curved up my lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a saint either.¡± She shot me an annoyed look.


    We finally arrived at the renowned jewelry shop.


    ¡°Why are we here?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t get married without rings, can we?¡±


    She looked at the shop name once more before looking back at me. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no turning back, is there? How about you? Are you sure you wanna do this?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to be your husband.¡±


    Adley burst outughing. ¡°It does sound strangeing from you.¡±


    The salespersons weed us and let us sit.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to your manager, please?¡±


    One of the saledies smiled. ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Creed.¡±


    ¡°And my fiancee, Adley Kross.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Kross.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Can you keep this a secret? I don¡¯t want to see ourselves on social media until the official announcement?¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir. We strictly value our customers¡¯ privacy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jonathan Coste, the branch manager. Are you looking for a specific type of jewelry, sir, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯d like to see engagement rings and wedding bands.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. In the meantime, enjoy our refreshment, courtesy of the brand.¡± Anotherdy walked in with a tray of Champaign and sses.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully quiet.¡± I turned to Adley, sipping her Champagne.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking this thoughtfully.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being thorough.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the spontaneity?¡±


    ¡°This is me being spontaneous.¡± I raised the flute for a toast.


    ¡°To being spontaneous, fiance.¡±


    Coste came with two boxes of the ring. ¡°This one is for the band, and here¡¯s for the engagement ring. We have up to six carats avable, and we can go bigger on pre-order.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re good,¡± Adley replied.


    ¡°What color do you have avable right now?¡±


    ¡°White is fine,¡± Adley cited.


    ¡°We have blue, pink, yellow, and white.¡±


    ¡°Choose the band design, baby.¡±


    She was just staring at the samples for the whole minute.


    ¡°You can design them yourself if you want a customized one.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we ept customization,¡± Coste agreed with me.


    She picked up a petite twisted with stones on a strand. ¡°This one.¡±

 Chapter 13

    ADLEY


    My first thought was to run away after seeing myself standing in front of a jewelry shop. But looking back at what was at stake, it was a one-way trip. I had to do this.


    ¡°This one.¡± I showed Mykel the ring I chose. It had no center stone yet, but it was gorgeous.


    I imagined myself wearing an engagement ring one day, but never had I imagined it would be today and by the man sitting beside me, whom I despised for being so vocal about his opinion.


    He took it from me. ¡°I like it. The wedding band, baby.¡±


    He kept calling me that, which might stick for another twelve months. Sometimes, I felt I was blushing, and he knew the effect of his endearment on me.


    I chose the eternity design, while he preferred pure tinum faceted squares around the band with a single stone in the center for himself.


    ¡°I like that one.¡±


    ¡°Really? I need your honest opinion since you¡¯re a designer.¡±


    ¡°Suits you perfectly.¡±


    His smile was contagious. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± What I least expected was kissing the top of my head. I sat frozen for a few moments before realizing I had to be ustomed to this public disy.


    When he came back, he was already on the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t ask many questions, Dash. I¡¯ll send you the details.¡± He hung up and sighed.


    ¡°Was that good or bad?¡±


    ¡°Good. Who are you chatting with?¡±


    ¡°Number 3 in my conditions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll read it through. The rings won¡¯t be ready until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re ready to go?¡± I hurried to my feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick them up tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I was surprised to see his ride waiting for us in front of the shop.


    ¡°Thank you for doing this.¡±


    He simply replied as if it was just another day in the office, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Everything seemed to go as we nned. One disturbing thing was his actions-Mykel seemed so okay with all of this. I was overwhelmed by the generosity he offered, and that terrified me.


    Throughout the ride, Mykel was busy typing on his phone. I tried not to overthink how my life would be after we got married. And I still wondered about his terms.


    One thing that was clear to me- he couldn¡¯t stay celibate for the whole year or six months. He had needs. I did too. And what if I wasn¡¯t ready to offer it. Or what if he wanted from somebody else?


    ¡°Adley?¡±


    I was startled to feel his hand on my arm.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    I turned to face him. ¡°I wonder how my grandfather reacts to all of this. Can you keep this just for the two of us for a while?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Thanks again.¡±


    Kye opened the door from my side.


    ¡°Sax will pick you up at seven.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I stopped.


    ¡°To discuss our conditions and the documents.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform mywyers.¡± I nodded. Ipletely forgot about the prenup. Was this really what I wanted? To fight for my birthright and give my grandfather the taste of his own medicine?


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°See youter.¡±


    ***


    At precisely seven, Sax arrived at my apartment building.


    ¡°Constantly seeing Mykel now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re discussing business, and you said it yourself, to give him a chance.¡±


    ze smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin, even if it goes more than business. I want you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°I have to go.¡± I kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Have fun. I love you.¡±


    My ride drove smoothly through a busy city street. And it seemed Sax was briefed to talk less.


    ¡°Would you like me to y music, Miss Kross?¡±


    ¡°Did your boss tell you to do that?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡± He met my gaze through the rearview.


    ¡°How did you end up working for Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Through a mutual friend. Mr. Wollf rmended Wilder and me to Mr. Creed.¡±


    ¡°Cenric Wollf.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. His best friend owned the private military contractor I work for.¡±


    ¡°How is he without the money and power? I mean as a person. I know you¡¯re not allowed to say terrible things about your boss. Your own opinion matters.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a chick ma, probably because of his fortune and looks, but he¡¯s also a good man, generous, and has a heroic tendency.¡±


    Ipletely understood what he meant. In fact, that exactly was what he was doing right now-trying to be heroic.


    Everyone had a good and darkest side. Aside from hating his father, what secretsy beneath that handsome yboy capitalist shtick, I couldn¡¯t wait to peel off thoseyers until I got to know my future husband better.


    I should give him the benefit of the doubt.


    Sax already informed me that Mykel was in his office. I arrived at his penthouse and knocked, and the automatic door weed me.


    I found him working on hisptop. The muted wide tv monitor shed the current stock exchange and on-time data of cryptocurrencies.


    ¡°Is it a bad time?¡±


    ¡°Nope. You know you don¡¯t have to know or wait for me to tell you toe in, have a seat and offer you drinks.¡± His eyes were still glued to the screen.


    ¡°You¡¯re working.¡± I dropped my handbag on the new sofa set. Then I sat on the chair in front of his desk.


    ¡°Nah. An email from Elise.¡±


    ¡°You can finish that.¡± I rose from my seat when I saw the uneven drapes and cushions. I got back to the chair after I was satisfied.


    ¡°You can¡¯t help it, can you?¡± There was humor in his voice.


    ¡°I mean, you spent thousands of dors for that. It¡¯s gorgeous, by the way.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Six, no. Nine, definitely not. Three and five are negotiable.¡±


    I followed him and sat beside him on the sofa. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°First, who are a married couple living in separate ces?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not moving in with you,¡± I answered dryly.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m moving in with you. I¡¯ll kick ze out.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± My eyes narrowed in a pure challenge as I red at him. My frustration rose, but it all vanished into thin air-one thing I didn¡¯t expect was the expression in his eyes that stole my breath away. I even forgot for a second that I was annoyed at him. I asked, stunned. ¡°Why in the hell are you smiling at me?¡±


    ¡°Now we look like a real couple.¡± He released a shortugh.


    I tried hard not to smile. I did it anyway.


    ¡°We must make it believable in your grandfather¡¯s eyes and that scumbag ex of yours.¡±


    ¡°Ex?¡±


    ¡°May I remind you that you¡¯re now my fiancee.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten about that. But he was never my boyfriend or ex in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard from them since?¡±


    ¡°The ex texted me.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck does he want?¡± he asked harshly. ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons why we should move in together. Nine.¡±


    ¡°Nine. Why is it definitely not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna sleep with anyone throughout our marriage. If I do, I¡¯ll tell you. And the same goes for you.¡± Into my astonished speechlessness, he inquired, ¡°Is there someone I should be worried about?¡±


    My head snapped at him. ¡°No. If I had, do you think I would have gone out to meet a stranger and asked him to marry me instead? And you, on the other hand, that¡¯s why I wanted to be open. Well, you have needs. Maybe there is someone somewhere that you visited often.¡±


    My heart stopped dead. I found him gazing at me with such zing intensity. We stared at each other for I didn¡¯t know how long until I felt my skin was on fire. I was the first one to break eye contact. Otherwise, I lost my focus on the matter at hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have. You are gonna be my wife, and I¡¯m gonna be your husband. Three, I will provide for everything in the household. I won¡¯t ept anything from you in any form; cash, cheque, wire transfers, digital currencies, or tokens. Nothing. If you want to buy something, I won¡¯t stop you, but what is needed in the house like groceries, gas, bills, and broken furniture needs to be fixed or reced is on me.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong with number five?¡±


    ¡°I promise and swear not to force you to do anything you don¡¯t like. I won¡¯t touch without your consent, but we need to hug or kiss from time to time when necessary for the show. At home? Fine, but I won¡¯t say no, and I¡¯m always here.¡±


    ¡°Sleeping arrangements?¡±


    ¡°We can sleep in a separate room when just the two of us like here in the penthouse. We¡¯ll sleep in one bed in your apartment or other ces like your grandpa¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go together for parties, and we should have two days¡¯ vacation every month.¡±


    I wrote it down. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°And you can¡¯t stop me from buying gifts for you even if you can afford them. And I know you threw the flowers I sent you.¡±


    I wrinkled my nose, amused. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I have eyes everywhere.¡±


    We had dinner together and shared a light conversation.


    ¡°I was an A student until junior in college when Grandpa started prohibiting me from going out with friends.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°I had no choice but to maintain my grades. Maybe that¡¯s why I was like an animal on the loose when I finished college-but never used drugs. That¡¯s one thing I would never try. How about you?¡±


    ¡°I partied. I got drunk to the point that I passed out. I also never did drugs. Someone spiked my drinks. Thankfully, my driver was with us at that time. And grandpa paid a college student to look after me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s that overprotective of you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yet I¡¯m still a disappointment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not. You¡¯re just your own person, someone who has her own dreams and stands for them. There¡¯s nothing wrong with taking your own path. You did good. I heard your team are those not hired from differentpanies.¡±


    ¡°Should I ask how did you know all that? Did you pay one of my team to spy on me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not that observant, are you?¡±


    ¡°ze?¡±


    ¡°No. Not exactly.¡±


    ¡°Is he sleeping with Elise?¡± I asked in shock.


    Mykel didn¡¯t answer me, and I took it as a yes. He took our tes and cutlery instead.


    ¡°How long have you known?¡± I helped him out with the sses and napkins.


    ¡°Two days ago. It wasn¡¯t that ze spilled everything. Maybe it just came up in the conversation. I hope you don¡¯t mind my assistant is dating your best friend.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t mind as long as Elise won¡¯t break my best friend¡¯s heart. She seems a good person.¡± I ced the bottles on the ind while he cleaned the Chinaware before putting them into the dishwasher.


    ¡°I said the same to ze the other day.¡±


    I faced him. ¡°Let me guess, you threatened him.¡±


    He pursed his lips. ¡°Kinda.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what he said.¡±


    ¡°He was surprised that I knew.¡±


    ¡°d you¡¯re okay with that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re flying to Vegas tomorrow after we sign the prenup and pick up the rings from the shop.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I froze in motion. ¡°I¡¯m not ready?¡±


    ¡°What do you have to be ready for?¡±

 Chapter 14

    MYKEL


    The ring I picked up earlier was still in my pocket-it was gorgeous after a bit of customization, and I was confident she would love it around her finger.


    As I began to get to know beneath the tough, beautiful woman beside me, she was prable, and I liked her even more. Even though my reputation preceded me, I was willing to throw away the title of the most sought-after billionaire bachelor in the city.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The car was parked at the private airport. I also had a little surprise waiting for her on the jet.


    I helped her climb out. She drew a shaky breath and braced herself against the car.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting cold feet and nning on ditching me at the altar, are you?¡± I joked when I sensed her feeling sick, her fingers trembling.


    She shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear,¡± I said, though I wasn¡¯t entirely aware of what was going on with her.


    Then she suddenly froze. Her face went pale. Her eyes red wide as she stared at the jet. Then I realized something. A wave of dread hit me hard in the chest, squeezing my lungs and stealing my breath.


    Fuck.


    Her wordsst night shed back in my head. I had utterly forgotten the bigger picture of her silence. I felt like aplete asshole right now. How did I overlook this?


    ¡°You guys can go ahead,¡± I told my men.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry. I-I should have been honest with you.¡± She started sweating and could not meet my eyes anymore.


    I put an arm around her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Nothing to apologize for. Look at me, please?¡± I cupped her face. ¡°Please?¡±


    I¡¯d never seen her like this, with the horror set deep in those eyes. I felt the instant fraught with enormous guilt. I felt terrible for putting her through this. On the other note, she had to defeat her fear, one way or another.


    She nkly stared at me and blinked a couple of times.


    ¡°This is never my intention. You should know that. Do you trust me, even a tiny bit?¡± I look directly into her eyes.


    She answered me with nods.


    ¡°Then I promise you that I will always be by your side no matter what. You can do this. You can get through this, but you have to trust me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Tears formed in her eyes. She bit her lip hard to hold them back, but she failed spectacrly.


    ¡°I know, baby, but you¡¯re a stronger woman. Remember how you stood up against your grandfather? Yeah, you¡¯re a badass, and I know and never doubt that you are more capable of many things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She wiped her tears dry.


    ¡°Never apologize to me, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I should have been straight with you. I have never flown since my parents died in a ne crash. I was just ashamed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it. I wiped the tears with my thumbs that kept rolling before I pulled her in my arms in a tight hug.


    A sharp stab of guilt sliced through my heart.


    I kissed the top of her head. ¡°Remember, we can get through this. Take a step and stop when you need to. The jet is new and equipped with advanced technology. There are parachutes for passengers. I¡¯m not trying to scare you, but trust me, my pilot ispetent. We¡¯re in good hands.¡± As I talked to her, we were making progress. We were taking one step at a time.


    ¡°This is embarrassing.¡± She was shaking, her fingers wing into my shirt.


    What was the fucking hell Lex doing all those years, letting Adley consume her fear without seeing a therapist or helping her beat it? What an asshole.


    ¡°Stop, stop!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I squeezed her hands and nted them on my lips. ¡°Open your eyes, Adley.¡±


    She nodded, cracking open those terrified sterling eyes for me. ¡°Are we almost there yet?¡±


    ¡°Halfway, baby. Let me carry you so that you can take a rest. I promise you that nothing¡¯s gonna happen to you.¡± I smiled genuinely.


    ¡°I-I can walk.¡± Of course, she resisted.


    ¡°I know, but let¡¯s say that since we¡¯re getting married, I¡¯d like to do that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should do it after we¡¯re married?¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t always y by the rule,¡± I smirked.


    She yelped in surprise as I scooped and picked her up bridal style. ¡°Put me down.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡±


    ¡°Mykel!¡± She buried her face into my chest. Her arms tightly wrapped around my neck as I climbed up the airstair.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, Adley.¡± I slowly took a seat and ced her on myp.


    Her eyes were shut close. Her makeup smudged on her face, but she still looked perfect to me.


    I heard Elise approach. ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Give us a few minutes, please? Tell the attendant to bring a nket and a bottle of water.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    When Elise left, I wrapped my arms around her, running my fingers through her hair. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay.¡±


    After a few minutes, she lifted her chin and gazed at me silently from under hershes.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, you know. I don¡¯t even deserve you.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re just trying to make me feel better. I look hideous with my smudged makeup.¡± Her voice dropped, and so as her gaze.


    I wiped a thumb under her eye with smudged mascara. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see your face bare. I like that you never hide these cute little freckles with makeup.¡±


    A small smile curved up her lips. ¡°Thanks. I wanna sit down now.¡±


    I gently ced her on the seat and sat on the armrest with her. I doubted myself if what I was doing was helping her. She started pulling her knees close in fear. I went to the seat across hers, trying to talk her out.


    The attendant came, carrying the things that I asked for. ¡°The captain said, we are taking off in fifteen, sir.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. Either we fly, or we cancel everything we nned.


    ¡°Baby, can we talk?¡± I wrapped the nket around her.


    She heard me as she nodded repeatedly.


    I held her cold, shaking hands, squeezing them. ¡°Do you still wanna do this?¡±


    She nodded again, slowly meeting my gaze.


    I smiled at her in assurance. And what I wanted her to see first thing was me. ¡°I¡¯m here with you when the jet takes off. I swear to you. This isn¡¯t so bad once we are in the air.¡± I squeezed the lid of the bottle and offered it to her. ¡°Take a sip.¡±


    Her hands were still shaking. I had to help her to her lips. After taking a sip, her face seemingly lit up, color starting to show off.


    ¡°My heart still pounding.¡± She smiled timidly.


    ¡°Do you want anything before we take off?¡±


    ¡°I want to call ze.¡±


    My smile widened. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    She looked confused.


    ¡°Hey, badass.¡±


    She squeaked upon hearing her best friend¡¯s voice. I felt a pang in my chest, but I couldn¡¯tpete with ze. They had known each other for a long time, while I only met her days ago.


    I watched ze pull Adley into his arms, and she willingly melted in him. I felt a hand squeezing on my shoulder. I guessed Elise saw a reaction on my face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two alone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±


    I froze in my ce. For the first time, I saw something in Adley¡¯s eyes that filled my chest with hope. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I just wanna confirm something with Elise before we take off.¡±


    ¡°Would you stay with me during take-off?¡±


    ¡°The whole time.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    All I could do was smile. Elise showed me our itinerary in Vegas.


    ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± I pointed at the Bridal shower on the list.


    ¡°Of course. Are you kidding me? You only get married once. Well, I hope.¡±


    There was another stone rolling in my stomach. I knew I could give Adley a better wedding, but why did we rush things like there was no tomorrow?


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that look on your face.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s huge. Even a blind person can see it. I know you, Mykel. You like her a lot. You can still get married again to the same woman and invite thousands if you want to give her an extravagant wedding.¡±


    Sometimes I hated it when she was right. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°She wants you.¡± ze came over.


    Before I turned to Adley, I felt a firm grip around my arm. I knew it was ze. ¡°I should return the favor, but I won¡¯t do that. I¡¯m more of a man of a few words kind of guy. I hope you know what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    He red at me, and I red back until the inte interrupted us.


    ¡°Guys, unless you wanna see yourself at the tail of the jet, then you better buckle up,¡± Elise cut in.


    I went to Adley. She had buckled up already. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied as I fastened my seatbelt.


    ¡°Thanks for inviting ze, or it is Elise?¡±


    ¡°I told Elise to invite ze because if I do, I know how protective he is of you. He¡¯ll talk you out. Things happen. So, how do you feel?¡±


    She looked at her fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever feel that way. Even if you peed in your pants.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°Thank you for being here for me-¡± Her words were cut short when the jet ran at the runway.


    ¡°Always, Adley.¡± I held her hands, squeezing a little. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be over soon. Baby, if you¡¯re scared, just think of some happy moments or something that make youugh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at you.¡±


    Our gazes locked together, and I found my lips curving into a smile. ¡°Or-just look at me. You¡¯re doing great.¡± I tightened the grip on her hands as she yelped, shell-shock. Her eyes grew wide. It was the time when the jet ascended.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna pee this time.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. Whatever makes you feel better,¡± I joked back. ¡°So you haven¡¯t been out of the states or country?¡±


    ¡°Been to other states, but outside the country. No.¡± She felt shy again.


    ¡°I guess we just have to put that on our bucket lists. Where do you dream of going?¡±


    ¡°I wanna go somewhere like beaches.¡±


    ¡°Then we need to defeat that fear and go to the beach. I know just the right ce.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can.¡±


    ¡°I have work left in New York.¡±


    ¡°Adley, remember we have a break in every month? ze will take over while you¡¯re gone. You need to get a life too.¡±


    She red for a moment before her face softened. ¡°Why are you so pushy?¡±


    ¡°I want you to enjoy life. And for God¡¯s sake, Adley, how in the hell Lex did not help you with this?¡±


    ¡°When I refused once, he didn¡¯t insist. Maybe, he thought I was getting better. It¡¯s my fault. Don¡¯t me him.¡± I understood her protecting the old scumbag, but this has to end.


    ¡°Do you still trust me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sitting next to you if I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t even know how we got here when we started on the wrong foot.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t change that moment for anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re weird.¡±


    ¡°Anyway.¡± I unfastened the seatbelt and fished out the ring in my pocket. Then I was on one knee in front of her before I even realized what I was doing-it just came out spontaneously.


    For the first time since the airport incident, I heard her richugh. Her eyes sparkled again. Her face just lit up. I found myself smiling that somehow, I put that smile on her face.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Doing the right thing.¡± I cleared my throat and popped the box open. ¡°You despised me for my unsolicited awful opinion, and you named me the jerk guy in the elevator. In my heart, I knew we¡¯d meet again, and I knew that was just the beginning of many dreams, ns, and a long road we¡¯re sharing together. Adley Xael Kross, will you do me the honor of bing your awfully handsome husband?¡±

 Chapter 15

    ADLEY


    I feel so embarrassed.


    I was aware of the fact that this day woulde that I had to face and end this foolish, irrational fear of the unknown. Knowing that it was only in my head, I couldn¡¯t let that trauma control my life.


    Mykel was right. And I¡¯d been too caught up with the illusion that I could live with it. And I had been living with it for sixteen years.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Adley, I¡¯m still waiting.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mykel slipped the ring into my finger and kissed my hand. As soon as I said yes, I heard the apuse behind us. I wasn¡¯t aware that we had an audience.


    Then we were served two flutes.


    ¡°To our future together.¡± He proposed a toast with a huge smile on his handsome face.


    I lifted and sipped the champagne. Mykel joined beside me again.


    ¡°How long is the flight?¡± Ipletely forgot to ask. I was still pretty shaken until now, but I held on to his promise that he would not leave my side.


    ¡°Five. Maybe less.¡±


    ¡°Five?¡± I covered my mouth with my hand, and his gaze dropped to the engagement ring.


    ¡°It looks perfect, almost like your eye color.¡±


    I checked it out. ¡°Whoa! This is not what I chose.¡± No wonder it was a little heavy.


    ¡°I made a little upgrade,¡± he proudly said.


    ¡°A little? You mean huge.¡± I inspected it. The center stone was around four or five-carat in a cushion cut. What shocked me was the two rare blue diamond stones on both sides. I¡¯d say it was stunning.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Superb. You¡¯ll have it back after a year.¡± I didn¡¯t know why I said that, and it did a little twinge in my chest.


    ¡°You can keep it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± I drank the remaining champagne.


    ¡°We¡¯ve talked about it, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I know. Sorry. Bad habit.¡±


    I tried to get some rest as I was exhausted earlier. I didn¡¯t know it was too severe until I was already there. Mykel fixed the nket around me as I leaned to his side. He also adjusted my seat to make me feelfortable. It was a simple gesture, but knowing we were strangers days ago meant a lot to me right now.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯ll be here when you wake up.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± My lids felt heavy, and I couldn¡¯t keep up anymore. I fell into slumber.


    I felt a high-intensity quake that jolted me up. ¡°Mykel!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here.¡±


    I realized I was gripping his arm tight. His thumb ran circles on my knuckles as they turned white before I let loose. ¡°Sorry. I must have been dreaming. I thought there was an earthquake.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal. Just a little turbulence.¡± He tucked the strand of my hair behind my ear. ¡°Get back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°Forty-five minutes.¡±


    A lough erupted behind us. That must be Elise and ze and his guys.


    ¡°They¡¯re ying cards. Wanna join them?¡±


    ¡°Tempting, but I¡¯d rather stay in my seat.¡±


    ¡°Baby steps. I understand.¡±


    ¡°How about you? Aren¡¯t you bored? Wanna use the bathroom or something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I raised my head and looked up at him.


    He nodded. ¡°Yes, baby. Now get some sleep. No more talking unless you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can eat something right now. I don¡¯t wanna throw up.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let me know if you want anything.¡±


    ¡°You can do whatever you want if I fall asleep. I¡¯m sure you have a lot of things to do.¡± I felt sleepy again. My voice slurred in the end.


    ***


    We arrived at the hotel earlier. Thankfully the entire flight went uneventful. After I showered, I applied makeup and put on a mini dress because Elise and I had ns. This girl was incredible. I got it why Mykel was fond of her.


    I put my Bride to Be sash on. I looked in the mirror, asking myself once again.


    The door pushed open.


    ¡°Elise?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    I turned around, grinning like a fool. ¡°How do I look?¡±


    There was a prominent frown between my best friend¡¯s brows. ¡°Is this really what you want?¡±


    ¡°I just asked myself that in the mirror.¡± I pursed my lips.


    ¡°And?¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°Damn it, Adley.¡± I knew this woulde up. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna sit here without saying this out loud because you are my best friend. For fuck¡¯s sake, it hurts that I¡¯m still thest person to know.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re gonna argue and withstand my decisions.¡±


    ¡°Because this is not you. You¡¯re throwing your life away. This is too much even for your inheritance. And you went overboard with this payback.¡±


    I sighed and went to sit on the edge of the bed. ¡°This is your idea, remember?¡±


    He huffed out his irritation. ¡°Are you really going to marry that guy? I mean, yeah, you two are financially stable, but are you sure you wanna do this? Think about this again, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I thought about this a thousand times.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you need to do it a million more. You are always nning ahead of time, so meticulous and calcted about your actions and decisions. And you¡¯ve never been this reckless and impulsive.¡±


    ¡°ze-¡±


    ¡°Look, if you¡¯ve thought this through, then I¡¯m with you. If this is what makes you feel fulfilled, then do it. Remember, he may demand something you can¡¯t give and feel guilty about it. You may feel something toward him, and you know his rep. I don¡¯t wanna see you getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°We signed a prenup, and we have conditions. This is only for a year or less. And this is not to dissuade or get payback against my grandfather. I want what¡¯s rightfully mine. And he¡¯s going to arrange me to someone else to get what he wants, anyway.¡±


    ¡°So, are you gonna stay with him after this?¡± ze looked painfully disputed.


    ¡°That¡¯s our agreement. Just to make our marriage looks believable.¡±


    ¡°Of course, and this a real marriage, Adley, even if this seems like a scheme to me. Nice ring, by the way.¡± He looked down at my finger.


    ¡°Adley?¡± A soft knock followed.


    ¡°I think your fiance is a little excited.¡±


    ¡°Are you in there?¡± It was Mykel behind the door.


    ¡°Yeah. Come in.¡±


    The door swung open. ¡°ze, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°I was trying to talk sense into her deluded brain, but it seemed that she already made her mind.¡± ze turned and walked out of the room, leaving us in profound silence.


    ¡°He wille around and understand why I am doing this,¡± I said to a stunned Mykel. My chest still felt heavy, and I felt like crying.


    ¡°He cares a lot about you, and if I were in his shoe, I¡¯d feel the same.¡±


    ¡°Wow. You made me a lot awfully better.¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Adley, he is your best friend, and I thought you keep him in the loop about your ns.¡±


    I stood up and picked up my purse. ¡°I hate you right now. You might as well tell your family before they find it out from someone else,¡± I said as I stomped toward the door.


    ¡°That¡¯s the n. My mom, anyway. The rest, I don¡¯t give a fuck.¡±


    ¡°You might have to refrain from using that word more often when I¡¯m with you.¡± I was angry at him, at everything that didn¡¯t go as nned.


    He was stalking me toward the elevator, pressing the button to the lobby. ¡°Adley.¡±


    I ignored him and his devastatingly handsome look in a crisp white shirt and blue suit. He watched me through the lift mirror as I entered in silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna ignore me the whole night?¡±


    One thing he had to learn was if I was beyond mad, I chose to keep silent. I avoided the things I might say and regretter.


    Finally, we reached the lobby.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this thing over with.¡± I walked out.


    Sax and Kye were already there waiting, as did ze, and Elise smiled brightly at me. She was such a free-spirit human.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I hooked my hand around her arm as we walked away from them. We got drunk tonight because this would be thest few hours of my single life.


    The dance floor was crowded. The smell of alcohol, sweat, and perfume was crazy. I was sweating everywhere and on my third shot of tequ. Elise was a light drinker, so she chose to be sober with a club soda.


    ¡°I¡¯d been missing a lot!¡± I yelled at her. My heart was pumping hard as I danced with her. ¡°Who cares about tomorrow when what we have is today? I mean tonight, right!¡±


    She wasughing at me. ¡°I think you¡¯re a little drunk, Adley!¡±


    ¡°I want this life! I can¡¯t remember I had fun like this. I mean, ze and I went to the club sometimes, but this is-¡± I stopped talking. ¡°He¡¯s mad at me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. ze understands. Trust me. He¡¯s scared that you might be getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°Can we get out of here?¡± I felt emotional. My chest squeezed tight.


    ¡°Sure.¡± She held my hand as we got out of the crowd. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay.¡±


    ¡°You sound like Mykel right now.¡±


    ¡°You would be in good hands. Mykel is a good guy, believe me.¡±


    ¡°I wanna go back to the room.¡± I ignored her words of encouragement because, honestly, it was not helping.


    Elise helped me out of my shoes and dress as soon as we got into my hotel room. I was drunk, but I still knew what I was doing. I went to the tub and soaked myself. Suddenly, I felt the waterforting.


    ¡°Thank you for being here with me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no ce I¡¯d rather be.¡±


    ¡°Am I stupid?¡±


    Her brow arched, twirling her blonde hair. ¡°Why¡¯d you say that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never been this reckless in my entire life. Yet, somehow, it feels right.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s all that matters. At first, I was a little hesitant and not on board with this. Honestly, I care about my boss more than anyone. He pulled me out from that dark ce and gave me this life.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I fell for the wrong guy years ago. I lost my schrship and apartment, but I thought I was in love, so I didn¡¯t care. Mykel was just starting up at that time. He almost ran into me while I was with a small duffel, walking out of the apartment building of my ex about to cross the street.¡±


    ¡°Your ex kicked you out?¡± I stared at her in shock, my insobriety fading.


    ¡°Yeah. I thought Mykel was a gang member picking up girls and selling them for sex ves.¡±


    Iughed with her.


    ¡°He exined to me his line of work. He gave me his card and a hundred bill. He told me no strings attached. I was sleeping in the shelter at that time. Then I called him. He paid for my senior year tuition, and I got the best job in the world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. And ze is behind the door. He wants to talk to you.¡± She got up and walked out.


    ze came in, shaking his head, amused this time.


    ¡°I think I drank a lot.¡±


    ¡°Looks like it. Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Can you forgive me?¡± I asked sincerely.


    ¡°No forgiveness necessary. And I had a little chat with that bastard.¡±


    ¡°I still want you to forgive me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgiven.¡±


    ¡°Did you break his nose?¡±


    ¡°And then what? Sue my ass for an assault charge? No, thank you. Considering he is taller than me, I don¡¯t even have a chance. But if he breaks your heart, I will run him over a roller.¡±


    We cracked intoughter.


    ¡°You know I love you, right?¡±


    ¡°I actually doubted that for a second.¡±


    I hit him on his arm.


    ¡°Kidding. I love you, too.¡±

 Chapter 16

    MYKEL


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± I asked ze as he walked into my hotel room.


    ¡°For a second, I thought you genuinely care.¡± He grumbled with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Cut the bullshit, Burns,¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know she dislikes that kind of words?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡±


    ze finally noticed that I wasn¡¯t alone in the room.


    ¡°My friend Dash Chandler. Dash, this is ze, Adley¡¯s best friend.¡±


    While they exchanged pleasantries, I dialed Adley.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She picked up right away.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡±


    ¡°Bad idea,¡± the two assholes chorused, staring at me as if I went mad.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,¡± Dash added.


    I covered the mouthpiece. ¡°It¡¯s not that-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± ze growled. ¡°Real wedding or you two are in love? Are you fucking serious right now?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you both getting married like real fucking married?¡± Dash argued.


    ¡°Of course, this is real.¡±


    ¡°Then fucking stick to the n.¡±


    I red back at ze.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, man. Pull yourself together. Just talk to her over the phone,¡± Dash agreed with ze.


    I checked my phone, and Adley had already hung it up. Fucking great. ¡°She¡¯s not bailing on me, is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. But that thought would be a relief.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Burns.¡±


    ¡°We wereughing before I left. So, you¡¯re gonna have a bride tomorrow. Maybe you should get some beauty rest.¡± He turned toward the door. ¡°Got to check on my girlfriend.¡±


    Once the door shut behind him, I redialed Adley.


    After a few rings, she finally answered.


    ¡°Sorry, I was changing.¡±


    My inner demon woke up. ¡°What are you wearing, Adley?¡±


    ¡°Spongebob boy shorts and my red Betty Boop onesie.¡±


    I burst outughing. ¡°Nice one.¡±


    Dash had never been amused as he shook his head. I knew what was in his head right now. I just lost my mind.


    ¡°I wanna check up on you if we¡¯re good. You were angry with me when you left me earlier.¡±


    ¡°I realize it was my mistake, and you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Is that your way of apology?¡±


    ¡°No. I only admitted that I should be upfront with ze.¡±


    I was smiling the whole time. ¡°You should work on your apology, baby.¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ, what happened to my best friend.¡± Dash cracked a smile.


    ¡°And you should start practicing wearing a cassock.¡±


    ¡°Thest time I checked, my hand is just capable of doing me a huge favor.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I could hear her rolling her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow. Bye.¡±


    There were some thoughts in my head after I talked to Adley, but definitely not something about backing out. Had I ever thought of my sex life? Of course, we both needed that. I was sure Adley was not a virgin. Lots of things would happen in three hundred sixty-five days. If I were lucky, she would be mine. She definitely would be mine in a few hours.


    Was I attracted to Adley? Yes, I had no doubt. I even started to care about her. I had already nned something for us. Even if this were our scheme against her grandfather, the wedding would be real. We would be a real married couple-I would be a married man and a husband to her. That was the fact.


    ¡°Any thought of running away before it¡¯s toote?¡±


    I lifted my gaze to Dash and shook my head.


    ¡°So this is the same girl you met and went home with your half-brother?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°They did not sleep together.¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°I just know.¡±


    ¡°Does she know-¡±


    ¡°No. Not yet. And I don¡¯t think they ever met again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re keeping that secret from her,¡± he sang out.


    ¡°She knows I have a half bastard brother. She just doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s Knox.¡±


    ¡°Then you better tell her before you bumped into one another. That¡¯s gonna be awkward. And she¡¯s your mentor¡¯s granddaughter. Remember, your world is getting smaller each day. Think about what I said, bro.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. But I always knew there was something familiar about her.¡±


    ¡°She took a shine on you, huh? I¡¯d never thought you were throwing away your bachelor¡¯s life for a woman you don¡¯t even know. If I hadn¡¯t known she¡¯s an heiress, I would have thought she¡¯s after your bank ount.¡±


    ¡°We have a prenup.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Anyway, congrats!¡± He pped my shoulder. ¡°I wish you all the best, bro. See you tomorrow. Thanks for asking me to be your best man.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my best friend, might as well extend the courtesy.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Proud of you, Mykel.¡±


    ***


    At the Grd Chapel, I checked my watch for the umpteenth time. It was about time. I was wearing a simple suit, a white shirt, and a metallic blue tie with my hair in a pull-back style.


    I¡¯d never been more nervous in my entire than today. I felt like my tie was too tight, and my shirt cor was suffocating. I was blowing breaths and licking my lips as the moments passed by.


    ¡°You still have less than a minute to change your mind, bro,¡± Dash said half-jokingly.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re about to pass out.¡±


    ¡°For the love of God.¡± I practically rolled my eyes at him.


    Finally, the receptionist called our names.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s toote then.¡± Dash enjoyed very much making fun of me.


    Elise walked in first in her white summer dress.


    Then there she came, my bride with her best friend.


    I realized I was holding my breath until I felt I was running out of air.


    ¡°Breathe.¡± Dash elbowed me.


    Adley took my breath away, wearing a draped wrap floor-length white dress with a thigh-high slit. She was holding a simple beige and white roses bouquet. How could a woman be even more stunning each day? And she¡¯s going to be my wife.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    I let out a groan at Dash¡¯spliment.


    ¡°I get it, bro. Hold your horses.¡±


    My heart pounded as she got closer, and I felt like I was waiting forever for her at arm¡¯s length.


    ¡°Hi.¡± The first word slipped my lips and came out breathless.


    She held back her smile. ¡°Hi to you too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you came. Otherwise, I would hire the entire private military contractor to search and kidnap you to be here right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully chatty today,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve never been nervous like this. You look beautiful, by the way-¡±


    ¡°If you two are done chatting, I would like to start the ceremony,¡± Elvis cut in.


    We couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°My apology. Please,¡± I said in delight.


    He started right away with a short sermon.


    ¡°Mykel Zhair Dru Creed, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, tofort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Adley Xael Kross, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, tofort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Repeat after me,¡± Elvis said.


    ¡°I, Mykel Zhair Dru Creed, take you, Adley Xael Kross, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.¡±


    ¡°I, Adley Xael Kross, take you Mykel Zhair Dru Creed, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.¡±


    ¡°Do you have rings?¡±


    We replied in unison, and we looked at each other. I couldn¡¯t help but smile back. I was the luckiest man to be in this position today.


    I took the ring from Elise and looked at my beautiful wife.


    ¡°I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love.¡± I slipped the ring into her finger.


    She did the same and slipped the ring into my finger.


    As we held our hands together, Elvis dered, ¡°By virtue of the authority vested in me under thews of the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.¡±


    Today might finally happen. The world seemed to have stopped as those sterling eyes locked on mine.


    As I moved closer, I felt the pounding of my heart in my chest, the flutter in my stomach, and my breaths held in anticipation.


    I promise today that Adley is mine in every sense of the word. She belongs to me.


    As excitement splintered all over my system, I then dipped my head, angling my lips and covering hers. She sighed into the kiss and gave in herself to this moment in a span of a heartbeat. And it took only a second for me to get lost in this kiss as I wanted to delve into her mouth, seeking out the sweetness of her taste, feeling the softness of her lips, and imploring her to drop down her defenses.


    Before I could get lost forever, I was pulled back by the apuse around us. But then I had three hundred sixty-five days to make her fall in love.

 Chapter 17

    ADLEY


    I kept having to pinch myself to make sure I was not dreaming. After the brief wedding ceremony, we rode in the getaway car, and I didn¡¯t know exactly where we were going.


    I kept my mouth shut. I felt a shiver coursing through me, thinking of the abrupt yet too intimate kiss we had shared earlier. I could still feel his lips against mine. It shouldn¡¯t bother me because I¡¯d kissed men, yet it didn¡¯t leave me breathless or speechless the way I had with Mykel.


    It wasn¡¯t awkward either. Maybe what I saw in his eyes gave this stupid tingles and image in my head.


    I squeezed my eyes shut with a groan.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    I cracked my eyes open to see the familiar airstrip. ¡°Not again.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Baby, you survived our trip. You can do better than that.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say. You¡¯re not the one who felt like vomiting the gut out every time I see aircraft,¡± I dryly remarked.


    ¡°Would you rather travel through thend to New York? I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    My gaze stayed hard at him for a moment, considering it. ¡°You¡¯ll be exhausted.¡±


    ¡°You know approximately how many hours?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Forty hours, maybe. If we¡¯re lucky.¡±


    My jaw dropped. ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡±


    ¡°I wish I am.¡± He climbed out of the car, rounding to my side. He opened a door for me, and I never expected he would do such a thing.


    I gripped the hand he offered. I blew a shaky breath as I looked at the airstair and the jet I¡¯d be in for the next few hours.


    I yelped in surprise as my husband carried me bridal style. ¡°A little warning would be nice.¡± I hit him on his arm.


    ¡°You should have expected that already.¡± He carried me as if I weighed nothing. Well, considering how strong his biceps were, he was the kind of guy who spent a lot in the gym and lifted weights.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really okay with this?¡±


    ¡°I know what you are doing.¡± He climbed up the jet. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone. Just trust me.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I was serious with my question.¡±


    ¡°Once I¡¯mmitted, Adley, I¡¯m not quitting till the job¡¯s done.¡± He helped me to my feet and onto the seat. ¡°So, we¡¯re stuck together, whether you like it or not.¡±


    ¡°Your friend Dash. He kinda seemed a good guy.¡±


    The look in his eyes was definitely suspicious. He clenched his teeth hard- I could see it on his jaw.


    ¡°Dash is way wild than me. And not trying to be a buzzkill, Adley, but we just got married for you to think of another guy.¡± He took a seat beside.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten about that.¡± I checked my finger where my engagement ring and wedding sat. ¡°I¡¯m not into a tanned and blond guy anyway. And he¡¯s too roguish for me. I like someone a little older than me, and I think I¡¯m drawn to a bad boy-ish, dark, broody, and cocky with a bit of narcissism.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I got after wearing my heart on my sleeve?¡± Iughed, thoroughly pleased with my joke.


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± His tone was t. If I didn¡¯t know him, I thought he was jealous.


    ¡°You asked him to be your best man. You two are closed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Back in college. He lent me money when I was low. Then he encouraged me to learn about Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies. Eventually, he did me a solid and let me borrow a couple of thousand. That¡¯s how it all started.¡±


    ¡°You have that in you.¡±


    He looked down at me, arching an inquisitive brow. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Conviction, bravery to risk, purposefulness. Trustworthiness.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Where are they anyway?¡± When the jet seemed to silence and empty, I asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re noting with us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I held his arm in horror. ¡°What do you mean they¡¯re noting with us?¡±


    The pilot just opened the cockpit and signaled Mykel.


    ¡°Mykel? What was he saying? What about my things?¡±


    ¡°Baby, rx.¡± He nced at me. ¡°Try to trust me sometimes.¡±


    ¡°I trust you. I just don¡¯t know your n.¡± My chin started to tremble. I felt like crying.


    He stared at me for a moment when tears started to fill my eyes. ¡°I swear to God you¡¯re safe with me. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you. Look at me.¡±


    I nced away when I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore.


    ¡°Adley, please?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I blinked it off.


    My stupid tears streamed down.


    He wiped them away quickly. ¡°I hate seeing you like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just terrified.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be terrified alone. I¡¯d rather risk my life than leave you helpless.¡± He pulled me into a hug for the second time. ¡°I¡¯m with you, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re gonna hate me for this.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I pulled away, confused.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Hawaii?¡±


    ¡°What? When? Now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± This time I was the one who threw myself into him. I realized I was overreacting. My cheeks med. ¡°Oops. I¡¯d been dying to go-I just didn¡¯t have the guts.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too excited. A friend of mine has a private property down the ind. It¡¯s pretty decent. There¡¯s a beach at the back of the house. I thought we could have a little privacy to ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take any women there if that¡¯s what you¡¯re trying to know.¡± His smile was mischievous.


    ¡°It¡¯s really none of my business.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest here, Adley. My body, my life, everything that belongs to me is your business now. Whether you like it or not. You are my wife. And I do the same thing. I would take care of your well-being the moment I said my vow.¡±


    I was shocked by his words. I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your little conditions still stand. As a husband, I¡¯m not avoiding you to do what you want as long as it does not involve us both in a scandal. I still have a business and image to take care of. And it goes both ways. I¡¯d be faithful to you to the best of my ability.¡±


    Maybe I did not think through the consequences on both of us and his sudden changes of manners. I should have known better than he had this heroic tendency like his friend and his overprotective nature. It was all clear to me now. As long as he would not cross the line, I was good for now.

 Chapter 18

    ADLEY


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I could literally hear your brain reeling.¡±


    ¡°Elise told me how you helped her. It¡¯s in your nature to help people. I shouldn¡¯t have wondered why you did agree to help.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I agreed because I like you.¡±


    I snorted and rolled my eyes. ¡°You like everyone has a female part.¡±


    ¡°Ouch. I¡¯m wounded. I do have tastes, baby. I might have ten wives and divorced ten times if I was willing to marry anyone who came to me.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure I am your first wife?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, thest.¡±


    I let thatst words go. ¡°Where are ze and Elise, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°They will flymercial first ss in a few hours. Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯ll be home in the morning. You can call ze once wend.¡±


    We shared our first meal as a husband and wife then I dozed off. Mykel was on hisptop when I got up from my nap.


    ¡°You need your energy, Adley. Get some sleep.¡± His words were soft as if we were in a real rtionship. I inwardly shook my head as I tried to pull myself together.


    ¡°How about you?¡±


    He lifted his gaze from theptop. ¡°I¡¯ll have it once wend.¡±


    ¡°You work hard.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m reading a proposal.¡± He then went back to reading.


    ¡°I forgot to tell you. One of my grandpa¡¯swyers came to me two days ago offering to buy mypany.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I thought it¡¯s not a big deal. He offered seven figures.¡±


    ¡°Yourpany has a lot of potential. He can offer up to eight if he¡¯s interested.¡±


    I yawned. ¡°Not nning on selling.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, sleep. We can talk about itter.¡±


    ***


    I woke up already in the car, my head on his shoulder. Sometimes I hated this in me-that I slept like a dead.


    ¡°Wee back, sleeping beauty.¡±


    ¡°Did I miss the good part?¡± I looked outside the window, and it was already dark aside from street lights. I noticed Sax was driving, and Kye was in the passenger¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Doubt it.¡±


    ¡°You should have given them off.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re off. They just volunteered to give us a ride since we¡¯re going to Kye¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°What? He owned the house you¡¯re talking about?¡± I sat straight, surprised.


    ¡°He¡¯s renting from me, Mrs. Creed.¡±


    My cheeks burned. Mykel saw my reaction. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see your house, Kye.¡±


    ¡°Nothing special, but you¡¯d love the back if you like outdoor and fresh air.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯d have fun. Thanks.¡±


    Kye was not kidding-the house was a ssic oceanfront two-story made of concrete and wood and screamed tropical. I would love to embrace the natural exotic beauty of his special abode, and I could definitely stay here for a while.


    ¡°How do you say thank you in Hawaiian?¡±


    ¡°Mahalo,¡± Mykel answered.


    ¡°Mahalo, Kye.¡±


    ¡°No?u ka hau?oli.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m good with Mahalo for now.¡±


    Sax and Kye chuckled.


    Mykel knew the way to the house. Our things were already in the room. At the center was the queen-sized four-poster well-made bed.


    I stood there with my lips dried. I guessed this was how my life was now, constantly sharing a bed with Mykel.


    ¡°We¡¯re sharing a bed,¡± I just said out loud. Heat spread across my cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try hard to keep my hands off you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. You might not use to sleep in bed with someone considering how fast you run away once the best part was over.¡±


    I thought I had offended him. Instead, he burst outughing. His voice echoed in the entire house.


    ¡°What so funny?¡± I red at him.


    ¡°Once the best part was over? You can do better than that, baby.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I crossed my arms over my chest.


    ¡°You might want to change to somethingfy. Elise brought that suitcase for you. There are some swimsuits in it you can use tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Tell her I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Do you have routines that I should know about? How long do you use the bathroom?¡± I knew he was messing with me, and he just seeded.


    When I didn¡¯t answer, he shut his smile off. ¡°Just kidding, Adley. Rx. I¡¯ll use the bathroom down the hall. You can use that one.¡±


    Once he left, I went to the bathroom and freshened up. Since we were not a normal married couple, I wore a short pajama set.


    I was sitting in the bed about to call ze when I heard a soft knock.


    ¡°Adley?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to knock.¡±


    The door pushed in, revealing my husband in a shirt and pajama bottom.


    I sat frozen.


    There was nothing attractive about his getup, but he looked yummy barefooted, his hair tousled, thendscape of his chest was too broad, and the ink on his arm was peeking out from the stretched sleeve. The shirt seemed too stretched as well. His series of ripples and bulges of his packs were molded into the shirt down to his narrow hips.


    ¡°Done?¡± His question jolted me out of my little dreamy spot.


    ¡°Do you even sleep with clothes on?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t wanna know.¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Sorry that you have to adjust for me.¡±


    ¡°While you¡¯re awake, yeah.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overdressed. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    I red at him as he climbed into the bed. ¡°Keep your clothes on, Mykel. I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re missing the best part.¡±


    ¡°I doubt that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°Night, baby.¡± He took a pillow andy on his side. ¡°And put that thing away, please?¡±


    ¡°I need to call ze.¡±


    ¡°Let them have some fun. They have a flight to catch in the morning. You can text ze that you¡¯re in Hawaii. That¡¯s all.¡±


    I type a short text to ze before I put my phone on the nightstand. I slipped into theforter andy on my side.


    ¡°Wife,¡± he murmured. I thought he had called me.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m a married man. And you are now my wife, Adley Creed, the same woman who called me asshole and jerk.¡±


    ¡°We can get divorced tomorrow.¡±


    I found his hand on my arm. ¡°I enjoyed being with you. You might as well prepare yourself to grow old with me.¡±

 Chapter 19

    MYKEL


    Waking in this position with a woman in bed should terrify me. Not this time.


    I found my wife¡¯s arm on my abdomen, her leg over my thigh, and she sprawled out over my chest. I wondered how she would react to seeing herself in this position-shey entangled with me. I couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on her face when I told her.


    I was still trying to wrap around my head the fact that I was a married man. Not so long ago, I swore not to get in a rtionship as I was already married to my work. I realized I wasn¡¯t scared about the idea of being with someone. I admitted I had abandonment issues and inted my ego so much that what mattered to me was living life to the fullest.


    It wasn¡¯t such a bad idea to be with somebody like the woman beside me right now. Or I just met the right one who taught me how to throw those doubts and fears out of the window.


    I looked down at her peacefully sleeping, her hair in disarray. Yet, she was the most beautiful woman who walked to earth, destroying every belief I had regarding rtionships and sex.


    I swiped some strands of her golden hair away from her beautiful face. I had noticed yesterday that she changed her hair color to something lighter, almost blonde. I thought I just lost my shit that I found those freckles scattered around her nose so cute.


    I couldn¡¯t help but drop my gaze further down. Her pajama top had opened a button, revealing a good amount of swell of her tit. She didn¡¯t have those big tits, but she had that fit perfectly around my palm. The more I stared longer, the more my cock turned unruly hard. Considering I had a morning tent, I just made my situation worse.


    No matter how I wanted to ogle at my sleeping beauty, I slowly got off the bed to avoid waking her up.


    After I used the bathroom, I changed to sweatpants and jogged around the area for a couple of minutes. When I came back, Kye and Sax were already making breakfast.


    ¡°Is your wife watching her calories?¡± Sax asked me, flipping pancakes.


    I raised a brow. ¡°Don¡¯t let Adley hear you talk about calories.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great.¡±


    I was done taking a shower, and Adley was still in the same position. I found Sax and Kye preparing breakfast outdoor. They had those pretty exotic fruits on the table as well.


    ¡°Mom will be here shortly.¡± After I told my mother I got married yesterday, she purchased a ticket and flew to Hawaii to see her daughter-inw. I didn¡¯t know how Adley would take it, but I was pretty excited about her meeting my mother.


    ¡°Mrs. Creed is on the way. Shended a couple of minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to check on your missus?¡±


    ¡°Let her take some rest.¡±


    ¡°Just so you know, we didn¡¯t stay in the housest night,¡± Sax said defensively.


    ¡°So what if you were. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know me.¡±


    ¡°Boss, you are a married man now. It¡¯s different when you¡¯re with your wife. You are a little-¡±


    ¡°Cut thelittle,¡± Kye cut in.


    ¡°Fine. You may not realize it, but you are protective of Mrs. C.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s the right call,¡± Kye agreed.


    ¡°You two should mind your own business.¡±


    Kye chuckled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You do realize that¡¯s our job. This talk is just right about our business. And I think you¡¯re falling for your wife.¡±


    Sax nodded in agreement.


    ¡°You¡¯re full of shit.¡± I released a short sarcasticugh that contradicted my now racing heartbeat.


    ¡°Boss, she¡¯s beautiful-¡±


    ¡°Careful with the adjective you¡¯re using, Sax, if you still wanna have aplete set of teeth,¡± I told him, and my face turned hot.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Wilder,¡± Sax agreed with Kye. ¡°She¡¯s different from the women-¡±


    ¡°What women?¡±


    My eyes widened to hear the familiar voice. I was on my feet, walking toward my mother. ¡°Mom, you made it!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t miss.¡± She hit me on my arm. ¡°it.¡± Hit. ¡°I raised you well, Mykel.¡± Another hit. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± She was pissed at me. I could see that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t believe you. Of all the people, I¡¯m your mother, honey. You¡¯re a risk-taker and impulsive when ites to money, but this, who have you fooled? Just yourself, my boy.¡±


    I scratched my brow. Then I found Kye and Sax smiling.


    ¡°Hey, boys.¡±


    They went to kiss my mom on her cheeks. They did that thing every time they met my mother.


    ¡°Join us, Mrs. Creed.¡± Sax pulled a chair for my mom while I poured a cup of coffee for her.


    ¡°Thanks, honey.¡±


    I watched my mom, and she looked happy and younger. I felt good knowing that I was somehow one of the reasons who put that smile on her face.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my daughter-inw?¡± I knew she was searching for Adley the moment she arrived.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be here. I haven¡¯t told her you¡¯reing. She¡¯s used to nning everything, so knowing you¡¯re visiting would only stress her. Just easy on Adley, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a monster-inw.¡± She sipped her coffee.


    ¡°You never had been a mother-inw.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re happy, Mykel.¡± As soon as those words came out, I watched the two idiots in the corner of my eye react.


    ¡°Of course, I am. What¡¯s not to be happy about?¡±


    ¡°This is not just a marriage of convenience. You like her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I told Mom the shorter version of the story. The only thing she asked me about was if Adley annoyed me. I was still puzzled by that question.


    Then there was my wife in her mini sundress. The yellow sandals were cute on her feet. She was busy talking on the phone and hadn¡¯t seen us.


    I found myself smiling as she got closer.


    ¡°Got to go. I¡¯m starving. See you soon. Love you.¡±


    Since Mom was sitting next to Sax, Adley couldn¡¯t see her at her angle.


    I rose to my feet. ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡± She was smiling back.


    ¡°I trust you slept well.¡±


    ¡°Like a baby.¡±


    ¡°You look lovely.¡± I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed the side of her head. It just came out natural. It was definitely not rehearsed or part of our little charade anymore. I might have to recheck my feelings. I was afraid to admit that these guys might be right after all.


    A clearing of the throat broke us apart.


    ¡°Baby, I¡¯d like you to meet someone.¡±


    When she looked at the table, my mom was grinning from ear to ear.


    ¡°Oh, my God. I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know we have a guest.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not exactly a guest. She¡¯s my mom.¡±


    ¡°Your what? What do you mean she¡¯s your mom?¡± Her face was in pure shock.


    My mom was already pulling Adley into a hug. ¡°I flew right away as soon as my son told me that you two had eloped to Vegas.¡±


    ¡°Um, hi, Mrs. Creed.¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, call me mom. You¡¯re the Mrs. Creed now,¡± Mom said after they pulled apart. ¡°Take a seat, darling. Let me know if my son doesn¡¯t treat you right. I can still spank his butt even if he¡¯s as tall as a post.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± I called her.


    Adley smiled as she sat beside me. Sax gave her a coffee cup.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± she said to him.


    ¡°No worries, Mrs. C.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is too much for you.¡± I squeezed her knee under the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I missed having a mother around.¡± She then looked at my mother. I was finally able to breathe freely, knowing she was okay with this. ¡°How¡¯s your flight?¡±


    ¡°It was good and nice to be back. Two years ago, my son brought me here on his birthday. You should know this ce meant so much to him.¡±


    ¡°Really? How so?¡± Her eyes lit up.


    ¡°It¡¯s when I found out Mom was free of cancer.¡±


    Her hand instantly was on her chest. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Mrs. Creed. I mean, Mom. I lost my parents when I was eight. Two days ago, I was terrified to fly, but Mykel made it possible and easy for me to cope. I see now where did he get that from. You raised him well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, darling. I always wanted to have a daughter, and he just made ite true.¡±


    ¡°Not what you expected, I may add.¡±


    My momughed. ¡°A small wedding in Las Vegas, and I was uninvited? Definitely, darling. And he¡¯s going to pay for that.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I told you-¡±


    ¡°She knew?¡± Adley asked me.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t keep secrets from me. That¡¯s our deal.¡±


    ¡°You okay with this?¡± Adley asked Mom.


    ¡°He¡¯s happy, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    My wife looked at me.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s what mothers would want for their sons.¡±


    After our delightful breakfast, Sax and Kye left the house. Mom and Adley spent time together. They seemed to get along so well, considering they had just met. They already had a n for a spa, which Elise booked for two on the maind.


    I could still hear their conversation even if I were on the shore.


    ¡°Let me tell you this, darling. Trust me. It may start as this agreement about what you two were up to, but I know, my dear boy. He takes a risk with deals and investments, but in rtionships, it¡¯s a different story considering his freedom as a free man is at stake.¡±


    ¡°You must be shocked.¡±


    ¡°He never brought a woman to me or even mentioned someone in his life. I knew his reputation for his extracurricr activities. I even joked that maybe I have a granddaughter somewhere.¡±


    Adley smiled. ¡°Possibly.¡±


    ¡°Did he tell you about our lives when he was young?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. His father abandoned you both.¡±


    ¡°He never told that to anybody, especially those women he slept with. You are special, darling. Thest thing he wanted was to get married or to be in a long-term rtionship. It may all start as a deal, but my son broke all his rules because he saw something in you. Just don¡¯t break my boy¡¯s heart. He¡¯s the only one I¡¯ve got.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Did he tell you how we met?¡±


    My mom giggled. ¡°He mentioned that when I asked him how did you two meet. He told me like this-Mom, she hates me. I could feel her bones vibrating and wanted to poke her fingers into my eyes.¡±


    Adleyughed with Mom. I had to join them before Mom could spill something more.


    ¡°You two have a spa to go to.¡± I squeezed Adley¡¯s shoulder. I found her hand squeezing me back as she looked at me. ¡°Come on, Mom. You need to change. Sax will take you to the spa. Then I will meet you both for lunch.¡±


    When we reached our room, Adley remained silent, sitting on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Something¡¯s in your mind?¡±


    She met my gaze. ¡°She¡¯s a lovely woman.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re gonna be pissed at me for not telling you ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. But starting today, no more surprises. If you have ns that involve me, I want to know.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. Are you scared of going on a boat?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Great. I have rented a yacht. After lunch, you and I will go on sailing.¡±


    ¡°Just the two of us?¡±


    ¡°Scare of me? Last night you weren¡¯t so.¡±


    Her eyes grew big. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You were clinging to me the whole time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± She blushed.


    ¡°Am I?¡±

 Chapter 20

    ADLEY


    Madelyn was sweet. I really admired her. She was the type of woman who could be your best friend, mother, and enemy. But if she liked you, she treated you like her own. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how she raised Mykel to be a good person when they had nothing.


    ¡°Do you enjoy your work?¡±


    We just had our spa, and I felt so much better. I felt rejuvenated. I should not have taken for granted the stress and exhaustion I had before the flight-they all vanished into thin air.


    ¡°My grandpa hates my job, but I love and enjoy what I do. That¡¯s how I met your son again.¡±


    ¡°He told me. He asked Sax to call the cabpany and ask the address of thest person the driver sent.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I was surprised.


    ¡°He asked Sax to lie that you left something in his apartment.¡±


    I giggled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°Mykel loves challenges and is verymitted.¡±


    ¡°I think he got that from you.¡±


    ¡°You have a big heart, Adley. Does his past bother you?¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡± I smiled.


    ¡°He came from a low-ie family and a yboy.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Social status is just what I saw on a person. What I want is what I see in that person.¡±


    ¡°Do you still hate Mykel?¡±


    This time, my smile faded. ¡°I don¡¯t hate Mykel. I disliked his approach, cockiness, and maybe his view and opinion on rtionships, but who am I to judge? I mean, we all are different, and I should go to the bottom of it before I make my judgment. And I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you two give it a try? Be in a real rtionship like dating. You know, boyfriend, girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Do you realize that we are already married?¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Well, start by getting to know each other.¡±


    ¡°You two are too close. I hope he isn¡¯t a tell-all type of guy.¡±


    Madelyn waved her hand off. ¡°No, no, no. We don¡¯t do that. He¡¯s a mama¡¯s boy, yes. I hope it doesn¡¯t bother you, but he¡¯s a man, and I¡¯d rather stay away from his sex life stories.¡±


    I shook tough. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Despite our rocky start, I truly trust Mykel. I feel like I can be safe with him. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll look after him even if he¡¯s a fully grown man.¡±


    ¡°Are you two still talking about me?¡± My heart pounded hard to hear his voice behind me. Then a kiss on my cheek followed. ¡°Hey, baby.¡±


    ¡°Hey, a fully grown man.¡±


    He went to kiss his mother too. ¡°Hey, Mom. How¡¯s the spa?¡±


    ¡°It was fun. How about you?¡±


    ¡°My wife¡¯s gonna kill me, but we went on a hele-tour.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± My eyes grew wide. ¡°How was it?¡±


    Mykel looked at me, his eyes twinkling, his lips curving up. ¡°It was amazing. I don¡¯t wanna force you intoing with me. We¡¯ll get there soon.¡±


    ¡°As long as you had fun.¡± I ced my hand on top of his, squeezing it a little.


    We enjoyed light conversation during our lunch. Then our topic shifted.


    ¡°Wait. You were never in cheerleading?¡± He stared at me. His eyes were enormous as if he was finding it hard to believe that I never chose to be a cheerleader.


    ¡°No. But I was on a volleyball team. Let me guess, football?¡±


    He chortled, shaking his head. ¡°Because I¡¯m tall and handsome.¡±


    His mom was amused.


    ¡°You¡¯re so full of yourself.¡±


    ¡°You still marry me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the story of my life. Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I was on a football team. I also y Lacrosse.¡±


    ¡°And women.¡±


    Heughed out loud. ¡°See, Mom?¡±


    ¡°You two get along so well.¡±


    ¡°Did you also tell her I audition to be a stripper?¡±Well, this is interesting.


    Madelyn rolled her eyes at his son.


    ¡°What? Really?¡± I was holding his arm, waiting for him to share. ¡°Like Channing Tatum?¡±


    ¡°I did once. When they called me to start, I chickened out.¡± His lips curled into a crooked grin.


    I admired his determination and his hard work to make ends meet. Mykel was living proof that with diligence, dreams dide true.


    After our lunch, we headed to the harbor.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Since Elise was not around, I felt like I was the rose among the thorns with all the testosterone around me. Sometimes, I wanted girl time. ze and I were different. I took him everywhere and never refused.


    ¡°I have to go back, darling. I just wanted to meet you. That¡¯s why I flew right away, but I can¡¯t stay here for long. I¡¯m also running a business.¡±


    ¡°When will I see you again?¡±


    ¡°Anytime, darling.¡± Then she called his son. ¡°Bring her to me when you both are not crammed with work.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Take care of each other, okay?¡± She hugged me and whispered, ¡°He¡¯s falling for you. Take care of his heart, Adley.¡±


    My breathing held. My heart nearly stopped. I was speechless as I stared at Madelyn.


    She was joking. I knew she was.


    It¡¯s highly unlikely.


    This couldn¡¯t happen so fast.


    When she smiled, I felt like I had already missed her.


    ***


    We only exchanged a few words since we boarded the yacht he rented. The sudden change of air bothered me. I wondered what had gone wrong. He had a few moments talking with his mom then his mood shifted. I had no idea what it was all about, but when we boarded, there was a deep frown on his face.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have toe here if you didn¡¯t feel like too.¡± I couldn¡¯t take the silence between us anymore.


    He idled the boat, looking devastated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being a terriblepanion. I¡¯d been nning this since we nned to get married, then here I am, ruining everything.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Do I get to know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    We went near the tform, and he held my hand. ¡°Come with me. Take a seat. Let me apply sunscreen on your back.¡±


    ¡°I already applied earlier,¡± I refused. What I was more interested in was his feelings right now.


    ¡°Baby, I pay attention when ites to you. You missed some parts, especially your back.¡± I couldn¡¯t agree more. Considering my fair skin, I was prone to sunburn.


    For a moment, I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°Adley, I¡¯m not gonna touch the off-limits area.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I want you to touch me.¡± I pursed my lips as I turned around.


    Heughed. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me.¡±


    ¡°So you went through my things, huh?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have time toe back to the house to pack. So yeah.¡± The first touch of his palm on my shoulder made me stiffen. A shiver raced down my spine, and I held my breath for a moment as his hand went down to my lower back.


    He was true to his words, though-there was nothing sexual about it, yet I felt the flutter in my chest, and I was anticipating something more.


    His talented hands were mere inches from my butt, and all I could think was to see his restraint crumbling and taking advantage of this situation. Maybe I¡¯d indulge myself and give in to our sexual tension. It was hard not to when I could feel his hands on my skin, and we were on a beautiful ind, yet I was still under a dry spell.


    ¡°Rx.¡±It¡¯s hard when I can feel you on my flesh.¡±You have lovely skin.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Did you also check out my vibrator?¡±


    He paused when he reached just above my waist. ¡°You don¡¯t have one in your luggage. And so what if you wanna pleasure yourself? Though, I can volunteer.¡±


    My needs soared. The ache between my thighs worsened. My patience was running thin. With each rub of lotion, my skin was burning, melting against his palm.


    Then his hands were gone. When I turned around, he was gone as well.


    ¡°Fine. Have it your way.¡±


    The ocean was lush blue, clearer as the sky above us. I could feel the true serenity in the vast and endless horizon.


    I realized I really missed a lot of things. I missed life in general.


    I held my breath and jumped into the ocean. Even the deep water was clean and peaceful. It was the best feeling as if I had left my baggage behind-when you didn¡¯t have to worry about the world around you, just embracing the calmness under the sea.


    I tried to open my eyes, and small fishes were swimming freely through the deep blue sea.


    I gasped. My body jolted as a strong arm wrapped around my abdomen, securing me tight and rising me to the surface.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I tore myself free and turned around. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    He swiped away his hair covering his eyes. A deep frown deepened on his forehead as he looked worried. ¡°Don¡¯t ever leave my sight without telling me!¡±


    ¡°Wow! Yet you left while you were applying sunscreen on my back.¡±


    He nced away, breathing deeply. ¡°You could have just told me you wanna swim.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s why we¡¯re here, and I¡¯m in swimwear, Mykel. And you¡¯ve been moody since we sailed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°If we wanna make this work. You should also share whatever is going on with you. I¡¯m sorry I dragged you into my mess, but I also want to help.¡±


    ¡°I promise I will tell you.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I swam away from him. I realized how fast I started to care deeply for him. I might not be in control of my feelings anymore, and it scared the hell out of me.


    As I dived deep, I let the ocean take care of my problems for a while. Mykel was beside me, asking me if I was okay in a diver¡¯s sign.


    I showed my fingers that I was okay before I got out. I let myself float on the water, and Mykel did the same. I now realized he was shirtless. My gaze fell to his broad, solid chest. Even underwater, I could see those amazing pack abs, and I couldn¡¯t deny those packages steered my interest further.


    I ignored the stupid flutter in my belly and had to look away for a moment before my thoughts went filthy for the second time.


    When I looked back, he was already sitting on the tform, showing off those notches above his hips.


    Mykel had been watching me drool over him. Great. I felt my cheeks burning with embarrassment.


    Nice one, Adley.


    ¡°Baby, the sun is gonna set soon. Come on up.¡±


    I agreed as it started to get dark.


    We waited for the sunset with our red wine.


    ¡°One of the happiest moments I had,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin this moment, but I know you want to know. My father visited my mother. He wanted her to convince me to meet him. He even invited Mom over a dinner.¡±


    ¡°How did your Mom take it?¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t decide for her son anymore. She said, If he declined, it means he¡¯s not ready.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a great mom. You¡¯re lucky, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Lucky to have such good women in my life. I get that she gave you that ne.¡±


    I smiled as I rested my hand on my chest and started to fiddle with the pretty solitaire diamond ne Madelyn gave me. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°It has been with her for over three years. That¡¯s one of the first things I gave her. I brought her to the jewelry store, and the first thing she noticed was that ne. I bought that for her, but she didn¡¯t want to wear it. She told me that one day, she will give it to someone special to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡± Iid my head on his shoulder. ¡°Thanks for sharing it with me.¡±


    ¡°To more memories to share.¡±


    ¡°I drink to that.¡±


    We watched the sunset in peace. This moment was definitely unforgettable.

 Chapter 21

    MYKEL


    I was losing control even if I tried hard to ignore that I was with my wife in a yellow two-piece suit. She was the epitome of a living goddess. And fuck me, she knew when to tease-when I was vulnerable and at her mercy.


    She was attracted to me, and I felt she didn¡¯t try hard to hide it. If we reached that part, I didn¡¯t want her to regret it after. No matter how much I wanted to take her to bed, she was not ready for that. I would throw away those conditions shey on the table, and I wasn¡¯t sure she would take it lightly.


    We got back to the maind after dinner. Unfortunately, our time was limited, and she¡¯d already mentioned her job. We had to fly back home early in the morning.


    I went to bed. Adley was already sleeping. This time she was wearing a light pink skimpy satin sleepwear. And this tension, and I knew this would go for a long haul and would blow even in my sleep.


    I woke up to her nudging me in the middle of the night.


    ¡°Mykel, wake up.¡±


    I rubbed my eyes and squinted at the light. ¡°What is it, Adley?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s raining.¡± I groaned. ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°No. I mean, it¡¯s raining.¡± I didn¡¯t exactly get what she meant. My mind was still asleep.


    ¡°We¡¯re in Hawaii, baby. It¡¯s not new. Get back to sleep.¡±


    She was already sitting in bed. ¡°I wanna see the rain.¡±


    I hated when someone woke me up for nonsense reasons when I had something better to do in the morning unless the stock market crashed. But somehow, I got up.


    I sat up, breathed out, and stared at her momentarily. Her eyes glittered with excitement, making my heart melt.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see the rain then. There might also be lightning.¡± My brain was still scrambled, but yeah, when you were married, things had to change, and you had to adjust a little if even rain would make your wife smile.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She practically dragged me out of the room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so excited. You can¡¯t see anything in the night.¡±


    We reached the patio, and Adley was jumping like a child. What was so special about the rain in Hawaii? I didn¡¯t get it. I meant it rained a lot at home.


    The breeze was even chilly, and I didn¡¯t realize she could be freezing.


    ¡°Let me get you something to keep you warm,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯m going out.¡± She grinned, wearing flip-flops on the floor.


    ¡°Adley, that is not a good idea. It¡¯s freezing out there.¡± I scolded her, walking over to grab her in the arm. Only it was toote.


    ¡°Nah. I got this.¡±


    Jesus Christ! She danced as she stepped on the footpaths toward the shore. With my jaw dropped, I just stood there and watched her in pure shock.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing, Adley Creed? Get in the hell back here in this instant!¡± My anger soared. I regretted it immediately-I shouldn¡¯t have gotten up from the bed.


    ¡°Something¡¯s important missing in your life, Mykel!¡± She was soaking wet. The rain was pouring, and she was practically naked under her see-through sleepwear. The fire in my eyes made my skin aze with needs. What the fuck did I get myself into?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, boss?¡± It was Kye. I may have awakened him by my voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I picked up the umbre from the corner and walked through the paths. I didn¡¯t want him to see Adley¡¯s literally naked body.


    Adley was on the shore, watching the dark horizon.


    ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing? You¡¯re gonna get sick.¡± Even if the umbre was toote for her, it seemed only rational.


    She turned to me with those sated eyes. ¡°No sensible evidence proves you will get sick if you bathe under the rain.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you, Doctor Grey.¡± I held her arm. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go back to the house. You look like a lost puppy right now.¡±


    She snatched the umbre from me and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have it on your bucket list like walking and yelling in the rain?¡±


    I narrowed at her. ¡°Who does that? How about we go paragliding tomorrow? How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mean.¡± A small frown fell against her lips. And I instantly hated myself that I was one to put it there.


    ¡°And do you think waking up in the middle of the nighting over here in the pouring rain is a good idea? Is this some kind of joke? Look at you.¡± I pointed at her wet body. ¡°People here are not like at home.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! If I go out in the pouring rain, they¡¯d think I¡¯m crazy. Here, nada!¡±


    I shook my head, pissed off, yet guilt twisted in my gut instantly. Somehow, my anger vanished just like that. Something was really wrong with me that needed immediate psychological attention.


    She held my hand. ¡°Come on, dance with me. It¡¯s on my bucket list.¡± She then danced and spun around before she wrapped her arms around my neck.


    Now, I waspletely wet and turned on-I was burning from the inside. I could feel every inch of my wife¡¯s body pressed against mine-the swell of her tits and hardening nipples.


    ¡°Are we done?¡± I calmed down. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. She had not realized how freezing it was right now, but soon she needed to get warm.


    Maybe, she needed this. Who was I to deny if this simple thing made her happy? It may look stupid, but if this were on her bucket list, then we would do it.


    ¡°You¡¯re mad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, baby. I don¡¯t want you getting colds or something.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a bucket list?¡± Again, the stupid bucket list. Who made this popr anyway?


    When I looked down, she was smiling. Her question was sincere.


    ¡°What¡¯s on my bucket list is this-¡± I leaned down and brushed my lips into hers, flooding her with the desire to kiss her again. She gasped at the first touch. Her grip tightened around my neck, clinging to me. As I slid my tongue along her lower lip, a needy sound skipped from me. I felt her smiling, and she didn¡¯t even try to resist. She gave me the kiss that I desperately wanted.


    I tightened my arms around her, borrowing the strength to ward off the fear of ending this kiss in the rain.


    I realized that I was just waiting for the right person. Maybe I had a romance in my bones after all.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The sweep of my tongue turned deep and demanding. The pile of lust seared through me. Blood rushed south, my needs surging. The kiss became firm and insistent and urgent, giving and taking until she broke apart.


    A groan skipped my throat, squeezing my eyes shut as I tried to control my hardening cock back to dormant. Then I opened my eyes to the most beautiful woman, dazed with desire.


    ¡°Did I ruin your fun?¡±


    She pursed her lips and shook her head. ¡°Nah. We both need that. Let¡¯s head back to the house.¡± She walked away, leaving me alone, aroused and stunned. Before she reached the patio, she turned to me. ¡°If you ever bring that up that I lured you to the rain to kiss you, I¡¯m gonna knee that one in need of your attention.¡± She was pointing at my cock. So she felt it. Interesting.


    I burst intoughter. ¡°Noted, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Sax was also up, offering us towels.


    ¡°Nice move, boss,¡± Kyemented.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Adley and I said in unison.


    ¡°Perfect couple.¡±


    ***


    We flew back home, and none of us brought up what happened in the rain. So, what happened in Hawaii stayed in Hawaii. I got that memo. Before we got back to bedst night, there were those moments when I was dying to continue what we left off. But I was sure it would be worth the wait if things bloomed between us.


    ¡°Mykel, I wanna go to my apartment and stay there for a while.¡± We were in the car when she brought that up.


    ¡°How many days?¡±


    ¡°Two or three.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    She snapped her head, throwing me an evil re. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little clingy right now?¡±


    ¡°Baby, you wanna make this believable? Then we should stick to the n. I¡¯m staying with you.¡± I brought that up just to remind her about our little charade.


    She held her gaze for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll stay wherever you are.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Did your grandfather contact you?¡±


    ¡°Silent treatment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he knows it by now. Have you talked to yourwyers?¡±


    ¡°My n is when I get home.¡±


    ¡°Good. I need to be there when you talk to them.¡±


    Sax parked the car in front of her apartment building. Kye and Sax helped out with our suitcases.


    We reached the apartment door. She fumbled with her keys when she asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get something from your penthouse?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to trick me into not seeing what you¡¯re about to throw away from your drawers?¡± I pressed my lips to hide my smile.


    She pushed the door open. ¡°Like what?¡±


    Sax and Kye went ahead to put our things inside.


    I shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s go and find out.¡± My intention ofing to her apartment, honestly, I wanted to sleep in the same bed with Adley. I wanted her by my side. I wanted to wake up the first thing I saw was her beautiful face. As cliche as it sounded, that was the truthing from a man with a fair share of women.


    The pretty decent two-bedroom apartment she shared with ze was enough for the two of them with a small living, two baths, and a kitchte, but it was spotless like things seemed untouched. Why would I even be surprised?¡±


    ¡°You guys, go home. Get some rest. I¡¯ll call you if I need anything in the morning.¡±


    Once they were gone, I brought Adley¡¯s suitcase to her room. She was in the kitchen, maybe getting some water.


    She surprised me. She liked pastel colors. Her upholstered queen-sized bed was finished with pillows, throws, and a fleece. On both sides were nightstands. At the side was a closet, and a door must be her bathroom. On the wall were framed minimalist line art decor.


    I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her top drawer open. I chuckled. Nothing out of the ordinary. Pens and notes, lip balm, birth control pills, a bottle of pain reliever, and hair ties. Typical Adley.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± The bottom drawer was filled with her lotion, mask, charger, and earbuds. I went to another drawer. ¡°Nothing exciting, huh? You don¡¯t keep condoms or lube, baby?¡±


    I realized she¡¯d been watching me, standing at her door with her arms over her chest, amused.


    ¡°What do you expect? Can¡¯t wait to see yours?¡±


    I grinned like crazy.


    ¡°I wonder where you keep your cuffs, gags, ties, what do you call that one?¡± She tapped a finger on her chin. ¡°Um, that uh-plug.¡± Sheughed out loud.


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased you know your way in the bedroom.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Not as expert as you. Hungry? ze won¡¯t be home. He¡¯s staying with Elise.¡±


    ¡°So we have the entire apartment to ourselves. I could use some. Do you like pizza?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Where do you keep butt plug, baby?¡±

 Chapter 22

    ADLEY


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told them thispany is not for sale.¡± I clenched my teeth in anger. I pushed my chair back from my desk and stood as I red at them sitting in front of me.


    ¡°I think you should consider our offer,¡± Atty. Tim emphasized the word offer.


    ¡°Ournewoffer,¡± hispanion seconded.


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time. I¡¯m not and won¡¯t change my mind. Tell Grandpa not to bother again. He can buy everything surrounding this building but leave mypany alone.¡±


    ¡°Just hear us out first.¡± Gary surprised me as he joined in.


    ¡°Well, good to see you again, Gary. So your true color has finally been revealed. What made you think that whatever you say will change my mind?¡±


    ¡°Forget about thispany. Our only intention is for you to work in the Kross Corp before your grandfather retires.¡±


    ¡°How does it concern me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the majority shareholders. Unfortunately, my father can¡¯t take the position. If you don¡¯t want to appoint anyone, the board of directors will vote on who will be the next president and CEO. And I¡¯m sure you¡¯re in the loop of who are the possible candidates.¡±


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m a little bit busy,¡± I sarcastically remarked.


    ¡°Adley, think about the offer,¡± Gary insisted as he walked closer to me.


    ¡°Which one? His or his?¡± I pointed at the twowyers. ¡°My grandfather¡¯s or yours?¡±


    The door swung open all of a sudden. Mykel walked in, ignoring all my uninvited guests¡¯ eyes set on him, looking so powerful and magnificent as he nced one by one in an unwavering re. Then mywyers followed inside, and the other two were his. My office suddenly became too small for all of us. The testosterones were heavy in the air.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Creed?¡± Gary broke the tension as he faced Mykel, trying to intimidate the people in the room as if he got the map to the pot of gold.


    ¡°Funny you asked. I¡¯m here for my wife. If you wanna offer her, you talk to ourwyers.¡±


    I watched Gary as he narrowed his eyes at Mykel. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, did you miss the memo? You should try to keep up, Merick.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± He snorted, mocking Mykel. ¡°You and Adley?¡± He looked at me. ¡°Is he serious?¡±


    Mykel pointed at my hand. ¡°Yes. We are happily married. Did Lex intend to avoid mentioning the crucial part to you?¡±


    ¡°He-he knew?¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s my wife¡¯s grandfather, after all.¡±


    ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± He nched as he may seem to understand now the point of having ourwyers around, and he was not winning the argument.


    ¡°Please, pass this message to Lex. Ourwyers are arranging an appointment to talk to him in a private meeting. Creed and Kross¡¯ matters only.¡±


    The twowyers rose from their seats. ¡°We¡¯ll ry the message, Mr. Creed.¡±


    ¡°Have a good day, Merick,¡± said my husband.


    I was still speechless until the moment Gary gave me dismay, disheartened, defeated, and whatever that look he gave me before he walked out of my office.


    I sat back in my chair with a sigh.


    ¡°Eventful first day, huh?¡± Mykel asserted.


    ¡°Thanks for saving my butt.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ass is worth saving.¡± He sat on my desk, touching my hair. ¡°You look lovely for a woman who just had a bad day.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad.¡± I looked at my husband and thewyers in front of me. ¡°Anyway, why are they here?¡±


    ¡°I was discussing with them regarding our ns.¡±


    ¡°You meanyourns.¡±


    ¡°Baby, they got our marriage license. All we have to do is present them to your grandpa¡¯swyers for verification to recognize that your parents¡¯ terms in the Will are met. Then they can file a contract to transfer assets, funds, or anything your parents have owned to your name. You can talk to yourwyers to enlighten you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s basically how it works, Mrs. Creed,¡± Mywyer, Atty. Roth agreed.


    ¡°So you already made an appointment for a private meeting with Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You, me, and ourwyers will be present. Your parents¡¯wyers or a representative from your grandfather and hiswyers will be there.¡±


    ¡°Okay. How did you know they¡¯reing to pay me a visit today?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m Mykel Creed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not busy?¡± I asked, trying to keep a straight face.


    ¡°Not for you.¡± He stood straight, buttoned, and straightened his suit. ¡°Can I take you out for dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me out on a date?¡±


    Ourwyers chuckled.


    ¡°Baby, they¡¯re gonna sue your ass if you decline my invite.¡± He pointed at hiswyers.


    ¡°Fine. No suing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you upter.¡± He leaned in to kiss me on my cheek. ¡°Bye.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Fancy,¡± the first thing I said as we entered the restaurant. It would take at least two months to get a reservation, yet somehow, Mykel got in less than a day unless this was reserved for him and someone else.


    ¡°I negotiate with the manager. Since he¡¯s getting married, I offered him a free round trip to their chosen honeymoon ce. Then I get a table tonight.¡±


    Iughed silently, tears forming in my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re good at this, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°I only have to use my charm and anything for my beautiful wife. You¡¯re stunning tonight, Adley.¡±


    ¡°You showered me withpliments today, Mykel. What¡¯s up on your sleeves?¡±


    ¡°Just this dinner.¡±


    ¡°How are you this fine evening, Mr. and Mrs. Creed?¡±


    ¡°Great. Marcus, thanks for the table.¡± Mykel shook the slender manager¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Appreciate it,¡± I thanked him.


    ¡°Your husband is very persuasive, and I can¡¯t resist the counter offer.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Best wishes to you, too.¡±


    A waiter brought a bottle of red wine to us.


    ¡°Aplementary,¡± said the manager. ¡°Are you ready to order?¡±


    We ordered and arrivedter on. The seared scallop was savory.


    ¡°We¡¯re going home tonight?¡±


    I sipped my wine. ¡°You hate my bed?¡±


    ¡°Nah. I slept in a bed with a hole for a few months. The broken spring was poking at my back. Your bed is actually not bad. I slept wellst night.¡±


    ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll go home to your penthouse tonight.¡±


    ¡°Our penthouse, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Our penthouse,¡± I repeated, ignoring the little flutter in my lower belly.


    We went home to the penthouse. I suddenly felt nervous, even though I had been here several times. Tonight, I came here as his wife. We were married, and I wasn¡¯t sure about our sleeping arrangement. Though he had a spare room, he could still change his mind anytime, and I had no say in that matter.


    I had no problem if he preferred we should share the same bed-this was not even the first time, and he behaved nicely. It annoyed me sometimes. Mostly because of my terms.


    He grabbed my suitcase from my hand and carried it to the next floor.


    ¡°How many rooms do you have on this floor?¡± I stalked him upstairs.


    ¡°One. The spare room is down, my office, baths, kitchen, mini bar, mini gym, and I have a small wine cer.¡± He slid a key card and unlocked his room.


    My jaw dropped. When I thought he had a dark color bedroom, I was wrong. ¡°You sleep here?¡±


    ¡°For a year. Why?¡± He grabbed a remote on his nightstand and pressed a key on the screen. The ivory floor-to-ceiling curtain slid on either side, revealing stunning city lights from the skyscrapers.


    ¡°I was thinking of your color, maybe blue duvet, dark walls, or gray curtains.¡±


    ¡°I asked someone to change everythingst minute. You are right, but I figured to change things to your liking since we¡¯re now married.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to change everything for me. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to like the way it was.¡±


    ¡°You are my wife. You deserve better. You can do whatever you like in the penthouse. Just don¡¯t touch the kitchen.¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Why do you like your kitchen so much? Some sentimental value?¡±


    ¡°I always dreamed of having that kind of kitchen.¡±


    ¡°I see. I like the rustic gold vibe.¡±


    ¡°We will share closets. Yours on the right. Mine is from left.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t take your closet, Mykel,¡± I refused. I had already taken advantage of this marriage. But his personal space? I couldn¡¯t do this to him.


    ¡°Toote.¡± He held my hand and walked me through his walk-in closet. It was half size of my room with a few wardrobe doors, ss slides, shelves, drawers, and an ind.


    ¡°Elise called my personal shopper.¡± He opened my supposed wardrobe, showing me a full of women¡¯s clothes. ¡°I hope I guessed your size right. You have dress, casual, shirts, sleepwear, underwear, shoes, bags, and that dresser is yours.¡±


    I did not allow him to finish. I walked out. It was too much.


    This was getting way out of hand. I didn¡¯t know how to handle this situation anymore or how to react. Should I punch him, hit him, thank him? I didn¡¯t have any idea.


    My chest felt heavy with so many emotions. I found myself standing in front of the skyscrapers, waiting for Mykel to exin. The view outside was incredible, yet I couldn¡¯t appreciate anything. I¡¯m lost.


    We were not ying our roles anymore. This time, this was real-me as a wife and him as a husband.


    ¡°Adley, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s all this, Mykel? Why are you doing this?¡± I wanted to talk some senses into him. This was too much for me. I did not ask for this.


    ¡°I want you to feel at home.¡± He was not entirely forward. He was hiding something.


    ¡°No. You¡¯re way over your head. You enjoy ying your role so much that you forget that this is just a temporary arrangement.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this, Adley.¡± Hisugh was low and humorless. ¡°I just want you to feel wee, so you don¡¯t have to carry things with you every time youe here. I want to make it believable for Lex. If you don¡¯t like what I did with the room or closet, you are wee to stay in the spare room or guest room down the hall beside the office. It¡¯s all up to you.¡±

 Chapter 23

    MYKEL


    She was right. I was way over my head-I let my cock rule over my brain. I let this fucking feelings cloud the purpose of this marriage.


    I tried to talk her out, but who would I be fooled when what I said was theplete opposite of what I did?


    We barely spoke as we bumped in the kitchen. Adley grabbed a bottle of water, and I grabbed the fucking milk. She paused as she noticed what was in my hand, then she turned her heels and walked to the spare room.


    Fuck.


    Fuck this feeling.


    Fuck everything.


    I had gone to bed an hour ago and was still up. I closed my eyes again, but my mind kept revisiting ourst conversation. I went to my office instead and watched the football match rey on the tv screen.


    I checked my email-I found one from Dash and another from Cenric. I opened Dash¡¯s email first with an attached file-a starting up medical equipment manufacturer he wanted me to check out.


    Then I read Cenric¡¯s email. It was an update of their decentralized finance or Defi CENTH¡¯s data. I had invested in CENTH even though the risk was aggressive because I trusted that it had the potential for the future of Cryptocurrency.


    Closing myptop, I went to the couch. I looked at our wedding photos Elise sent to me today. Adley seemed genuinely happy, even if she was terrified a day before and even if everything was a sham. Well, except our marriage was real. I couldn¡¯t help but nce at the ring around my finger.


    My Instagram ount had almost a million followers. Then I updated my bio and added; Husband to Adley. The rest was the same, including the website link of Creed Foundation. Then I uploaded the picture of our hands as we exchanged rings. It was clear that the camera was focused on her engagement ring and wedding band.


    I stalked her ount. She had less than fifteen thousand followers and had not been updated sincest month. Her business ount was pretty much up to date with three million followers. I¡¯d read somements on their post, and most were positive except for trolls and shameless solicitors. I couldn¡¯t help but be proud that it was the hard work of my wife.


    My phone vibrated in my hand. My heart nearly stopped. Knots coiled in my stomach.


    ¡°Lex.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never thought you would betray me one day, son,¡± he started. His voice was calm, but Lex was like a lion watching his prey-he could charge and pounce on you anytime. ¡°I warned you, yet you defied me.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give her much of a choice.¡± I sat straight on the couch.


    ¡°This is between my granddaughter and me, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Not anymore, Lex. Whether you agree with me, you know you were too hard on Adley. When you talked to me, and she came to me, I bnced which one was right. And seriously, you could choose a better husband for her than Gary Merick, who did nothing but belittled her.¡±


    ¡°All I wanted for her was to stop wasting her time and start thinking of her future.¡±


    ¡°She wanted to choose her own future.¡±


    ¡°And how is it working so far?¡±


    ¡°Her future is with me now. I will support her no matter what decision she makes.¡±


    ¡°You know what you two are doing is not gonna work. You are using my granddaughter, Mykel, and I¡¯m not too fond of it. I know this is just a sham. End this stupidity now before you are going to hurt Adley.¡± He grunted at the end of the line. I could feel the ick in his voice, but right now, I didn¡¯t give a fuck. I won.


    His words didn¡¯t matter to me. I would do what was best for Adley and me, and I was going to make this right.


    ¡°Our marriage is real. It¡¯s not a sham. We may not be in love, but we care for each other. Adley wanted to convey her message, and you received it. What you can do is file for the transfer of her parents¡¯ assets into her name. Start treating her like a granddaughter, Lex, not as your coteral.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t win over this, Mykel.¡± I already did.


    I found my lips curving into a smile. He knew he was losing this battle. ¡°I don¡¯t have to as long as Adley will get what¡¯s hers. If she decides to file for divorce after that, it¡¯s up to her. I will respect her decision, but I¡¯m not giving up on us, and I will always care for her no matter the oue.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s my granddaughter?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s resting. Stop sending yourwyers and Gary for another offer. What you are doing is textbook harassment and criticizing. And let her do her passion in peace. She made up her mind. For God¡¯s sake, she¡¯s an adult capable of making her own choices. And if her ns won¡¯t work out, I¡¯m here to help her start again.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m doing is for her own good. I want to train her to run a billion-dor corporation because, let¡¯s face it, Mykel, she will be my only sessor if I retire.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a CEO of her ownpany. What more practice does she need? Besides, I can do it myself. You trained me, Lex. If you can be a great mentor, so do I. A little trust in her capability as a head won¡¯t hurt you. Give it to her.¡±


    ***


    In the morning, I found Adley in the kitchen with herptop. I talked to Lex and let out what was in my chest, and my anger was gone.


    I tapped the camera icon on my phone and then greeted Adley as I rested my chin on her shoulder. Then I smiled and captured that moment.


    She eyed me suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood this morning?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Breakfast?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still upset.¡±


    She turned to me and shook her head. She actually looked guilty this time. ¡°I was desperate when I came asking for your help. You didn¡¯t think twice about helping me. You kept at the end of the bargain even if it changed your life drastically. You helped me conquer my fear, and I paid you with what?¡± She looked down. ¡°I felt ashamed, embarrassed, and ungrateful when I realized what I did. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Aw.¡± I made sure to look sweet before I gave her a quick kiss on her lips. ¡°Did you just apologize?¡±


    ¡°It was sincere, Mykel.¡± She poked her finger on my chest. ¡°In fact, I went to your roomst night, but you were not there. Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°I went out to blow off steam.¡±


    In an instant, her smile disappeared. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Myugh was breathless as I watched her reaction. ¡°Kidding. I was in the office and fell asleep on the couch.¡± I went to pour coffee. She already had a cup for her.


    ¡°Are you kidding?¡±


    ¡°I swear. What did you add to your coffee?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°What avable do you have? Almond milk. The carton you pickedst night.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°I was pissed at you. Why are you even working on Saturday?¡±


    ¡°Just crosschecking to make sure they did not miss any details.¡±


    ¡°Enough of this, please. Let¡¯s sit on the couch.¡± I closed herptop, picked up her coffee, and took it with me. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have a n to turn the guest room into a nursery room. I swear I¡¯m gonna punch you in the nose.¡±


    Iughed it out. ¡°It¡¯s not actually a bad idea.¡±


    I remembered how Mom sat on the couch, and Adley was doing the same, cross-legged.


    ¡°Are you gonna tell me or not?¡±


    ¡°Impatient, aren¡¯t we? It¡¯s about Lex.¡±


    I uploaded the picture I took in the kitchen into my ount and tagged her before telling her what I talked about with Lex.


    ¡°What did he say? Grandpa called mest night. I knew what he would say, so I let it send to my voicemail.¡± Her gaze locked on mine.


    ¡°Well, he knows we¡¯re married. He said it¡¯s a mistake h h h. He also mentioned wanting you to work with him to train you. He wants you to be his sessor, baby. I told him, let me train you instead.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I held her hand. ¡°Adley, you can¡¯t run away from your responsibility. You are a Kross.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡±


    ¡°How do you deal with the Kross Corp? Somehow, I understand Lex¡¯s sentiment, Adley. He cares about the corporation. And I was hoping you would consider sitting as the CEO. Besides, it would boost ze¡¯s leadership as he takes over the K&B.¡±


    ¡°You think this throughst night out of your anger?¡± She looked at me with pride in her eyes.


    ¡°No.¡± I leaned on her shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re heavy.¡± She did her best to push me back until she gave in.


    ¡°Get used to it. You did not sleep in our roomst night. This is what you get for leaving and letting me sleep on the couch.¡±


    ¡°How was it my fault?¡± she asked before checking her phone. ¡°What the hell?¡±


    I snatched it from her while the screen wasn¡¯t locked. ¡°You¡¯re chatting with your ex?¡±


    ¡°Privacy, please?¡± She tried to snatch it back, but my arm was way longer.


    ¡°Just a minute, baby.¡± I went to her Instagram and edited her boring bio. I hyphenated her name with Creed and saved it. Then I gave it back.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing catastrophic.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God!¡± She just figured it out. ¡°Did you just post the picture in the kitchen and tag me? Wow! Billionaire yboy did have some perks.¡±


    ¡°Not a yboy anymore. Still a hot billionaire, though.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°If I don¡¯t know you, I thought you¡¯re disgusting.¡± Sheughed out loud this time. ¡°I bet. It must be hard for you to give up your casanova image.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m notining.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re done breaking hearts, huh?¡± She looked at me in silence.


    ¡°I did not break any hearts, baby.¡±


    ¡°Whatever floats your boat,¡± she mentioned as she tapped on the screen. ¡°I followed Dash. Wow! This guy is so optimistic. Congrats. Can¡¯t wait to be Uncle D. See you soon. Love you both.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s like the male version of the Kardashians. He likes selfies and that stupid filters.¡±


    ¡°Imented a heart emoji on the photo.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for being a supported wife.¡± I grinned like a fool.


    Shemented ¡®Mine¡¯ with a heart emoji that garnered a couple of likes.


    ¡°Oh, God! Did you hyphenate my name?¡± she asked, stunned. She shot me a re.


    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s wrong with that? Are you ashamed of taking my name?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have married you if I was. Creed has a ring to it. Way better than Merick. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever mention your name and his in one sentence.¡± I checked thement section. ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s just a troll in thement section. Don¡¯t check it, Adley. Let me block her.¡±


    ¡°Her, huh? He¡¯s mine first.¡± She growled in irritation as she read thement I was trying to delete.


    ¡°Baby.¡±


    ¡°You posted our picture, and we¡¯re in this together. Can I curse? Bitch!¡± I watched her type her reply so fast. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Whatever it was, I knew I would be proud of her. ¡°There.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get thosements under your skin.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Ditto.¡±


    ¡°He saved the best forst,¡± Iughed out loud as I read her reply to Maisey¡¯sment.


    ¡°How many times have you slept with her?¡±


    I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out as I was so stunned to see the reaction on her face. I smiled like an idiot instead. Adley Creed was officially jealous.


    ¡°Baby¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that she was a part of your past.¡± She put her phone down, folding her arms over her chest.


    ¡°She was thest woman I slept with. The night I met you. Let¡¯s say I¡¯m thankful to her somehow that if I didn¡¯t go with her, I wouldn¡¯t have met you.¡±


    ¡°Just once?¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t sleep with the same woman again since, you know.¡±


    ¡°A yes or no would suffice.¡±


    ¡°Yes.

 Chapter 24

    ADLEY


    ¡°So, how¡¯s your married life going?¡±


    ¡°How are you and Elise? Don¡¯t you have ns to elope?¡± I countered back.


    ze looked happy, and it looked like he and Elise had spent a lot of time together.


    ¡°Looks like your billionaire husband is taking care of you, and he¡¯s making a lot of buzz on his Instagram.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s his idea.¡±


    ¡°And pretty protective of you. He blocked that woman maybe he has slept with.¡±


    I sipped my coffee in silence.


    ¡°You also updated your bio,¡± he pressed.


    ¡°He snatched my phone and edited it. Why are you upset about it?¡± I reacted out of thought, only to realize that I was defending my rtionship with Mykel.


    ¡°Are you two sleeping together?¡± His eyes shed with anger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any of your business, ze if I sleep with my husband. But to answer your question, no. We haven¡¯t slept together.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him. He wasn¡¯t this intrusive, but something was going on in his head.


    ¡°You know your agreement has an expiry date. If you fall for him, you¡¯re gonna get hurt. You are ying with fire, Adley. Don¡¯t get me wrong, Mykel is into you, but what if he finally gets what he wants, and you are done with your family issue? Would that be easy for you to leave him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I left him behind. My chest constricted painfully as my words settled in my mind because I wasn¡¯t entirely sure if that was what I wanted.


    We were supposed to buy coffee and return to the office, but I didn¡¯t know he would corner and interrogate me.


    ¡°Adley, do you have feelings for him?¡±


    ¡°ze, stop it.¡± I hissed at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I see. You don¡¯t have to answer it. I already got it.¡±


    The building came to view. ¡°This is my life. I will do what I think is right for myself. And may I remind you that this was your idea, to give the guy a chance.¡±


    ¡°Not to marry him, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it also your idea of me getting married? He has needs, and so do I. And If we end up sleeping together, then what¡¯s the problem? It¡¯s not like we hurt people or what we¡¯re about to do is a crime. Instead of sleeping around with different people, I¡¯d rather sleep with my husband, who I trust.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get my point, Adley.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s exactly your point, ze?¡± I sagged my shoulders as I stared at him. Honestly, I felt exhausted, fighting over this issue.


    ¡°He¡¯s a yboy. He doesn¡¯t have a history of long-term rtionships. When he¡¯s done breaking your heart, he won¡¯t hesitate to leave you. I don¡¯t wanna see you broken, okay? If you only followed my advice, you¡¯re not stuck with him right now. But you are so stubborn to take a different path.¡±


    ¡°Why are we talking about this again? Isn¡¯t your advice is I should marry someone?¡±


    ¡°You deserve better.¡±


    ¡°Like who? Like Gary? That guy is a jerk.¡±


    I entered my office. I wasn¡¯t aware ze was still following me until he held my arm. I fought back my anger as I turned to face him. ¡°It¡¯s happening. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m capable of making decisions, and I¡¯m the one who¡¯s gonna pay the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather is the only family you have left. You should pay him a visit. I know you can go far, and I can¡¯t wait to see you running the Kross Corp, Adley.¡±


    I was not surprised by the change in the air between us. I didn¡¯t have to turn around and face him. It was all clear to me now what this was all about. ¡°I see. My grandfather got into you already.¡±


    ***


    ¡°You don¡¯t like the dinner. I can order something else.¡±


    I barely touched my food. During an ordinary day, lemon thyme chicken with beans and artichokes was mouth-watering, but I had no appetite tonight.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I dabbed my lips clean. ¡°I think I¡¯m not feeling well.¡±


    ¡°Monthly thing?¡±


    I lifted a brow. ¡°You could just say period, Mykel. But no.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to get something for you?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m good. I think I saw a yogurt on the fridge.¡± I rose from the chair and gripped his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll help you clean up the table.¡±


    ¡°Baby, sit on the couch. I got this.¡±


    I kissed him on his cheek. Somehow, he wasn¡¯t expecting my gesture. He froze for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you. I promise.¡±


    After I grabbed a cup of yogurt and a spoon, I went to the couch and turned on the tv. I scanned the shows he previously watched. Apparently, he was into documentaries and food shows.


    I yed the show about a guy who traveled around the world to try different cuisines while I munched on my yogurt. I had almost finished the episode when Mykel joined me with another cup.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Take it easy. You¡¯re stress eating.¡±


    I kept my focus on the screen. ¡°Do you really think this guy enjoyed every food he tasted?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± His answer made me realize something that excruciatingly twisted my gut. ¡°For the sake of the show, he had to deliver to the viewers and those restaurants¡¯ owners that he enjoyed it.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever faked your performance when we are together for the sake of the show?¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± I knew his eyes were on me.


    ¡°An honest one.¡±


    ¡°Then no.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief. I considered believing him, but then I remembered ze¡¯s words, which were stuck in my head. What if I ended up hurting myself? But that was life meant to be, getting hurt in the process, learning from it, and ending up bing a strong person.


    ¡°Did something happen in the office today?¡± He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. Sometimes his aftershave or his cologne was intoxicating. It often lingered even if he was not around. This time, I let go of all the resistance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s something special about that fish.¡±


    Mykel let go of a frustrated breath, paused what I was watching, and threw away the remote. ¡°Okay, Adley. Here¡¯s what we gonna do. You and I are gonna have a real talk. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I fought with ze today, and I can¡¯t remember we had this long argument that we left the office without sorting it out.¡±


    ¡°Walk me through it.¡± He kissed the side of my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna like it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Let me guess. The fight is about me being the jerk and taking advantage of his gorgeous friend.¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡± I licked the spoon and put it on the coffee table.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not gonna say against your best friend. If there¡¯s someone who knows you better, it¡¯s him. For the past few days since we met, he saw some changes in you, and he¡¯s worried that you¡¯re taking some risks or bing careless that might get you hurt. I do that to Elise sometimes. I¡¯m a risk-taker, and not all the time it did me any good, but in life, sometimes you can¡¯t always y safe. You have to do what scares you the most and take a risk to achieve that certain level. I¡¯m not saying you do what I said. It¡¯s still up to you.¡±


    ¡°What risk you took that didn¡¯t do you a favor?¡±


    ¡°There are always consequences attached to it, baby. I¡¯ve made many mistakes, but I didn¡¯t wish to undo them.¡±


    ¡°What risk did you take that changed your life?¡±


    ¡°Example, like you and me, us, my investments, and I wouldn¡¯t change a thing even if the opportunity arises.¡±


    ¡°Is it okay to listen but not take the advice?¡±


    ¡°Of course. As I said, it¡¯s still up to you. You have a good heart and a mind on your own, Adley.¡±


    I nted a kiss on his finger where he wore his wedding band. ¡°How can you be so wiser?¡±


    ¡°It came with difficult life and experience.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I wouldn¡¯t be so upset if we just talked about you, but I was upset that Grandpa got into him.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± A rumble vibrated against his chest as he groaned in annoyance.


    I pinched him for cursing.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°He said that I would be making a mistake if I turn down the offer, that Grandpa is the only family I have left-¡±


    ¡°I am your family, Adley. Remember that. You have me. You¡¯re not alone anymore.¡±


    ¡°I know. He wants me to work at the Kross Corp.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all up to you to decide, baby. My only advice is, wait until you have the sealed contract of the assets.¡±


    ¡°How would you feel if I epted Grandpa¡¯s offer?¡± I looked him in the eye and watched his reaction-I couldn¡¯t see any hidden agenda there, or I was just too blind to notice it.


    ¡°As long as the decisiones from your heart and they¡¯re going to treat you right at the Kross Corp, I¡¯d be happy to support you.¡±


    ¡°Should I talk to ze?¡±


    ¡°You definitely should. It¡¯s hard to look at you so miserable like that.¡±


    I touched his cheek. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡±


    He held my hand there and kissed my palm. ¡°d I could help.¡±


    ¡°Can I continue watching now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Only if you change to sleepwear, we¡¯ll watch together.¡±


    I did as he said. I brushed my teeth and changed to sleepwear. When I came down, he was on the phone.


    ¡°Look, I value your friendship with my wife, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in her family.¡± My guess is it was ze on the other line.


    ¡°Take my advice. Be there for Adley, and don¡¯t stick your nose into something you don¡¯t know anything about. Listen to me, ze. I care about Adley, and I would do anything in my power to help her get through this issue, and I am doing this not because I agreed to help her. I¡¯m doing this as her husband.¡±


    I sauntered closer as he listened to what ze had to say from the other line. Mykel lifted his gaze when he noticed I was back.


    ¡°Well, instead of being her best friend, you listened to Lex. What did he offer you to convince Adley?¡± Mykel was getting pissed and might as well as ze.


    ¡°Jesus Christ. Fuck you! My wife is devastated and barely able to eat because you fucking listened to other people thaning to me and asking about my true intentions. It¡¯s surely not about money. Now, figure the fucking out. Call my wife and settle this or you¡¯re not gonna see her again.¡± He hung up the phone and threw it on the chair. ¡°Fucking moron.¡±


    ¡°I should really put a cuss bank in this home.¡± I joined him on the couch.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He pissed me off. God, I want to crush his skull to let him understand what he¡¯s walking into.¡±


    ¡°Easy there, tiger.¡±


    ¡°If he won¡¯t apologize, don¡¯t talk to him until he realizes his mistake of trusting that old man.¡±


    ¡°That old man is my grandfather, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°A mean grandfather.¡± He growled his words out.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be mean when you be a grandpa.¡±


    His smile was mischievous as he touched my chin. ¡°You think so?¡±


    I shrugged it off. ¡°You have an overprotective tendency.¡±


    ¡°My baby girl won¡¯t go on her first dance without bodyguards, and she won¡¯t date if I didn¡¯t clear it through a series of background checks, and not until she¡¯s twenty-one.¡±


    ¡°And what her mom has to say about that?¡±


    ¡°Would you let her just go out with some jerks?¡± He smiled like the devil I had just made a deal with.

 Chapter 25

    MYKEL


    Adley ended up in my arms since we slept in the same bed together. It was constant. And it felt so damn good that I didn¡¯t have to be in a hurry to escape all the time after getting what I wanted.


    For the first time, I realized what I had been doing had nothing to do with sexual pleasure. I was running away frommitment-the fear of failure, trust, and intimacy. I was looking for an instant connection, and I didn¡¯t find it in those women but with Adley.


    Adley stirred and stretched out with a groan. She suddenly stiffened, realizing she was tangled with me. ¡°This is getting so embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I remained calm before her situation became awkward, even though I was beyond cool with this.


    ¡°Just so you know, I was sleeping. I didn¡¯t know what I was doing.¡± Her voice was still groggy and low. She moved to her side.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°It is, Mykel. My space is empty.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I think my boxers are still on. I don¡¯t feel like being assaulted, and you slept well. Good morning, by the way.¡± I watched her look at my abdomen. I was back to not wearing a shirt when sleeping. She didn¡¯tin, though.


    ¡°Morning.¡± A smile curved up her lips. She just saw the bulge on my boxers. Well, I couldn¡¯t avoid it.


    ¡°Are you nning on talking to ze?¡±


    She sat on the bed. Her hair was messy, and she looked like we had some fun and a wild night, all rosy cheeks. ¡°Yeah. We can¡¯t avoid each other, and I owe him a lot.¡±


    I went silent for a while. I didn¡¯t know what to say about my schedule for today because if I told her, she might note home tonight.


    ¡°You okay?¡± She got up from bed, so I had to do the same. She had this habit of making the bed so tidy.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I went to the mini gym and ran on a treadmill for a while, while Adley was more a yoga type. After half an hour, my phone rang. It was Elise.


    ¡°Morning, boss.¡±


    I sat on the chair, wiping off my sweat. ¡°Morning. Are you with ze when I calledst night?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He was kinda off before you called. He didn¡¯t tell me when I asked what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°ze and Adley had a fight.¡±


    ¡°Figured. Anyway, you can check out your schedule for today and tomorrow. The hotel is booked, and I have already talked to your pilot. Your flight is in two hours. Did you pack your things?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Last night.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me toe with you?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± The truth, I wasn¡¯t okay that Adley was not on good terms with ze. ¡°Can you look after Adley while I am on a trip?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll call her after work.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything, call me right away.¡±


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡±


    I hit the shower after. I went to the kitchen, and Adley was already dressed in a blue corporate dress.


    ¡°Coffee-¡± She stopped.


    I dropped my bag on the floor as soon as she noticed me. She went silent for a while, and I knew that look on her face. My chest constricted with guilt for not talking about thisst night.


    I ran my fingers through my hair. ¡°Baby¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving.¡± Her dismayed words hit my gut.


    ¡°What? No?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going on a business trip?¡± She swallowed.


    ¡°I was going to tell youst night, but you were dealing with ze and upset. You didn¡¯t touch your dinner, and it felt like bad timing.¡±


    ¡°I had two cups of yogurt.¡±


    ¡°That was not even a meal.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s not discuss the food groups today, okay?¡± She gave me a coffee cup. ¡°I should have thought about your trips. I was swamped with work and the ideology of you and me and my mess.¡±


    I snatched a toast. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I feel guilty.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°I could have helped you pack your bag.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, About that¡­¡± Adley was known to be a well-organized person. And I just picked up some of my things from myst trip.


    ¡°Oh boy.¡± Sheughed. ¡°I know that look. Do we still have time?¡±


    I scratched my eyebrow. ¡°Less than two hours.¡±


    ¡°I got this.¡± She left the kitchen, and I followed her.


    After I picked up my bag, we went back to our room.


    ¡°Okay. Help me empty your bag, please?¡±


    I did as she asked.


    ¡°How long is your trip? Next time, tell me a night before you leave, big guy.¡± She went to my closet and took two suits and shirts-one white and one light blue. Then she opened a drawer and picked up two ties.


    ¡°I used to have Elise help me with what to wear. We Facetimed, and she told me what to pick up.¡± I watched how she scurried alone, yet nothing seemed to look untouched.


    She then put my suits in the suit bags. ¡°Will Sax and Kye be traveling with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why?¡±


    ¡°All you need to carry is your bag.¡± She put some shirts, my boxers, pants, sweatpants, and a belt in the duffel. Then my deodorant, cologne, hair gel, aftershave, and trimmer were in the toiletry bag. Then she stuffed my charger into the pocket. My workout shoes and my work shoes were also in the bag.


    When I first met Adley, it didn¡¯t ur to me she could be this smart and well-kept. I watched in amazement. I meant, she was terrific, but for an heiress to be this thoughtful and wife material, she made me proud.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna ask where did you learn that? They didn¡¯t teach you that in college.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Everything you wanna learn is on YouTube, Mykel.¡±


    Sax and Kye were already waiting for me at my parking lot.


    ¡°Mrs. C, good morning.¡± Kye was waiting with the car door open. He then took the bags from me, stuffing them in the trunk.


    ¡°How are you doing, Kye, Sax?¡±


    ¡°Doing great, ma¡¯am,¡± they responded in unison.


    ¡°Look after this big guy for me, will you?¡± This would be my first business trip since we got married. As much as I hated to admit it, I felt terrible for leaving her alone, but I knew she was still adjusting to traveling, and she would not definitely leave her work for my trips.


    ¡°Always, ma¡¯am,¡± Sax said before entering the car.


    ¡°Take care of yourself while I¡¯m away, okay? If anything, even how irrelevant it is or thosewyers or that asshole shows up again in your office, call me immediately.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overreacting,¡± she said with disinterest.


    ¡°Baby, I¡¯m serious. I dislike it when they intrude on your workspace.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t do that again.¡±


    ¡°Gary? I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s after is just a seat in thepany.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±


    She let go of a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re gonna bete.¡±


    I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly. I didn¡¯t let her go for a moment. Without a doubt, I was going to miss her. I kissed her head, taking her smell in.


    ¡°It¡¯s just two days.¡± She giggled in my arms.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Still, it will feel like forever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I finally pulled away. ¡°I¡¯ll call you as soon as Ind.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Before I finally let her go, I cupped her head and kissed her lips. There were those moments when I got emotional and desperate, and this was one of those moments. When she smiled on our lips, I knew she felt me. I kissed her forehead before I stepped back.


    ¡°See you soon.¡±


    I was still in euphoria even if I was already in the car, watching her smile and wave from our leaving vehicle. I couldn¡¯t blink and wouldn¡¯t want her out of my sight, but she was gone.


    We were on our way to the private airport, yet I was still looking outside the window.


    ¡°Would you want me to contact someone to look after her while you are away?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking of hiring her a driver, but I know Lex has hired someone to keep tabs on her since she started living on her own. I just don¡¯t know who. I¡¯m not worried about her safety, for now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, boss. Just let us know.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ***


    I tried my best to focus reading on the proposal in my hand, but I was a screw-up. My mind was still with Adley, her smile, her lips, how she looked at me, and how she felt in my arms.


    I was falling for her, and the feeling was foreign, yet it felt right and familiar.


    ¡°Hey, baby,¡± I called her as soon as wended.


    ¡°Hey, how¡¯s Miami?¡±


    ¡°Sunny.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re funny.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s work?¡± I climbed into the rental car.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Have you talked to ze?¡±


    ¡°He called in sick today. I tried calling him, but it went to his voicemail. I think I should go to the apartment and check on him.¡±


    ¡°Try calling Elise first. Maybe she knows where he is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    ¡°I already missed you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± She sounded surprised.


    ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. We¡¯ve been apart for like four hours. Anyway, I have to go back to work.¡±


    ¡°Take care, baby.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    Before she could hang up, I called her name again.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I miss you.¡±


    ¡°I believe you.¡±

 Chapter 26

    ADLEY


    Mykel missed me. What was that even mean? But his words kept repeating in my head and made my heart skip.


    I admitted that I somehow looked forward to seeing him at his penthouse after work, though I knew I would only be disappointed.


    I had mixed feelings of being happy and sad at work. I found someone to look forward to seeing. At the same time, ze and I were not okay. He never called in sick until today, and I knew something did not add up.


    Before I left the office, I called Elise. She answered on the first ring as if she was expecting a call.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, Adley. Is it okay to call you Adley, or do you prefer Mrs. Creed?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Creed is overrated. Adley is fine.¡±


    ¡°Adley then. I¡¯ve been meaning to say this-I hope you don¡¯t mind me dating ze.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°ze looks happy he met you, Elise. Just don¡¯t break my best friend¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same thing for you.¡±


    This time Iughed. ¡°I hope not. By the way, I know you¡¯re at work, and ze just called in sick. I couldn¡¯t contact his phone. Is he okay? I¡¯m worried.¡±


    ¡°He left before I went to work. Let me call ze. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I reach out to him.¡±


    ¡°Please, do that. Thanks, Elise.¡±


    ¡°I will. And he also felt terrible about the misunderstanding you both have. I hope you and him will make up soon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice of you. I look forward to.¡±


    I left the office, heading to the apartment. I had a strong feeling I would find him there if he left early at his girlfriend¡¯s. Elise didn¡¯t mention ze not feeling well, which made me feel sick in my stomach.


    ze¡¯s car parked in front of the building caught my eye. I went up directly to our apartment and called his name as soon as I unlocked the door. I stopped to a halt as I found him sitting on the chair, and he wasn¡¯t alone. ze was with two men in suits.


    ¡°ze, what¡¯s going on?¡± I stepped closer at a deliberate pace.


    ze looked regretful. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee.¡±


    ¡°Why not? And who are they?¡± I asked head-on.


    The two men stood up and fixed their suits, and the first one, tall and bulky, was about to speak up.


    ¡°Hold on to your thought. If you are working for my grandfather, just tell me what you want, or I will sue you both for harassing my best friend because from what I see from here, you are giving him no choice,¡± I said, giving them the bullet point of this conversation.


    The shorter one cleared his throat. ¡°He weed us in, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I let out a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°Like you gave him a choice.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t hurt your friend, Miss Kross.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Creed if you aren¡¯t fully aware. Now let ze go and discuss what you want from me.¡±


    ¡°Adley, that¡¯s not a good idea.¡± He widened his eyes at me. I¡¯d rather talk to these men than keep him as a hostage. ¡°I already called in sick today. Why did youe here?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    ¡°Now that you know I¡¯m not sick. You can leave now.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am-¡±


    I raised my hand to stop the tall guy while focusing on ze. ¡°We didn¡¯t end up okay yesterday. I felt terrible. You are in this mess because of my family. And I love you, ze. I know you very well to know something isn¡¯t right when you didn¡¯t show up at work.¡±


    ¡°You can go, Mr. Burns,¡± the tall guy dismissed ze.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without my best friend.¡± ze shot back as he rose from his seat and came to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If their orders are to hurt me, he could have done that a long time ago. I hugged ze. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too.¡±


    ¡°Next time someone is bothering you, I want you to be honest and juste straight with me.¡±


    ¡°You have a lot on your te, Ad.¡± He released a heavy breath.


    ¡°If your life is on the line, I don¡¯t give a crap. You call Elise. She¡¯s also worried. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re gonna be okay?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll be fine. I promise.¡±


    ze went to the kitchen. I knew he wouldn¡¯t leave this building without knowing I was safe.


    ¡°Speak up.¡± I sat on the couch and crossed my legs.


    ¡°Your grandfather wants you to see him.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s urgent? You can¡¯te to my office or set an appointment like a normal person?¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you might not be aware of this, but your husband is willing to file a restraining order against anyone connected to Kross Corp or the Kross family if we contact you in any form ofmunication without ourwyers¡¯ presence.¡±


    That statement almost caught me off guard. I wasn¡¯t aware that Mykel was willing to do it to that extent.


    ¡°That serves you right,¡± ze butted in from the kitchen. I knew he was listening to me the whole time.


    ¡°Is my husband serious about his threat? I mean, that¡¯s way overboard.¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather always takes threats seriously, considering your request is still in the process.¡±


    ¡°So what now?¡±


    ¡°He wants to see you,¡± the shorter guy replied.


    ¡°And that request doesn¡¯t create a motivation to the filing of RO?¡±


    ¡°If you visit him willingly, no ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by very well?¡± ze couldn¡¯t help any longer. ¡°Mykel will go mad if he finds out, and trust me, he will. It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Elise about this arrangement, ze.¡± I came to him. ¡°She can¡¯t know about this, please?¡±


    ¡°Do you know you¡¯re putting me in a difficult situation again?¡±


    I held his arms. ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry. If Elise gets angry with you, I promise I will exin. But I can¡¯t just stand here and be morous while both parties are about to rage war. There¡¯s only onemon ground for all of this- me. I¡¯m the only one who can end this tension. And I¡¯m doing this for the right reason.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 27

    ADLEY


    ¡°You can¡¯t. It will only raise suspicion for Mykel and Elise. Just go out on a date with Elise and report back to the office tomorrow like today did not happen.¡±


    He gave a slow nod. ¡°You¡¯re staying with your grandfather?¡±


    ¡°No. It won¡¯t take long, but I¡¯m going to the penthouse after.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like this.¡± He scowled.


    ¡°Grandpa would never hurt me,¡± I insisted. ¡°This must be very important.¡±


    ¡°Will you call me as soon as you reach there?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ze hugged me and whispered, ¡°Please, take care.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to a battle, ze.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He smiled.


    Two ck sedans were already waiting in the parking lot. ze followed me down to make sure I was going to be okay.


    ¡°Insurance.¡± He also took pictures of the tes of the car.


    ¡°Silly.¡± I kissed him on the cheek. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    Before I climbed into the sedan, I asked the tall guy, ¡°What¡¯s Grandpa¡¯s favorite ce?¡±


    ¡°Lake Amelie, ma¡¯am.¡±


    I looked at ze and shrugged. ¡°See? He¡¯s legit.¡±


    The trip to the mansion was smooth, yet it made me skittish. I loved Grandpa and always would. He just pushed me to the limit, almost ruined those good memories we had together.


    Alexander Kross always worked hard,ing homete and on business trips most of the time, but he¡¯d never forgotten my birthday and my parents¡¯ death anniversary. He wasn¡¯t the grandfather of the year when it came to sharing sentiments. Nheless, he was warm. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who spent a lot of time watching you y in the backyard or tend to your bruised knees. But he was a good man.


    The iron wrought doors slid open dramatically as the car smoothly entered along the wide driveway. We passed the massive fountain of a lion, its mouth expelling water which yed a huge part in my childhood.


    The car parked in front of the mansion. Of course, Butlers Morrow and Bentley weed me back with a smile. Nothing had changed in the entire ce for thest two years. It felt like walking down happy memoryne.


    Last year, we spent the Holidays at South Hampton. Since then, I have not revisited this ce.


    ¡°Your grandfather is in the study.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Morrow.¡±


    The old man smiled.


    The double door swung open. The sight almost knocked me off the floor. It stopped my heart for a moment.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± An adrenaline rush coursed through me, and I found myself kneeling in front of my grandfather in bed. How did Ie there so fast? I had no idea. At that second, all I wanted was to be with him.


    I gripped his hand and called his name again. This time he turned to me with a surprised look on his face. He still had a familiar warmth in his gray eyes, telling me he was still the man who raised me to be who I was today.


    I took a deep breath to hold back the tears in my eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? How long this has been?¡±


    He squeezed my hand back before he looked to supposed to be the doctors and a male nurse. ¡°Leave us, please?¡±


    They hesitated for a second before they walked away and left the room.


    As the door closed before us, I sat on the chair when I felt my knees were about to give up. ¡°Grandpa, please tell me? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in the hospital?¡±


    ¡°I have the best doctors in town. I¡¯m using the same machine they use in the hospital. Less hassle and infection.¡± He looked okay but pale.


    ¡°How long has this been going on, Grandpa?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°About four months on dialysis,¡± he said slowly.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry to ask you this, but how bad it is?¡± A tear finally fell from my eye. I had thousands of questions I wanted to ask simultaneously, but my brain couldn¡¯t process them. My chest was so heavy it was hard to breathe. ¡°Do you need a kidney transnt?¡±


    ¡°I already epted my diagnosis, Adley. I¡¯m gonna be okay now that you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°You could have just told me. How long have you known? We still had dinners every few weeks, and I¡¯d never suspected-¡± I squeezed my eyes shut. He was careful of the food he chose to eat. ¡°It all makes sense now.¡±


    ¡°I still do this a few times a week. At my age, I¡¯m still a good recipient of the transnt.¡±


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you done that?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s aplication, I can die.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, those doctors have done it multiple times. You just have to trust them. Is there anything I should know about?¡±


    He nced away.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have ns to undergo a transnt. Why? Grandpa, please?¡± I asked as I gripped his hand.


    ¡°I n on resigning, and I don¡¯t want to leave the position empty until you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, you can appoint anyone you want? I want you to do the transnt, resign, and enjoy your life. You¡¯ve worked hard for decades, and it¡¯s time to stop beating yourself up. You have enough money even if you won¡¯t get up from bed for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°I want you to take my seat.¡±


    I fell silent for a moment. ¡°Do you trust me, Grandpa?¡±


    He looked at me for a few seconds before he smiled. ¡°Always, honey.¡±


    ¡°Then do me a favor and do the transnt.¡±


    ¡°Are you happy? Is Mykel treating you well?¡±


    In an instant, I was brought back to that moment before Mykel left. I smiled. ¡°You hate him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t, and I wouldn¡¯t. He was like the son I wasn¡¯t able to say goodbye to. Since he worked for me for two years, I saw your father in him. He was relentless, hardworking, and focused. He never left until his work was done. I was never surprised what he¡¯d aplished at a young age.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting you, Grandpa.¡± I pressed his hand on my cheek.


    ¡°Thest thing I wanted you to see is this-my situation. I didn¡¯t want to cloud your judgment and be emotional to deciding on your future. Would you do something for me?¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡± I nced at him. At this moment, I would do anything for him to be okay.


    ¡°Don¡¯t abandon the people you love no matter the circumstances. They stay with you for a reason. They came to your life because fate has brought them to you.¡± He squeezed my hand and nted them on his cheek. ¡°Adley, Mykel never left me. I pushed him out of my life to pursue his dream. He deserves to be somewhere on the top. When I heard you two met, I knew it was only a matter of time before you and Mykel would make a difference together. You make me proud, honey.¡±

 Chapter 28

    MYKEL


    The meeting went well. From the beginning, I was interested in apany that produced better quality medical equipment.


    The visit to MicroLab Biotechnology was refreshing and eye-opening. I wanted honesty and y-by-the-book answers. And I got it.


    ¡°A lot of investors declined us because there¡¯s already apany which is the major producer like our products,¡± the co-founder said.


    ¡°What made youe to me?¡±


    ¡°I researched some majorpanies you¡¯ve invested in. It caught my attention that most of them are promoting environmental, economic, and social sustainability.¡±


    ¡°As much as I love making money, I can¡¯t enjoy it if the world is on the brink of ending. So, in my own small way, I¡¯m trying to help fight this climate change. And yourpany is helping.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a small way, Mr. Creed. I¡¯m not trying to boost your ego, sir. But you are one of a few wealthy men who give a crap, sorry for the use of the word, who cares about mother earth.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned earlier that theb uses energy-efficient machines, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Creed. We also use LED light bulbs.¡± He pointed up. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean we produce advanced testing kits and can¡¯t do something to help prevent a catastrophe.¡±


    I pointed at the other package on the table. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Advanced liquid biopsy kit. We haven¡¯t mass-produced this yet. We are waiting for approval.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference with the other one in the market?¡±


    ¡°The same procedure only is less invasive, lowplication, and very convenient for a patient. The test is urate at identifying cancer cells. Since this is rtively new,panies are still trying to upgrade it. Still, at MicroLab, we¡¯ve tested it more urately detecting early urrence, early-stage, or recurring cancer cells.¡±


    I was speechless. Considering Mom was a survivor, there was nothing wrong with being cautious since that pain in the ass cells could recur.


    ¡°That¡¯s very enlightening and revolutionary.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Creed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call as soon as I get back to New York.¡±


    ***


    I went to the hotel with Sax. Earlier, Kye was out with his friend. We met him in the bar at the hotel for a drink after that.


    It was past dinner, and I wasn¡¯t feeling hungry. After I ordered neat whiskey, I checked my phone. I didn¡¯t have a single missed call or text from Adley.


    I dialed her number, and the ring went on until it reached her voicemail.


    I typed a message.


    MYKEL: Baby, call me when you get this. Take care.


    I slipped my phone into my pocket when I found Sax and Kye staring at me. ¡°What?¡±


    Sax exchanged a quick nce with Kye before they focused back on me.


    ¡°Is anyone of you gonna answer me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. You don¡¯t text,¡± Sax answered.


    ¡°When I call people, they are more excited to answer.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Kye lifted and sipped his beer.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I loved that we did not have a boss-employee rtionship. Maybe our age helped us be good friends.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, boss,¡± Sax agreed, but that was not what I saw on his face.


    I ced a bill with a good tip before emptying my drink. ¡°I¡¯m going to the room. You two can have some fun.¡±


    I entered the elevator, and they still followed me. ¡°I¡¯m good, guys.¡±


    ¡°Our job, boss.¡±


    I red at Sax. I was annoyed at Adley that she didn¡¯t even care to call when she returned home. When I said I missed her, her reply was a fucking I believe you. That was all.


    After I stripped off and put on my sweatpants, I called her again. Nada!


    I was exhausted and pissed off.


    I dialed Elise instead.


    ¡°Hey, boss. Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I want you to process the documents and send them to finance. I want it ready on Monday.¡±


    ¡°Anything else, boss?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard from Adley today?¡±


    ¡°We talked over the phone around lunch, I think.¡±


    ¡°Who called?¡±


    ¡°Your wife.¡±


    ¡°What did you two talk about?¡±


    ¡°ze called in sick, and she was worried she couldn¡¯t reach him. I told her ze left early in the morning. I haven¡¯t heard from her again. I texted her, but she hasn¡¯t replied. My guess-was she went to her apartment to check on ze. But I already talked to ze an hour ago.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, boss. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s all. Bye.¡±


    I was puzzled. They buried the hatchet, and I wasn¡¯t informed. I meant, they didn¡¯t have to tell me about it. Okay, I took it back. What was so hard telling your husband that we were going out for a celebratory drink? I¡¯d love to hear that from her.


    My fingers itched to know. I dialed ze.


    ¡°Mykel,¡± He called my name as his greeting.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Adley?¡±


    ¡°Is it so hard to ask how I was doing?¡± His sarcasm would not match what I felt right now.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t answer my call, ze. Did you meet her today?¡±


    ¡°You worried a lot. You¡¯re gonna have a heart attack at thirty.¡± He was stalling and deflecting. He was hiding something.


    I growled. ¡°What the fuck are you not telling me? I know my wife always has her phone on her side.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s in the shower. Wait a few minutes and call again.¡±


    ¡°I called twice between thirty minutes. What did you two talk about? Where did you two meet?¡±


    ¡°She came to the apartment.¡±


    ¡°Are you still in the apartment?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How about Adley?¡±


    ¡°Just track her phone, man.¡±


    ¡°Why are you even her best friend?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s gonna hate me if I tell you. Happy?¡±


    I blinked. My stomach rolled. ¡°What the fuck do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°We fought because I was ced in a situation where I couldn¡¯t make a choice. Hurt or leave my best friend kind of situation. So I chose to hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to me?¡± I grunted at him and wished I could cor him and push him against the wall.


    ¡°That¡¯s the other choice, man. And would you even care?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do. I care about everyone my wife cares about. Then what happened?¡± I was already sitting on the bed. My exhaustion worsened because I knew this would be a long night.


    ¡°I received another call. I went to the apartment early and found those men I met yesterday waiting for me. They asked me to call in sick and closed my phone. I was praying Adley would note to check on me. Knowing Adley, it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now, ze?¡±


    ¡°She went with the two men and made me promise not to tell anyone, even you and Elise.¡± His voice dropped in the end.


    I forced myself to be rational. I understood ze somehow, even if I was beyond frustrated.


    ¡°What the fuck, Burns? How could you let her go alone?¡±


    ¡°I volunteered to go with her, but she said she¡¯s gonna be okay. Her grandfather won¡¯t hurt her. Her words, man.¡±


    ¡°How do you even know those are her grandfather¡¯s men?¡±


    ¡°She asked a question, and I pictured the tes of the sedans.¡±


    ¡°Sent them to me now.¡± Fuck! My blood boiled again. She knew I would go ballistic if she went to her grandfather without telling me. No wonder she didn¡¯t pick up the phone.


    When I received the images, I called Sax.


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°Are you still near the hotel?¡±


    ¡°In the hotel, boss.¡±


    ¡°Can youe over to my room?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    A few momentster, I heard their signature knock.


    I was already at the door waiting. ¡°Can you contact your HQ to check these te numbers?¡±


    ¡°What info do you want, boss?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯spany or name registered to? And the location if possible.¡±


    I sat back to bed after Sax got the te numbers. I rubbed my face in irritation.


    ¡°Is everything okay, boss?¡± Kye asked, joining us.


    ¡°Nothing is okay. We¡¯re leaving early in the morning,¡± I sternly said.


    Sax was talking on the phone, working on the info I asked.


    I redialed Adley. This time she picked up.


    I couldn¡¯t contain my relief. I threw myself in bed, letting go of a shuddering breath.


    ¡°Hey, big guy.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear your voice, Adley.¡± My words came out sarcastic because that was what I wanted her to hear from me.


    Sax and Kye signaled if they should go out. I shook my head.


    ¡°Sorry if I wasn¡¯t able to return your call. There¡¯s some development that I can¡¯t discuss with you on the phone, but I promise I will tell you as soon as you get back home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going home in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Why a sudden change of n? I thought you still have meetings tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Who picked you up?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know you¡¯re a terrible liar, Adley. Don¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This has been a hectic day.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you changing the n as well?¡±


    ¡°No. But let me put it this way. I¡¯m negotiating.¡±


    ¡°About what? You¡¯re doing that without yourwyers involved?¡±


    ¡°This is a family matter, Mykel.¡±


    I sat quickly on the bed, exhaling heavily. I wanted to curse the fuck out, but I held it back. ¡°I am your family, too, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, I am your husband.¡± I groaned. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s just-it pissed me off that I am here miles away, and we are talking over the fucking phone. Can¡¯t that wait until I¡¯m there with you?¡±


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Of course, she would y that card.


    I drew a deep breath. ¡°Do you really have to ask me?¡±


    ¡°Yes or no.¡±


    ¡°I trust you with my life, Adley. Don¡¯t ask me that again or ever doubt me.¡±


    ¡°Grumpy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°So do I. Just trust me on this. I¡¯m not jeopardizing anything. And I can handle this.¡±


    ¡°Adley.¡±


    ¡°Mykel, do me a favor. Finish what you started, thene home. That¡¯s the time I will discuss this with you.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t do-¡±


    ¡°What happened with the ¡®be-spontaneous-take-a-risk-speech, huh?¡±


    ¡°This is different. Are you going home?¡±


    ¡°To the penthouse?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Unless you have a new home now.¡± I rolled my eyes in annoyance as I fist my hand in the air.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you as a controlling husband before, but I see it now and hate it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re now pissed at me after you did something without telling me?¡±


    ¡°Wow! You¡¯re obnoxious and impatient. May I remind you of our conditions? Number 7. We should not give a crap about our lives when miles apart.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s before-¡±


    ¡°Before what?¡±


    ¡°That-¡± My jaw tightened as I lost a word to say. I spat a vicious curse.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed, Mykel. Can I hang up the phone now?¡±


    ¡°No. Wait.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Now I didn¡¯t know what to say without sounding so stupid.


    ¡°Looks like you have nothing to say after all. Bye, Mykel.¡±


    When the call ended in my face, I threw the phone away. ¡°Jesus! I¡¯ve never met someone as infuriating and stubborn as this woman!¡±


    ¡°Looks like you just found your match, boss.¡±

 Chapter 29

    ADLEY


    Grandpa made me promise not to disclose his condition, even to Mykel, and I had to respect his wish.


    ¡°Are you staying for the night?¡± He was already in his bed after his dialysis. I was grateful he didn¡¯t develop hypotension or low blood pressure during the treatment, which was amon side effect, ording to his doctor.


    I smiled in assurance. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, Grandpa. You should get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Have you talked to Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, when I was in my room.¡± My smile faded.


    ¡°He knows you¡¯re with me, doesn¡¯t he? He thinks I¡¯m taking you away from him.¡±


    I chuckled as I rolled my eyes. ¡°He knows, but I didn¡¯t tell the reason. Maybe ze told him how I got here. That¡¯s why he¡¯s kind of, you know¡­ being Mykel.¡±


    He sighed deeply. ¡°He seems to care a lot about you. I always knew that one day he¡¯s changed. I didn¡¯t know it was because of you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd, Grandpa. He¡¯s still him. Howe I never met him? Or he never knew me at all?¡±


    Grandpa smiled. ¡°I make sure not to put yourtest picture in my office. Mykel wasn¡¯t like other employees when he was at the Kross Corp, who mind their employer¡¯s personal business. He just worked hard, and he¡¯s very opinionated. That¡¯s why he learned fast.¡±


    ¡°You also disapproved of our arrangement.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t deny that. I didn¡¯t know what came into your mind. On the other hand, Mykel is right. I still treat you like that girl who just lost her parents. I forgot that you¡¯re a grown woman.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just protecting me, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true and always will, Adley. Mykel¡¯s never after your social status. That¡¯s for sure. I¡¯ve received some words he¡¯s not like before, and you met his mother. How¡¯s Madelyn?¡±


    ¡°You can say a manwhore, Grandpa. Madelyn is great. She even looks younger to be Mykel¡¯s mother.¡± I smiled as I remembered her words.


    ¡°Poor woman. I didn¡¯t want you to get hurt, Adley. Even unintentionally. Is this rtionship for real?¡±


    I looked at his hand and held it. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I like him. He annoyed me when we first met, even until now. He likes to control things. I guess we are both alpha bosses. When I got to know him a little, he was more human than other men I¡¯ve met.¡±


    He slightly nodded before he shocked me with his words. ¡°I approve of your rtionship with Mykel. I want you to convince him to meet me. Just the three of us.¡±


    I paused for a while, thinking through his real motives. ¡°You¡¯re making me nervous, Grandpa. You can¡¯t force him into doing something he doesn¡¯t like. You¡¯re not going to ask him to give you a great-grandchild, are you?¡±


    Grandpaughed. ¡°Nothing like that, but an old man can dream. At least I wanna hold my only great-grandchild before I die.¡±


    Tears quickly filled my eyes as I watched him smile with that dreamy eye. ¡°Then just hold on to your hat.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait, honey.¡±


    ¡°Now, get some rest.¡± I rose from my seat and kissed him on his forehead. ¡°I love you, Grandpa.¡±


    I walked out of his room to meet Butler Morrow in the hallway.


    ¡°How¡¯s your grandpa, Miss Adley?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hanging in there, Morrow. Thanks for asking.¡±


    ¡°Can I get you something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just going to the kitchen.¡± He was one of the oldest employees in the mansion. He watched me grow up and treated me like not just the granddaughter¡¯s employer but a little girl growing up without parents.


    ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Miss Adley, would you like to have your dinner now?¡± It was Grandpa¡¯s personal Chef. He also hired a nutritionist to watch his strict diet.


    ¡°If there¡¯s a salt, yes.¡± I grinned.


    ¡°Of course, Miss Adley.¡±


    I felt like a rich kid again. Though I used to, I didn¡¯t depend on people under my grandfather¡¯s payroll when I went to college.


    A few minutester, he served me my dinner. I ate alone at the long table. I suddenly missed Mykel and our easy conversation during our meal.


    He could be infuriating, but he was also thoughtful and attentive and surprised me every day. He was not even close to perfect. That was why I started to care about him. A perfect man didn¡¯t exist, right? And if it did, it was a red g-too good to be true.


    After I finished my dinner, I told Morrow to bring a ss of red wine to my room.


    The room was the same room I grew up in. The color has changed from a girly to something more of me.


    I still had to check my email from Kaelie. I opened myptop, replied to some emails, and marked my schedule for Monday. We were getting more major clients for the whole month. Thanks to my husband, who had promoted ourpany on his social media, we also had almost four million followers. But his social status has helped us a lot.


    I closed myptop when I heard a knock on the door. My first thought was Morrow. To my shock, it was not even close.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± My tone was firm.


    Gary smiled, and it got creepier the longer he stared at me with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Hey, babe.¡±Babe?


    My brow arched. ¡°Are you drunk?¡±


    ¡°Not even close.¡± He even did a sign in his drunken state.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re staying here for the night. That¡¯s why I came so fast.¡±


    ¡°You drove all the way here even though you¡¯re drunk? How did you pass the guard?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. You are.¡± He stepped closer to me. Right now, I could smell his vile, stenchy breath.


    ¡°Get lost. I¡¯m not talking to you when you¡¯re drunk, Gary. Sleep it over, and we¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡± I stepped away from him, about to close the door in his face.


    He didn¡¯t move, but he kept staring at me. ¡°I like you, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already married, Gary. Now please, leave?¡± I showed him the way. My mind went to the guards, and what took Morrow so long?


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until I get what I came here for.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± I asked in a deadpan voice, irritated.


    ¡°You.¡± He pushed me on my chest.


    I was too shocked to react to his answer-I was caught off guard and found myself on the floor.


    My butt ached. My heart pounded. At the same time, I was shivering to move as if the temperature in the room had just dropped several degrees. It happened so fast that I felt like I would pass out. My whole body trembled and felt so cold. It felt like I was rooted to the ground, but grateful I didn¡¯t hit my head.


    Gary randomly started taking off his jacket, and I¡¯d never been so scared in my life other than flying-I started shaking. This time I knew what was going to happen. I should do something.


    The first thing that came into my head was yelling for help. And that was what I did.


    ¡°Help!¡± I screamed loud enough that it scoured my throat as I raised my arms to protect myself. Right now, I wished Mykel was here to beat the crap out of Gary, or I should have just gone home and slept peacefully in our bed.


    Before Gary could crawl over me, someone must have grabbed him because nothing happened, not that I wanted to. The next thing I heard was a thud, a lot of it, and screams and shrieks, if I may guess,ing from Gary.


    ¡°Mrs. Creed, are you hurt?¡±


    With my heart still racing, I tentatively put my arms down. It was the tall guy with his hand held out.


    At the door was Morrow with a bottle of wine and a ss. ¡°I ran over here as fast as I could.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you.¡± I grabbed and gripped his hand, and he lifted me as if I weighed nothing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, Mrs. Creed.¡± He helped me to the bed. ¡°Please take a seat.¡±


    ¡°What happened here?¡± It was Grandpa.


    ¡°Mr. Merick managed to pass our security, sir. I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, please, get back in bed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty shaken up, Adley.¡± He came closer to me and red at the tall guy. ¡°Adrian, I don¡¯t want this ever to happen again, not only here. I don¡¯t want to see the face of that bastard at Kross Corp and in any Kross properties, do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The tall man or Adrian left.


    ¡°He¡¯s drunk, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my problem. He hurt you, and he was about to do something unspeakable.¡± He let out a shaky breath. ¡°This is my fault.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the guilt trip, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°I thought he was a good man.¡±


    ¡°You promise him the star.¡± I snorted, even if it wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°I gave him hope, but it seemed that his father didn¡¯t know him better. He didn¡¯t take it lightly when he found out you¡¯re married to Mykel. He thought you would offer the seat on a silver tter.¡±


    ¡°It feels so that way.¡± My hands were still shaking. ¡°I need that wine now.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± Grandpa gave me that questioned look while I was a kid.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m twenty-four and still pretty shaken because of that jerk.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been handled. I will inform his father tomorrow regarding the behavior of his son.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to be near me again. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Keep that what happened tonight. If your husband finds out, he will throw the me at me and say he¡¯s right.¡±


    I managed to smile as I grabbed the ss of wine. ¡°I¡¯m okay now. I¡¯ll make sure to lock the door. Now please, don¡¯t be a pain, Grandpa. Go back to bed. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    ***


    I had a peaceful breakfast with Grandpa at the patio with a view of a vastwn and a gorgeousndscaped garden.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to ask me every five minutes?¡± He didn¡¯t look pale anymore. In fact, his cheeks had some colors. Despite his graying hair, he still looked handsome-I remembered my father. He got the high cheekbones and strong jaw from him.


    I smiled.


    He was back-the grandfather I knew was back.


    We were interrupted by Adrian. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I can¡¯t stop him.¡±


    I turned to him. Then I found my husband, who never looked so pissed, yet hot as ever, making my jaw drop.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mykel, Adrian,¡± Grandpa dismissed him. ¡°Come here. It¡¯s great that you could join us.¡±


    Instead of acknowledging my grandfather, Mykel made his point. He leaned over and kissed me like we had no audience.

 Chapter 30

    MYKEL


    I took her face in my hands. I breathed in as I leaned closer to meet her lips. Finally, our lips connected. Everything stopped-my breath, thoughts, heart, and time.


    And she gasped, parting her lips. She tasted sweet like honey and had never been addicted to anything or anyone. If this was the life of having someone to go home to-to kiss, care for, and love, I could be here at this moment for the rest of my life.


    On my trip back, all I could think about was my wife-to be with her and kissed like this right now. I fucking missed her like crazy. Seeing her, kissing her, feeling her against my skin would cure this insanity called falling in love. Yes, I fell in love, so fucking fast like a train ran out of its rail, wrecking into my chest.


    Until a clearing of a throat brought me back to the world.


    ¡°That¡¯s my granddaughter you are kissing, Mykel,¡± Lex just scolded me.


    As much as I¡¯d love to kiss her more, the old man was watching. Adley broke first,ughing.


    ¡°Who happened to be also my wife. I can¡¯t also kiss her, whom I missed for two days?¡± I wanted to growl at the old man, but it would not impress my wife for disrespecting her grandfather.


    I sat on the empty chair beside Adley, across from unimpressed Lex Kross.


    ¡°Well, wee back, Mykel.¡±


    I turned to her. ¡°You¡¯re here and not in the penthouse. It felt empty going home, and you were not there.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t Adley visit her grandfather now?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at Lex but felt Adley¡¯s hand squeezing my knee made me stop throwing back sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯m not forbidding her if that¡¯s what you mean. If you only stopped sending your people, things would have been better. And you warned me to stay away from Adley, remember?¡±


    ¡°And you disobeyed me.¡± He poured a coffee into a cup and offered it to me.N?velDrama.Org content.


    I took it from him before I looked around. ¡°Thanks. What¡¯s with the additional men?¡±


    Adley and Lex exchanged a look.


    ¡°For me?¡± I chuckled with the absurdity. ¡°I¡¯m touched.¡±


    ¡°Not for you,¡± my wife answered.


    ¡°What are you not telling me?¡± I looked at Adley, who looked more beautiful than ever.


    ¡°Why does it have something to do with you if Grandpa wanted to add his security?¡±


    ¡°Threats, baby. I knew what kind of threats, whether empty or not. Ites with being who has a lot of things to lose. You know what I mean?¡± I sipped my coffee and picked a pastry.


    ¡°How¡¯s your trip? I thought your flight would not be until tonight.¡±


    ¡°I wanna go home and see you. I couldn¡¯t sleep, concentrate, and work after yourst words before you hung up in my face.¡± I quoted in the air. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    She wanted to roll her eyes, but Lex raised her to behave politely. She sighed. ¡°You would disagree, I get mad, and we will fight. Rest, you know what will happen. And I already told you not to fly back until you finish your business meetings.¡±


    ¡°Dash is handling it. He flewst night to represent on my behalf.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like what you¡¯re doing,promising your job because you didn¡¯t get what you want.¡±


    My frown deepened. ¡°If you just told me, we wouldn¡¯t have this conversation, but you made ze promise that I shouldn¡¯t know whatever it is you are hiding from me, Adley. What is it all about?¡±


    ¡°Do you two need marriage counseling?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Grandpa.¡± She behaveddylike again.


    ¡°This stubbornness, she got it from you.¡±


    ¡°Among other things,¡± Lex agreed.


    ¡°I wanna take her home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not up to me, and don¡¯t look at me as if I held her against her will.¡± Grandpa sipped his tea.


    ¡°She came here because you wouldn¡¯t leave her alone.¡±


    ¡°Mykel.¡± She squeezed my arm.


    ¡°She¡¯s my only granddaughter. Ites with the territory.¡±


    ¡°I came here because I wanted to see Grandpa. And what is it that I heard you¡¯re filing a restraining order?¡±


    ¡°If they cross the line again.¡±


    ¡°Look, if you two won¡¯t sort out your differences and always argue because of me, I¡¯m not going home to you.¡± She pointed at Lex and me. ¡°And I¡¯m noting to visit. I¡¯m so sick of this.¡± She stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest and red at the vastndscape.


    I faced Lex. ¡°I know you felt betrayed that I chose not to listen to you, but I did what was right.¡±


    ¡°Marrying my granddaughter in Vegas. For God¡¯s sake, Mykel, as if she isn¡¯t a Kross and you¡¯re a nobody? And I wasn¡¯t aware-¡±


    ¡°In my defense, you hate me-¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t hate you,¡± Adley butted in.


    ¡°I found out from someone irrelevant, and you confirmed on your-what do you call that? Social media. It¡¯s a p to my face.¡±


    ¡°I promised my mom because she wasn¡¯t there either. And I¡¯m making a promise to you now-¡±


    ¡°Mykel, what are you doing?¡± Adley red even further.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to marry you again. I¡¯m making a promise right now, and I want to prove to your grandfather that I¡¯m serious about our marriage. We¡¯re going to get married in any ce you like.¡± Then I looked over at Lex. ¡°You can invite everyone. I want you to know that I never regretted my decision. She¡¯s everything to me, okay?¡± My admission made Adley gasp. ¡°Now, if you have something to throw at me, go ahead. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°I have a proposal now that you¡¯re here.¡± Of course, we were back on business. I wanted to wring his neck right now. ¡°I had a chance to talk to Adleyst night that I wanted to sit and discuss what matters at hand.¡±


    ¡°Is it about Adley¡¯s inheritance?¡±


    ¡°Among other things.¡± This seemed urgent and crucial, which made me worry somehow.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Look, despite what you did, I don¡¯t hate you. I told Adley about thatst night too. But this matter needs an urgent solution, which would favor your wife. Since Adley doesn¡¯t have a lot of experience handling billion-dor corporations, I want you to take my position if I retire.¡±


    I snorted, mocking him. ¡°Are you fucking serious right now?¡±


    ¡°Mykel,¡± Adley scolded me.


    I snapped my head at my wife, ring. ¡°What? You¡¯re also in favor of this bullshit?¡±


    ¡°Mykel, if you won¡¯t listen to us, I suggest you leave.¡±

 Chapter 31

    MYKEL


    My wife was pissed, like really, really pissed at me right now-about to burst into mes. So did I. ¡°Do you think this is a joke? Well, I can handle this, but I chose and agreed with Grandpa because we trusted you, and I respect you as my other half. You can politely decline our offer and move on, and I will take the position for his sake.¡±


    I stared at my wife in shock. I couldn¡¯t believe what I had just heard. Days ago, she was adamant about a payback. Right now, she was like another person that I had just met.


    ¡°Why me?¡± My gaze flew between them.


    ¡°I have no easy way to say this, but I trust you can handle two seats, CEO of both majorpanies. Because I can¡¯t throw it at someone, not my blood, and I don¡¯t fully trust. Call it nepotism, but this corporation is my sweat and blood.¡±


    ¡°I am missing something here. And I don¡¯t even have a share in yourpany.¡±


    ¡°Once I get my inheritance, I¡¯m selling it to you.¡±


    I red at my wife. ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Better with you than others.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Jesus, my head is gonna explode.¡± I leaned back, massaging the back of my neck before I focused back on this mindless debate. ¡°What change, baby?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sick.¡±


    My world stopped. I nced between my wife and Lex-they seemed not fooling around. Suddenly my stomach twisted painfully. I grabbed a ss of water and drank it. I rewound and thought of it for a while until a wave of rity hit me harder.


    ¡°I have an ESRD.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that even mean?¡± My voice dropped.


    ¡°End Stage Renal Failure. Inyman¡¯s terms, my kidneys are not working properly.¡±


    ¡°And just now, you¡¯re fucking telling me this.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him before I asked my wife. ¡°And you, when did you find out?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday.¡± Her face suddenly fell, and those eyes filled with profound sorrow. ¡°I came here, which he didn¡¯t expect me to appear after a few tries. He didn¡¯t want me to know, but I found it anyway. He¡¯s treating himself with dialysis three times a week, here at home, with his doctors.¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ.¡± I rose from my seat and walked away. I propped my hands on my hips and tried to do a breathing exercise, but it made breathing harder even more.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mykel.¡±


    I pulled Adley into my arms and hugged her tight. It seemed that was the only rational thing to do at this moment, and this was the time that we needed each other.


    ¡°Can we go back now?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I sat back. Lex¡¯s nurse brought those bottles that felt like someone had just twisted a knife into my heart. It felt like a Deja Vu all over again with my mom.


    ¡°Should you do something invasive?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the n, but I¡¯m not nning oning back as the CEO. I know I¡¯m selfish-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not selfishness.¡± I cut in. My voice suddenly broke. He may be my mentor, but he was more of a father to me than my own. ¡°You¡¯re doing the right thing.¡±


    ¡°I should have listened to him when he told me to work with him years ago.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself, Adley. I, myself, did not even expect to get this disease. I still feel terrible for putting you into this situation, but I also know that it¡¯s your birthright to run this business.¡±


    ¡°You did what you think was right. Don¡¯t ever regret wanting to follow your dreams,¡± I told my wife.


    ¡°Even if we disagreed with your life choices, and if I only have another choice, I¡¯d rather watch you enjoy your life.¡± He took a deep breath before he looked away at thendscape.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss this when she receives the documents of her inheritance.¡± I stayed silent for a while and didn¡¯t know Adley was watching me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. Lex put you in a difficult situation again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    ¡°Enough of this me and arguments. Let¡¯s put this to an end. Right now, I want to know if you found a kidney.¡±


    ¡°This may sound insensitive and immoral, but I found someone willing to give his kidney.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the catch? College n for his daughter and cash for his family?¡± My question came out intrusive and unsympathetic.


    My wife looked away, wiping her tears. ¡°Would it be possible I could be your donor?¡±


    I was in pure shell shock. I couldn¡¯t argue with her and put my life first because I was in love with her. That would be too selfish, but I was selfish. ¡°No way, Adley. I still need you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna die. This is just a kidney. I will still have another.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young. It won¡¯t work, and I¡¯d rather spend all my money to buy a kidney or die rather than receive yours.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± she cried out.


    ¡°Look, you¡¯re the only one I have left. So no. That¡¯s not an option.¡± Lex looked at me. ¡°Talk to your wife, for God¡¯s sake.¡±


    I squeezed my eyes shut. I¡¯d never thought I would be in this position beforeing over. I deeply inhaled before I faced my wife. ¡°Baby, his donor has agreed, and I will make sure to help him as well. That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like it, Mykel.¡± She walked away, and I watched her back fade inside the house.


    I faced Lex and changed the topic before I burst into crying. ¡°I wanna know who¡¯s the guy you hired to look after my wife.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    I frowned at his answer, casting him an inquisitive look. ¡°Have you imnted a tracker chip into my wife?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s madness,¡± he grudgingly replied to my usation, but he neither confirmed nor denied.


    ¡°Is it ze?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lex fell into his solitude.


    After that stressful conversation, we retreated to her room. I took off my suit and shoes and joined Adley curled into a ball in bed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this alone. I¡¯m here with you.¡± I slipped my arm under her pillow and pulled her into my arms. ¡°Lex is strong. He can pull this off.¡±


    She turned to me. Our noses were merely an inch apart; I could see clearly the specks in her eyes and those emotions lingering in.


    ¡°Talk to me.¡± I reached out, swiping the hair away from her face. ¡°You are so beautiful, Adley.¡± I ran my thumb on the point of her nose, trailing my finger to her cheek down her neck.


    ¡°Did you mean what you said?¡±


    ¡°Yes, all of them.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± It should have shocked me, yet I froze like a moron for a moment as I felt her lips against mine. Adley took a leap and kissed me. I kissed her back and shoved her lips apart to give me more ess.


    As I slipped my tongue into her mouth, she let go of a moan. All my restrains came crashing down to my dick. My needs soared, and my greediness took over my remaining sanity. I wrapped my arms around her, rolled us over, and took overpletely.


    I had anticipated this. These had been days of tensions and aches, and right now, it was happening.


    I could have her the way I wanted, the way I had been yearning for nights. I could finally feel my wife, see her as the ecstasy rolled through her, yet it didn¡¯t feel right.


    I stopped. Even my cock told me how it felt so good to graze against her, but I stopped.


    Her eyes were wide in shock. ¡°Why did you stop?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right. Not like this. Not when you are emotionally vulnerable.¡±

 Chapter 32

    ADLEY


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want?¡± I felt hurt. My ego was bruised. We¡¯d waited for weeks, and this was how it ended. What was the matter with him? Had he changed his mind? Did he find someone already?


    ¡°Yes, and every inch of you, but not when you are like this.¡± He tentatively pulled me into his arms again, but this would not happen again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± I dragged myself out of bed.


    ¡°Baby, wait.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve waited long enough.¡± I stomped my way to the bathroom. Soak in the tub might clear up my head and ease the ache between my thighs.


    I stripped off my clothes one by one. If this were some kind of a hormone that made me crazy with needs, then I would deal with it. I turned on the faucet. Even if it just started to fill in, I went inside.


    Being so turned on and angry was not a goodbination. It made me want to break everything around me. I poured some bubble soap in and rested my head. Then I felt him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re mad at me.¡± His words were calcted. He should be because I was not in the mood for another bullcrap.


    ¡°Try enraged that I wanted to throw things at you right now.¡± I let out a noisy breath and closed my eyes. ¡°Go elsewhere but here, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± His words came out strong. ¡°Let me help you clean up.¡± He started rubbing a loofah on my arm.


    ¡°Stop.¡± I cracked my eyes open. ¡°I don¡¯t need you right now.¡± My stubbornness got over me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± I rose from the tub, not caring I waspletely naked.


    He red back at me, but he avoided seeing my naked body. I knew he was struggling as well as he tried hard to keep his desires at bay. He drew a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. As he cracked them open, I could see those mixed emotions he¡¯d been trying to hide for me to see.


    ¡°Do I look like I didn¡¯t wanna make love to you? I mean, it¡¯s been almost a month, Adley. From day one, all I could think was to pin you in that elevator, take you in my car, press you in my bed, and maybe tie you on my bedpost, then take you over and over again until we run out of strength. It never changed. I still want to do those for you. Look at my pants.¡± He pointed down his crotch. He was right-there was still a prominent bulge. ¡°Believe me, baby. It¡¯s been hard. I¡¯d never waited this long before, but for you, I can wait for another month, even if it takes a year because I want our first time to be more special, you would recall, even after fifty years. This isn¡¯t about my needs anymore. This is about us.¡±


    I slid back to the water, trying to rx my mind and body. This time, I wanted to control my libido when Mykel was around. But clearly, his presence was not helping.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever think that I don¡¯t want you anymore. Just watching you naked, and I can¡¯t take you. Even a sane person will drive him nuts.¡± I felt him closer, and I finally let him touch me. ¡°You have the softest skin, supple. Never a day went by that I never missed fantasizing about the feeling of my lips on every inch of your skin.¡±


    I kept listening.


    ¡°You have the most desirable, the sexiest body I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± he said as hethered the bubbles on my thighs. ¡°I¡¯m still dazed in lust, dizzy with impatience, and I want to take you right now.¡±


    I turned my head to him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you touch me?¡±


    He froze for a moment before he lifted his gaze at me. ¡°You know your tits are work of art, so round and firm. Your nipples are pink and stiff.¡±


    ¡°How do you know they¡¯re firm you haven¡¯t touched them?¡± I held his hand and brought it to my breast. A gasp slipped my lips as I felt the first brush of his massive hand on my naked chest. My body came to life and hummed at his touch.


    ¡°Baby¡­¡± He let go a long groan of resistance. I encouraged him to do as he pleased, cupping the soft mound into his hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to touch me, not sleep with me.¡± I moved his hand to my other breast.


    ¡°You¡¯re teasing me a lot, and it¡¯s not helping.¡±


    ¡°Strip off and join me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± He was still resisting, but he kept his hand on my breast.


    ¡°Keep your boxers on. I want to feel you. I need you right now, Mykel.¡±


    After a few seconds of deep thoughts, he let go of a long shaky breath. ¡°Okay, baby.¡±


    I waited patiently.


    He rose to his feet and took off his shirt first. His body was a work of art, sculpted to perfection. I itched my fingers to spread across those thick muscles on his chest. Then I watched him unbuckle his belt, unbutton his pants, and with a groan, he slid the zip down.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he cursed under his breath. His huge bulge became more noticeable as his pants dropped to his ankle. Each muscle in his body was hard and tight. I wanted to caress that ink on his bicep and his sinewy forearms.


    ¡°Join me.¡± I licked my lips and swallowed hard. My gaze dropped to what was peeking through his boxers-his tattoo. I moved forward so he could sink in behind me. ¡°The tattoo you have there is interesting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s inked out of fun.¡±


    ¡°What does it mean?¡± I knew it was written in Japanese.


    ¡°Keizoku wa chikara nari. Something like, don¡¯t give up.¡±


    ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. You¡¯re killing me, you know,¡± he said with a groan as he joined me. He settled himself in, stretching his legs out on either side of me. He then wrapped his arms around me.


    I leaned against him, feeling his sold wall of a chest. I could feel the ridges of his firm abs against my back, and that hard as a steel length of his poking against my butt felt incredibly good. The brush of it could almost bring me to the edge.


    ¡°Can I still touch you?¡± His voice was raspy and almost a whisper.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± With a shaky nod, I rested my head on his shoulder as he started cupping my breasts. His fingers twisted my rigid tips, causing me to cry out with my hands clung to his arms, begging for more.


    As he kept doing it, exhaling in my ear, my breathing broke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± I let out a whimper as I closed my eyes and relished the pleasure humming on my bare skin. A pulsing desire swept through me. I trembled with yearning.


    ¡°I won¡¯t, baby.¡± His free hand worked its way down my abdomen.


    ¡°Oh, God. This feels so good.¡± I arched my hips, silently urging him to move where I ached the most.


    ¡°I barely touch you, baby. How long it has been?¡± His voice was deep and warm, like melted dark chocte. He then dragged his hand down to my belly button. The other was still twitching my nipple. It hurt, but the pleasure was getting more intense.


    ¡°Months. Almost a year.¡± I couldn¡¯t lie to him. He would know.


    ¡°Do you want me to touch your pussy?¡± Despite the throbbing in my core, his question filled warmth in my heart. I felt special. It really mattered to him, even if he had to suffer the pain.


    I nodded as a response, unable to form words.


    ¡°I need your words, baby.¡±


    ¡°Would it be too much for you?¡± I rushed out my words. The thought of him touching me was enough to make me fly, and now it was happening.


    ¡°This is about you, making you feel good.¡± His hand traveled down just above where I ached the most, fingers feathery fondling my most throbbing part. ¡°You¡¯re bare and soft.¡± He barely touched me, but I was already whimpering and wriggling in the water.


    ¡°Please, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to beg.¡± His words trembled from his lips, and my body arched, my head threw back against his shoulder as his finger plunged in between my slick folds.


    I grabbed the back of his head, angled, and mmed my mouth into his. This time he gave me what I wanted-he kissed me hard, sucking my lips with a guttural groan rumbling in his throat. He began working inside me, gliding in and out, while his other hand was busy alternately kneading between my breasts. He kissed me, his tongue seeking and tasting every corner of my mouth.


    It was hot and wet, and it made me dizzy. I was catching my breath when he broke my kiss, dragging his breath and his length, creating delicious friction on my butt. He then buried his head into my neck, sucking my soft skin, then nipping and licking where it stung the most.


    ¡°Fuck. You are so tight.¡± He added another finger and wedged as far as he could.


    I let go of a long, low moan, bucking up to meet his plunge. My free hand gripped the edge of the tub. The other dug into his hair.


    ¡°Baby, you¡¯re close. I can feel it. Look at me.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t aware I was shutting my eyes close and opening to see the most beautiful dark eyes lost in passion as he focused on me, for my pleasure. I didn¡¯t realize how he could be this selfless and passionate, and wonderful and overprotective husband to me.


    He hooked his fingers inside me and rubbed the most extremely sensitive of my flesh that I¡¯d never known existed. He really knew what he was doing, how to bring me to the edge.


    I instantly gasped. My eyes grew wide, and I couldn¡¯t keep up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t close your eyes, please. I wanna see you as youe around my fingers for the first time.¡± He then settled his thumb over my clit and started rubbing in circles.


    ¡°Mykel.¡± My body tensed. My inner wall started mping down around his fingers.


    ¡°You¡¯re so close, baby.¡±


    ¡°God. Mykel, I want you!¡± Delirious, I cried out, but I knew what I was saying.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have me. That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    I kept tensing and tensing. Every muscle in my body tightened as it continued to mp down. I was on fire. I knew I was just seconds to orgasm.


    Mykel increased his speed, showing me no mercy, and I screamed his name as my walls tightened, clenched, and spasmed around his fingers. And I flew higher, and Mykel was there to catch me.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re so beautiful, my wife.¡±

 Chapter 33

    MYKEL


    We stayed in the tub for a while. My raging cock was still hard as steel. Even if I was losing my shit and wanted to take Adley right now, I pulled myself together, allowing my brain to rule for a while.


    I pulled the spray and pointed it at her as I rinsed her clean.


    ¡°I can help you with that.¡± Her voice was still low and shaky from her orgasm. Despite my unattended needs, I could stillprehend what she was trying to say.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Is that something making the situation awkward?¡±


    ¡°No, baby.¡±


    She turned to face me. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    I looked into her eyes. The sparks of anticipation were present. ¡°Will you go out on a date with me?¡±


    Judging by her reaction, she wasn¡¯t expecting it. ¡°Oh, even if we¡¯re already married?¡±


    ¡°We can still go out on a date and have fun.¡±


    ¡°We had dinner before.¡±


    ¡°This time, it¡¯s different. You know my feelings about you. So?¡±


    She smiled. Flush crept up her ivory skin. ¡°Okay. Where are you taking me for this date?¡±


    ¡°Something special, but wear somethingfy, even a mickey mouse pajama set.¡±


    She giggled, nibbling her bottom lip. I leaned down to kiss her, and she let me.


    After a couple more minutes, I got up and went under the shower. It was a hard pass, even if I wanted to work on my hard-on. I had a wife waiting in bed for me.


    Adley was already on her shirt and jeans, blowdrying her hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have something to change. I¡¯m going to the penthouse and pick you up at six?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± She pulled a chair. ¡°Sit.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Just sit, Mykel.¡±


    I looked at her inquisitively before I sat down in front of the mirror. Then she started to blow drying my hair.


    ¡°Do you want me to cut my hair?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I envy you. Your hair is thick and smooth. When I was in high school, I colored my hair blonde.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not to love about your hair? Are you really brte?¡± I asked the obvious.


    Dusky pink blossomed on her cheeks. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll keep unwaxed?¡± I lifted a brow.


    ¡°You¡¯re so lewd.¡± Judging by her reaction, she just confirmed it to me.


    ¡°You are Belle then.¡±


    ¡°You did not just reference Disney on me.¡± She poured a little amount of hair oil on her palm and rubbed them before she applied it to my hair. ¡°Now you smell like me. We¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°I was kidding.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look so beast to me.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about Lex, but he¡¯s gonna be fine. He¡¯s strong and gonna pull this through.¡± I turned around, wrapped my arms around her, and hugged her tight. She also hugged me back, resting her chin on my head. I could hear her heart beating so fast, hoping it did for me.


    ¡°I know. Will you please think about his offer?¡±


    I titled my neck so that she could see me. ¡°I will do this for you. Just have patience in me.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She kissed me quickly. ¡°You can¡¯t be this selfish, Mykel. What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Your eptance.¡± That was honest to the fault answer I could give.


    ¡°What do you mean? I epted you.¡± Her brows creased.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I want.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me.¡±


    ¡°I have a difficult past. My rep isn¡¯t perfect. I want you to see the real me without this cocky yboy image, without the fame, money, and power.¡±


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯d seen for the past weeks? I was wrong. It was so awful that I judged you as this stereotypical yboy billionaire who ran away after sex, afraid of intimacy andmitments. I saw the real you when you helped with my irrational fear. Your mother is proof that you are more than meets the eye. Then what you sacrificed for me, I didn¡¯t know how to pay you back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for payments. I want nothing from you than to give me a chance.¡±


    ¡°You have it.¡±


    A smile curved up my lips. My chest expanded with hopes. ¡°See you tonight?¡±


    ¡°Tonight then.¡±


    I kissed her one more time before I walked out of her room. I went to the study to meet Lex. He was currently on the phone. I went through the photographs I¡¯d never seen in his office at Kross Corp.


    ¡°Mykel.¡±


    ¡°How old is Adley in this picture?¡± I pointed at the photo of, in my guess, Adley¡¯s parents.


    ¡°Six. She¡¯s the most lively girl I¡¯ve ever met and never ran out of energy. We call her sugar rush. She¡¯s also inquisitive.¡± He gestured for me to sit.


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely the Adley I met. She hates just sitting down. I feel like her brain is working all the time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not staying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking Adley to my home tonight. I¡¯ll just go to the penthouse to change and take some things.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your n for my granddaughter, Mykel. I¡¯m sorry to ask, but I wanna know if her needs are taken care of.¡±


    I had to sit down. ¡°You may disapprove of my rtionship with Adley, but you have to give me a chance. You may not like how we started, but I¡¯m trying to make it right.¡±


    ¡°I told Adley I approved your rtionship. Didn¡¯t she tell you?¡±


    I was taken aback by his reply. I stared at him for a few seconds, asking myself if what I heard was right. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Just stop swinging around your junk, Mykel. I want Adley to be your only woman. If you can do that, I have no issue with you.¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m loyal to your granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s the only thing I wanna hear for now. And I want grandchildren.¡±


    Iughed out loud. Before I could reply, the door swung open. My wife walked in wearing a curious look on her face. ¡°You¡¯re still here.¡±


    ¡°I came to tell your grandfather I¡¯m taking you on a date,¡± I joked.


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious. I¡¯m not fifteen, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you, baby. I¡¯m here to check on him before I go.¡± I faced Lex. ¡°And I¡¯m picking her up at six.¡±


    Lex nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check up on you on Monday,¡± Adley said to her grandpa.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I have a specialist checking on me from time to time. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be a royal pain. I¡¯lle and check on you. That¡¯s final.¡±


    ¡°Fine. You, Mykel, go home.¡± He turned to my wife. ¡°And you, go check your Ins-whatever.¡±


    My wife and I exchanged looked before we barked outughing.


    ***


    I picked up my wife at exactly six. She came down the entrance in exactly a mickey mouse pajama set.


    Iughed as she presented herself. ¡°You look so adorable.¡± I was not wearing anything fancy either than a shirt and jeans.


    ¡°You look hot yourself, big guy.¡± Her smile was cheek to cheek.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± I gestured to the passenger seat. Once she was in, I shut the door and went to the driver¡¯s seat. This time I would drive us to our home.


    ¡°Those two gents will follow us?¡±


    ¡°Yup. How¡¯s your checking the Ins-?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°It was fine. I see you posted new pictures.¡±


    ¡°With women?¡±


    She stared at me. ¡°Are you trying to find out if I get jealous?¡±


    ¡°No reason for you to get jealous. Besides, I¡¯m open to you. I don¡¯t hide things from you. You should know that.¡± I squeezed her hand.


    ¡°I trust you. If things get boring between us and you want out, all you have to do is tell me.¡±


    ¡°Not happening, baby. For the first time, I feel stability. I go to work and think of you. Then I have someone waiting for me to go home to. I¡¯m great and happy with what I have right now. Why would I make thingsplicated when my life is closed to perfect?¡± I stole a nce at her. She was staring at the road ahead of us.


    ¡°Perfect answer. So, where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get there, baby. Just rx.¡± I turned on the radio and yed the music app on my phone.


    ¡°You like his music?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not to like a sound like ssic with a voice like that. ¡­ smooth as Tennessee whiskey.¡±


    Adley was amused. ¡°I¡¯m not judging your choice of music.¡±


    ¡°I listen to what¡¯s on the chart. I don¡¯t have time to search for what¡¯s good. I just don¡¯t listen to hip-hop and rap. I couldn¡¯t keep up with the lyrics.¡±


    ¡°So you listen to Taylor, Kpop, Billie Eilish?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I still remember the face of Kye and Sax when the Kpop yed on the radio.¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°You¡¯re full of surprises, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°I know, baby. I¡¯m awesome.¡±


    She hid her smile and looked outside the window.


    We listened to music and got to know more-those simple and obvious we liked to do every day, the food we enjoyed, things we wanted to escape doing, the book we read, our choices of movies we¡¯d like to watch. Something like that that I didn¡¯t mind adjusting.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± I announced.


    She looked out through the windshield without a word.


    ¡°Wee home, baby.¡± I pressed the password on the security keypad. The gate slid wide.


    She looked at me. Her expression was pure shock.


    Kye and Sax were already out of the SUV, surveying the area around my ten-bedroom house. I bought it from a real estate broker after earning eight figures in my bank ount.


    I helped her out of the car after I got a signal from Sax.


    ¡°This is beautiful, Mykel. How long have you had this house?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it-almost three years. I don¡¯te here often. Maybe once every three months if I felt suffocated in the city. Before I bought the penthouse, I lived in my apartment for the past years. I just bought that building so that I could install a security system.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I unlocked the door. It was fully furnished. It had everything I wanted, and I¡¯d dreamed of when I started earning. Mom was pleased about the house as well.


    She let her eyes wander. Adley had a great taste in luxury. She may be wearing pajamas tonight, but she looked expensive in every way. Her bag was from the most luxurious brand. Her sandals alone were worth a thousand bucks.


    I just realized something. I¡¯d never given her a gift. The ring on her finger didn¡¯t count. So what the fuck was I doing?


    ¡°I¡¯ll tour you aroundter. Let¡¯s go to the back.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I led the way through the backdoor, where we passed the biggest pool. Sax and Kye had already set up my first outdoor pic date with my wife.


    The candles lit up aside from the lighting from the patio and the moon casting a glow at us. The sky was dark and clear. What I loved about this house was the air was fresh, and it was a great getaway ce. That was a giveaway.


    She also appreciated the ce as she looked at the sky before stepping into the spread nket. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°As beautiful as you.¡±


    She turned to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know you have a romance in your body.¡±


    ¡°Then you still have a lot to learn about me.¡±


    She took the wine I offered and sipped it. ¡°Delicious. Thank you for taking me here. This home is special to you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I sipped my wine and picked a slice of chicken and veggie pinwheels. ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    She took a bite, and I stuffed the remaining into my mouth. ¡°That¡¯s why I brought you here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You mean a lot to me that I don¡¯t know how to tell you and express it.¡±


    She leaned over and kissed me on my lips. Then she whispered, ¡°You¡¯re on the right track, Mykel. I can feel and see everything you do. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself.¡±

 Chapter 34

    ADLEY


    I may have been born with a golden spoon in my mouth, but life was not easy for me. It was difficult for someone with the impression of a brat. Nobody saw the struggle of a rich kid-I didn¡¯t experience a lot of things as other average girls had. I didn¡¯t have a great childhood. I didn¡¯t have good boyfriend-girlfriend rtionships. As soon as they discovered I was Lex Kross¡¯s granddaughter, all they wanted was to impress me, which I hated the most. But I was still grateful despite those failures.


    But this man whose arms wrapped around me as we came to thest part of the tour-his study room had seeded in impressing me. I always appreciated simple things like what he did with the space. He gave me a small space to put an office for me.


    ¡°That art looks familiar.¡± There was a simr copy of the line art on the wall.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hate ze and me.¡±


    ¡°That looks amazing on the wall. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to see our room.¡±


    As he opened the door wider, my pulse raced instantly.


    ¡°You incorporate our favorite colors.¡± I stepped forward, revealing the marvelous bedroom with a king-sized bed at the center-something about the choices of color warmed my heart.


    ¡°Yes. I want you to feel wee. And I¡¯m ready to take the next step with you. I want you to move in with me for good, without your conditions, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I faced him. My breathy question seemed to stop the time.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m in love with you.¡± His admission terrified me and made me happy at the same time. The truth, I was scared he could break my heart, but as he said before, I should take a risk. He could be right, or I would just wander for the rest of my life.


    I dragged in a shaky breath as I studied him to see if he was telling the truth. ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in love with you, baby.¡± His eyes burned with so much passion that he took my breath away.


    Tonight, it would happen. I would give it to him without a shed of doubt.


    I slid my palms into the back of his neck, tiptoed, and kissed him. This time he gasped and froze for a second. He then took my face with his hands and kissed me back.


    As we lost ourselves in our kiss, I slipped my hands into the seam of his shirt, and he pulled it over his head. He kissed me back as I ran my trembling and eager fingers through the ridges and bumps of his hard abs.


    Mykel was a work of art, perfectly carved to appreciate. He was hard and smooth everywhere.


    This time he was more eager than I was. I knew his restraint was crushing down, and we both felt the same. Carelessly, I fumbled to undo his belt, unbutton his jeans, and shoved down his knees. He was already hard, his bulge poking against my lower abdomen.


    ¡°Baby, are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Ask me again. You¡¯ll get the same answer.¡±


    He then kicked off his shoes before he worked on me-touching, cupping my breasts through my clothes, but his lips never left mine. It seemed like he couldn¡¯t get enough.


    With our tongues dangling together, he managed to take off my clothes like the expert he was. I didn¡¯t protest. All I did was give in to my needs.


    He slid his hands down and cupped my butt. As if on cue, I simply hooked my legs around his hips, and he lifted me, and my impending moans finally escaped as I rocked my hips into his.


    Mykel raced to the bed andy me down at the center, breaking the kiss. ¡°Baby, you have five seconds to change your mind.¡±


    ¡°Five seconds is up.¡±


    Through lust-hooded eyes, he stared at me. And I challenged him that I would not back down. He then slipped his fingers into the band of my pajama bottom and shoved it down my feet in one swift motion.


    I was only in my sexy lingerie. When he asked me on a date, I was optimistic this night could lead us somewhere-somewhere so deep in our rtionship.


    Mykel raked his gaze at me-from my face, my plumped lips down to my chest, my abdomen toward my legs.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know where to start?¡±


    His smile was delightful. ¡°For the first time, yeah. This is a fucking dreame true, baby, and I¡¯m overwhelmed with joy and anticipation. And I didn¡¯t wanna look away because I couldn¡¯t stop looking at how beautiful you are.¡±


    He unhooked my bra and tossed it behind his shoulder carelessly. My breasts perked up. My nipples went rigid in anticipation. I watched him swallow hard and licked his lips, making my core ache with intensity.


    When he kissed me again, his hand cupped my breast. Then he went down to my neck, sucking and licking the sensitive skin.


    He enticed me by gradually increasing his suck, twisting my nipple. I was already writhing underneath. And then took my breast into his mouth.


    I became breathless. My hands went to grip his arms. As he worked on me, he grabbed my wrists, pinning them above my head.


    ¡°I want to touch you.¡±


    ¡°Later.¡± He went to my other breast, sucking, nibbling, and scraping my nipple between his teeth, causing me to moan loudly. The pain turned to pleasure that went on and on.


    Then he worked down to my abdomen, biting my skin, making me more restless. He knew what he was doing. He knew how to drive me crazy.


    I could barely breathe. I couldn¡¯t think straight. All I wanted was to fill me and rock my world. But he was enjoying the reaction he got from me.


    I cried in a wail. Without warning, without mercy, he spread me wide, and I became exposed and vulnerable for him to do whatever he wanted.


    Then again, he pinned my hands on both sides.


    ¡°Mykel, please?¡±


    ¡°Yes, baby?¡± He lifted his head, locking his gaze with mine.


    ¡°I want you.¡± I licked my bottom lip, but he seemed to have nned it ahead of time.


    ¡°I want you too.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°God!¡± I screamed in shock as the firstp of his tongue on my aching core. My clit started pulsing, and my heart went beating wild. Then he nipped my clit, pulling up between his lips hard enough I almost lost my mind.


    He knew how to torture and reward me with pleasure at the same time.


    I sucked in a needy breath. I struggled to move and was so helpless in his hands. Before I could take another breath, he ate me ravenously, devoured me, teased with his teeth, tormented me, and soothed me with his tongue as he brought me to the brink of ecstasy.


    I came so hard.


    Mykel took overpletely.


    A rush of hot need engulfed me. I¡¯d be impatient. My back arched, begging for more, crying for such intensity of release that didn¡¯te. I was writhing underneath, grinding shamelessly against his mouth, begging for another orgasm. Then he did that again, licking me up to my engorged folds to my clit.


    It may sound dirty, but my pleasure surged through me as he glided his relentless tongue into my entrance, plunged into me in and out, in between suck of my clit, drawing out my pleasure.


    Ecstasy swallowed me and crushed me over and over again until I had nothing left.


    I hadn¡¯t gotten back my strength and mind back; he spread my thighs wide enough so he could settle in between.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked softly.


    I was catching my breath as I cracked my eyes open to heavy-lidded dark eyes looking down at me. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He kissed me on my mouth, slipping his tongue in, allowing me to taste myself. It was mortifying and hot at the same time. I rocked my hips upward. I was back on track and wanted to feel more of him again.


    Mykel¡¯s masterful move was damn exquisite torture of the century, and I was aching again-he was pressing his length against my clit, then took it back.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I needed him-all of him inside me, and he wasn¡¯t making it easy.


    ¡°Patience, baby.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it now.¡± I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. I slipped my hand between us and held his silken thickness for the first time, causing him to hiss in pain. I started sliding my palm up and down in a slow stroke.


    He was big, thick, his veins bulging. My hand couldn¡¯t fully grip him as I wrapped it around his length.


    ¡°Stop. Stop, baby,¡± he ordered as I started pumping him slowly. A muscle ticked in his jaw.


    I stilled for a moment and blinked. Did I do it wrong? ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I love what you do, but I¡¯m gonnae if you will keep it like that. Just guide me to you.¡±


    I slowly pressed him into my slick opening. Then slowly, he slipped in with the softest pressure. I gasped. Needs coursed through my veins. What we were doing wasn¡¯t enough. And my impatient was growing thin.


    Then inch by inch, he pushed, and I took him in. Pleasure rushed through me.


    ¡°You¡¯re so fucking tight.¡± He groaned and shuddered. He then pulled out and plunged in for me to adjust. Then he started moving. I could feel every inch and vein in his length inside me, stretching me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it easy on me.¡± I looked at us and gazed down as he lowered and plunged all in, filling me in. I didn¡¯t know how didn¡¯t I split it in half. Once he was all in, he braced those strong arms on either side of me.


    As he pumped his hips faster and faster, I pushed higher and higher to meet him. I felt it shake me inside.


    ¡°Wrapped your legs around my waist. Tell me if it¡¯s too much.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t break me easily, Mykel. Do as you please.¡± He didn¡¯t let me finish my words.


    ¡°Mine. My wife.¡± He rocked his hips so hard that I screamed in shock. Sweat started slicking on his body as he drove his next thrust.


    I shook in bed at how hard he took me, proving to me it was a fuck of the century. Then he pulled out. I felt empty all of a sudden.


    He then used his knees to spread me wider than before. He pushed harder into me, hitting bottom, wishing he could make more deeper and deeper.


    ¡°More!¡± I became bold since I met him, so I met his thrust, lifting to him, offering what I got, weing him.


    ¡°Baby, you need toe.¡± He growled his words out.


    I shut my eyes closed.


    ¡°Open your eyes.¡±


    I had no choice, even if I couldn¡¯t keep up. I stared at my husband as he pounded into me, veins bulging everywhere, sweat rolling on his forehead. Then when he pressed his thumb on my clit, I began to tremble. My world shook. I tightened around him, squeezing him.


    ¡°Oh, God, Mykel!¡± I chanted his name over and over again.


    ¡°Yes, baby. That¡¯s it! Give it all to me.¡± He ground into me, thrusting faster and faster, deeper and deeper, rattling the bed.


    I was clenching, spasming.


    ¡°God, yes!¡± My body arched. My head backed against the pillow as I let go of a harsh cry of ecstasy.


    Without mercy, he gripped my hips tighter and thrust into me. He stilled and threw his head back, crying out my name.


    Then a low growl rumbled in his throat as he shuddered and released inside me.

 Chapter 35

    MYKEL


    That was the best sex of my life-it was different, exceptional.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I pulled the duvet over her naked body as she curled into a ball. She fell asleep right away before we could talk. It looked like we were okay since she was not running away from bed or telling me this was a huge mistake- it won¡¯t happen again speech-shit like that.


    I dragged myself out of bed no matter how I wanted to take her again. I went to the study to follow up on Dash.


    I dialed his number and turned myptop on.


    ¡°Hey, man. How¡¯s Adley?¡± I told him I had an emergency and that it had something about my wife. I was right, after all-a lot going on when I arrived.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. She was with her grandfather and stayed for the night.¡±


    ¡°Am I gonna be an uncle very soon?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Adley said you¡¯re very optimistic.¡±


    ¡°And handsome than you.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up. But yeah, that sounds great. Even Lex wants a great-grandchild.¡±


    ¡°So the old man has finallye to his senses that you and Adley are perfect for one another?¡±


    ¡°It seems so. He said he approved my rtionship with Adley. He just made me promise to give his granddaughter a proper wedding.¡±


    ¡°So this is getting serious.¡± His words put a smile on my face.


    ¡°I¡¯m in love with Adley and already told her,¡± I said thoughtfully.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, man. I¡¯m happy for you.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll bump into your soulmate soon, D.¡±


    ¡°Keep dreaming, bro, but not happening.¡± He let out confidentughter.


    ¡°I said the same not so long ago, remember?¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°Well, I could say that it was your lucky day.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, how did the meeting go?¡± I changed the topic.


    ¡°It¡¯s sessful. I¡¯m sending you the contract now. So, fifty-fifty?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t wait, can you?¡± I teased him. He knew real estate was always a lucrative investment.


    ¡°Fine. What¡¯s your offer?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re my best friend, seventy-thirty.¡± I smiled. He couldn¡¯t see it anyway.


    ¡°You fucking shark. Sixty-forty.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I was about to give you forty-five, but now you¡¯re taking the forty.¡±


    ¡°Un-fucking-believable.¡±


    Iughed out loud. ¡°Take it, or you¡¯re getting thirty.¡±


    ¡°I hate you right now.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too. So you¡¯re in a bar. Man, I feel sorry for you.¡± I knew what he would throw back at me.


    ¡°You will lose interest in her in, let¡¯s say, a few months top, or she will. Either way, it won¡¯t work out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous of me. I have a beautiful wife who adores me, asshole.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can have a threesome like old times?¡± The thought of having a threesome made me see red in rage, even if it was a joke from Dash. I wanted to m my fist into his face.


    ¡°Fuck you! Don¡¯t ever-ever fucking say that thing to me again, Chandler!¡± I yelled over the phone. What happened years ago was a mistake-one of the darkest days of my life. I just finished college, and I thought it would be fun.


    ¡°My, my. I believe you now. You¡¯re fucking in love with her.¡±


    ¡°I already told you. Why would I lie?¡± I made my point. Still, my chest felt heavy.


    ¡°Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°Never been happier.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. That¡¯s all I wanna hear.¡±


    ¡°I received the contract. I¡¯ll let mywyers read through this. I¡¯ll keep you posted.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, man.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Before I hung up the call, I called his name.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Never mention sex and my wife¡¯s name in one sentence, or I will fucking break your nose.¡±


    After sending the contract samples, I shut myptop close.


    I got back where I left my wife and found the bed empty. I felt as if a truck mmed against my chest.


    ¡°Baby? Adley?¡±


    ¡°Bathroom!¡± she replied.


    I blew out a breath of relief. ¡°Okay.¡±


    I went back to bed while waiting for her. She was wearing her pajama top when she emerged from the bathroom.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you go?¡± She crawled back to bed.


    ¡°I followed up on Dash about the meeting.¡±


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk meetings and business while I have a wife to kiss and make her feel good.¡± I leaned against the headboard and lifted her to myp to straddle me. ¡°Are you wearing panties?¡±


    She scratched her head as she wrinkled her nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time.¡±


    ¡°Good. Sore?¡±


    ¡°No. I want you.¡± The fire in her eyes made my skin aze. She fumbled on my boxers, tugging down and gripping my cock into her hand. I groaned into her touch because it felt so good I wanted to fill her again.


    The thought of taking her again made me dizzy with lust. My eager cock hardened. My body thrummed in anticipation of feeling the slickness of her tight pussy before sunrise.


    I crushed my mouth into her and kissed her right away. I trailed my fingers down her neck and felt her gasp, giving my tongue ess to her mouth-she was always sweet everywhere-in her mouth, her tits, her pussy.


    I had a fair share of experience, but I had rules, and one of them was no going down-I felt it was too intimate until I met Adley. It changed the course of my creed in bed.


    I slipped my hands into the hem of her top. While I was cupping her tits, she was stroking my cock. It already turned hard. Then I trailed my lips down to her neck.


    ¡°I wanna taste you right now.¡± My hot breaths coursed a shiver through her. I ran my tongue up behind her ear before I nipped her earlobe and licked the shell, causing her to shudder. ¡°Take off your shirt.¡±


    She pulled it over my head. I took mine off. Then I leaned down, sucking her tit hard. Her nipples peaked. She moaned loudly, pushing her chest into my face.


    Then I lifted her, and she got the cue, positioned her entrance, and slowly sunk my cock into her pussy until I hit the root.


    It felt fucking good. I felt euphoric. Then I lifted her ass again. This time, she sunk in slowly, the process was maddening, and she let go of a moan.


    She started moving, and I met her in the middle. Each plunge to its root, she screamed. My wife was a screamer. Thank fuck, this room was soundproof.


    I covered her mouth with mine again as we ground each other. She was so fucking wet she was dripping. I wrapped my arms around her andy her on the bed. I could fuck her so deep and fast with her legs over my shoulder.


    I rocked my hips fast as I knew my orgasm wasing. Her body was moving, her tits were bouncing, and my hips were thrusting. I sunk in deep with one strong thrust, and she cried out. I did it again and again before I pressed my thumb on her sensitive clit, moving in circles.


    I felt her clenching around me. I released her legs, let them wrap around my waist, and brought her again on myp, hitting her in the right spot.


    ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± She threw her head back, her eyes rolling.


    ¡°I¡¯m right behind you.¡±


    I rocked her hard-my balls were heavy. My cock swelled and stiffed in her pussy. Onest m, she cried in pure bliss, clenching, squeezing, shuddering into her earth-shattering orgasm. She was the most beautiful thing when she came.


    My sight went darker and darker with each deeper dive inside her. I pushed and retreated one more time before I plunged so deep my cock pulsed inside her, filling herpletely with my release.


    ***


    I made her breakfast. She was sitting on the ind, munching fresh sliced fruits while I was flipping the pancake.


    ¡°I¡¯m a terrible wife, am I?¡±


    I paused and looked at her. My brows knitted. ¡°Why¡¯d you say that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sitting pretty while you¡¯re making breakfast.¡±


    I smiled and ced the pancake on the te. ¡°This is not rocket science, baby. And I¡¯d love to make your meal if I have time. We could hire a chef if we stay here for good.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to stay at your penthouse?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s closer to our offices, but we cane here on the weekend.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    I watched her bite the strawberry, making it look appealing to catch my attention.


    ¡°Do you want breakfast or I will eat you instead?¡±


    Sheughed out loud, her eyes twinkling. ¡°You¡¯re so dirty.¡±


    I used the turner to point at her face. ¡°Now that¡¯s the glow I was talking about.¡±


    She giggled. ¡°And your ego. Where are those gents?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re at the guest house.¡±


    ¡°I love your house. I might call in sick on Monday. Are you gonna be busy?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay in bed all day. Sounds like a n to me.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I think I could use a break, Mykel.¡±


    Iughed it out. ¡°Sorry. You¡¯re the one who started teasing me. I¡¯m just ying along.¡±


    After our breakfast, she decided to swim, and I was half-working, half-watching her in a red two-piece suit-only the crack of her ass was covered while the front was too daring with a tiny piece of cloth covering her pussy. It was distracting and a pleasure to watch her at the same time.


    She then grabbed her phone and took a selfie.


    ¡°Adley?¡±


    ¡°Yup?¡± She looked at me.


    ¡°You won¡¯t post that on your social media.¡±


    ¡°Why not? People post their boobs and butts even if they¡¯re enhanced.¡±


    ¡°Because I say so.¡± I put down the iPad, and she was walking toward me. Ipletely lost my concentration.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not too revealing.¡±


    I took the phone from her and zoomed in on the part I wanted to see. ¡°I¡¯m gonna hold Elise¡¯s paycheck this month.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because she bought this for me?¡± She gestured to her body so fucking hot I was getting a hard-on again.


    I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her waist. ¡°I wanna slide that string and fuck you right here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was doing for thest half an hour. I want you to stop working for a while and swim with me. Please, Mykel?¡±


    I stared at her. She was pissed at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You can just tell me.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you are observant, and maybe you choose to ignore me this time.¡±


    ¡°If I am working, Adley. I tend to focus on one thing at a time.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your idea not to bring work home?¡±


    ¡°I thought you wanna swim alone.¡±


    She pouted, irritated at myck of interest. ¡°Cut the crap, swim with me, or I¡¯m going home.¡±


    ¡°This is your home.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I pulled my shirt off. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m swimming with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re swimming in your jeans?¡±


    ¡°My boxers.¡± I pulled my jeans down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this? No one would see my cock other than you.¡±


    ¡°Unless you have ns to show your junk to somebody else.¡± She went to the pool.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me.¡± I stalked her to the center, pulled her closer to me, and wrapped my arms around her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I remember our moments in Hawaii.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Where I had a hard-on all the time,¡± I whispered, my lips near her ear as I traced kisses against her neck.


    ¡°Where you first kiss me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our second.¡±


    ¡°Wedding kiss is not included.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I had a great time, baby. And at that time, I realized our marriage was not a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±

 Chapter 36

    ADLEY


    On Monday, Mykel dropped me off at my office. Of course, he caught everyone¡¯s attention as if he was the leading man in a new sexy rom movie. This time, he smiled and waved at my team instead of being on his cocky swagger persona.


    ¡°How¡¯s your weekend, everyone?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Creed,¡± my employees in unison.


    ¡°Not every day we got a visit from a billionaire, ex-yboy phnthropist.¡± ze joined us.


    ¡°How are you, ze?¡± They exchanged pleasantries.


    ¡°I¡¯m great. How are you?¡± ze turned to me, inspecting me from head to toe. ¡°You look great, Adley.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I take care of my wife.¡± Mykel slipped his hands into his pocket.


    A brow raised from ze with a slight nod. ¡°I can see that now.¡±


    ¡°Anyway. Baby, can I take you to lunchter?¡±


    I rubbed the back of my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s Monday. I have a lot of work to finish. Our clients are piling up.¡±


    Mykel looked around. ¡°You needed to expand your area and hire manpower.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± For the first time, ze was with Mykel on this.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have thirty minutes for me?¡± He couldn¡¯t ept rejection even if I were still thinking about it.


    ¡°Mykel, we can have dinner at hometer. And I¡¯ll make it up to you for lunch.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Anyway, I¡¯ll make sure we will have a pleasant dinner at home.¡± His smile was mischievous.


    ze did not miss it. I noticed the look in his eyes as he stared at me for confirmation. I let it go, but once Mykel left for his office, ze would drill me with questions and lectures.


    ¡°I¡¯m still picking you upter.¡± He pecked me on my lips before he left.


    ¡°Bye, baby.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Once Mykel¡¯s back was gone, ze was too predictable. ¡°You two are sleeping together.¡±


    I rounded to my desk and took a seat. ¡°We¡¯re married, ze.¡±


    ¡°So this is official?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being spontaneous, going with the flow, and having some fun while still married.¡± I flipped myptop open. ¡°Grandpa approved our rtionship.¡± I puffed out a breath and stared at him. ¡°Why do I need everyone¡¯s approval?¡±


    ¡°He changed you.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. I knew ze wouldn¡¯t let it go until he was satisfied with what he wanted to hear from me. ¡°You pushed me to get a life out of work. I went to a bar to have fun-it didn¡¯t work. Now, this is me getting a life because I have a terrible history of rtionships-the cons of being an heiress.¡± I quoted in the air. ¡°I¡¯m just happy at this moment. Could you just be happy for me too?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna see you getting hurt.¡±


    I leaned back, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared at him for seconds. ¡°Life is full of pain and suffering. Rtionships include boyfriends and girlfriends, marriage life, friends with benefits, one-night stands, and even sex club buddies. They aren¡¯t always rainbows and unicorns. Life should have never been perfect because how would people learn and grow. We tend to make many mistakes and learn from them, ze.¡±


    He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. ¡°Okay, Dr. Phil. It seems that everything works out just fine. But I¡¯m still your best friend. You can shut me off for being caring and concerned about you. Mykel looks like he really cares about you, even not in bed.¡±


    My cheeks burned. We had a few roundsst night. Even in my sleep, he was between my legs. I thought I was dreaming. I was wanton, yet he still had a voracious appetite for sex.


    ze shook his head repeatedly. ¡°Oh, boy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you never had a few rounds in one night with Elise?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my limit. I¡¯m getting out of here.¡± He hurried off into the door.


    Iughed out loud. ¡°See you at lunch, ze.¡±


    Later at lunch, I was with ze when I received a call from Mykel.


    ¡°I need to see you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± My brows furrowed. I couldn¡¯t shake this feeling that he was not carrying good news. ¡°I¡¯m in the cafeteria. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have to cut your lunch short. Can you meet me at the parking lot in two minutes?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I ended up the call and turned to ze. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he seems in distress.¡±


    ¡°When you have a stake in almost every first world country¡¯s economy. Ites with the territory. You know that. Go see your man.¡±


    I stood up and smoothed my dress. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I found Mykel at the parking. As soon as I got closer to him, he met me in the middle, cupped my head, and kissed me so hard I almost lost my bnce if he wasn¡¯t so quick to keep me steady-the kind of kiss of desperation-the kind of kiss where he savored my mouth with sweep and hard strokes of his tongue, my toes curling.


    After I pulled away, I searched for something wrong in his eyes. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk in the car.¡± He pulled the door open.


    ¡°Mykel, I have to go back to work.¡±


    ¡°I know. We¡¯ll talk here.¡±


    Sax gave us his back, doing his jobs like a Hawkeye minus the bow and arrow.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I entered the car. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He pulled something from his jacket. I instantly figured out what it was. ¡°I was supposed to give this to you tonight. I know it¡¯s nothing much, but I want you to have it.¡±


    I flipped the blue velvet box open. It was a pair of diamond solitaire earrings. ¡°This is the emergency?¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°But this is beautiful.¡± It may be around two-carat each in princess cut and looked stunning. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°d you like it.¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to give me anything.¡± I kissed him on the cheek. ¡°But thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the moon and the stars if possible. But let¡¯s not be cliche.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± My smile had not faded off. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Dru paid me a visit in my office. He pulled the father card to pass the receptionist.¡±


    ¡°What did he want?¡± I asked gently. I knew how that visit affected him.


    ¡°He has nothing to say, baby. We didn¡¯t have good memories to remember. I don¡¯t know exactly what he wants.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Mykel stared at me. He was hurting.


    ¡°As people grow old, they don¡¯t want to be alone anymore. It scares them. They want to make amends of their past and make things right with their loved ones.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he considers me as his loved one.¡± His breathing hitched, and his jaw clenched the whole time. He stared outside the window, maybe watching the old couple pass by.


    ¡°You¡¯re still his family-half of his DNA. We¡¯re going to that dinner. How else will you find out what he wants if you keep declining his invitation.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going, Adley,¡± he said in disdain.


    I held his hand. ¡°Look at me, Mykel.¡±


    He was still scowling, but he faced me.


    ¡°You want his persistence to end. That¡¯s the only way. He¡¯s still your father, no matter what his terrible actions did to you and your mom. Mom will want you to give Dru a chance if she¡¯s with us in the car right now. You might as well invite her so he won¡¯t pay her a visit again.¡±


    Before I could continue talking, he kissed me again. This time it was soft and slow. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I will do without you.¡±


    I smiled against our lips. ¡°You did pretty well thest time I checked. Let¡¯s end this, once and for all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my rock, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Good. Because if you say that to another woman, I¡¯m gonna punch you so hard in the face.¡±


    He chuckled. Somehow, the darkest storm in his eyes had passed. I picked up his hand and kissed my knuckles one by one. He closed his eyes, pressing my palm against his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay.¡±


    ¡°I know. Are you sure you wanna do this?¡± He nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I hate to see you like this. I also don¡¯t want you to regret not doing something before it¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll call him that we epted the dinner n this weekend.¡±


    After my work, Mykel and I had dinner with Grandpa in the restaurant. Grandpa looked better. Heughed a lot. I felt terrible that he had to follow a restricted diet regimen.


    ¡°So when I¡¯m gonna hear the good news?¡±


    ¡°What good news?¡± I instantly asked.


    ¡°A great-grandchild.¡±


    My chuckle turned to snort.


    Mykel didn¡¯t look surprised at all. Even though we didn¡¯t use condoms, I never missed taking my pills, so there was no way I would get pregnant.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Give us a break, Lex. If Adley isn¡¯t ready, then we have to wait until she is.¡±


    ¡°So you two have talked about this already?¡±


    Mykel squeezed my knee under the table. ¡°Before you came into his office before I left. Remember?¡±


    I tried hard not to overreact. Was that the reason he slept with me without pulling out the gentleman¡¯s card?


    ¡°I just want you two to start a family together. At least I can hold my great-grandchild in my arms before I have Alzheimer¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa,¡± I chided.


    ¡°I¡¯m old and sick. That¡¯s the reality.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, Lex. You¡¯re being dramatic. You can still watch your great-grandchild walk down the aisle. And you¡¯d be there when I¡¯m marrying Adley for the second time.¡±Wow! His optimism suddenly became annoying.


    We hadn¡¯t talked about getting married again or nning on extending the family. This pressure and all just gave me a terrible headache.

 Chapter 37

    MYKEL


    ¡°You¡¯re upset.¡± I took off my suit and watched her undress in silence.


    It was a pleasant dinner until Lex opened up about expanding a family. I didn¡¯t take it as a burden. A pressure, maybe.


    In fact, I wanted to have a family with Adley, but I wanted us to be on the same page because this was a lifetime responsibility. Considering what kind of past I had, I wouldn¡¯t want to raise my child alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Adley¡¯s ne was stuck in her dress, and she struggled not to damage what Mom gave her and the dress.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, baby.¡± I went to her. ¡°Asking for help is not a w.¡±


    ¡°Who said it¡¯s a w?¡±


    ¡°Let me.¡± The sp was stuck into thece of her dress. ¡°Done.¡±


    Once done, she put a sweater on and left the walk-in closet after hanging her dress.


    I changed into sweatpants and shirts. Then I went to the office. I knew I would find her there. ¡°You can use the desk.¡±


    Herptop was on herp as she typed something, her eyes glued to the screen. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re not.¡± I took a seat beside her. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the elephant in the room.¡±


    ¡°Did you sleep with me to knock me up?¡± Her words were straight and blunt. Yet, she still did not face me.


    I was taken aback by her question. ¡°What? What made you think like that?¡±


    ¡°When I kissed you, it led to another-¡±


    I stayed calm. ¡°And it was amazing.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t stop and pulled the gentleman¡¯s card on me.¡±


    Iughed and shook my head in disappointment. ¡°Wow. I can¡¯t believe you just said that.¡±


    ¡°We did not use condoms, and you did not tell me you¡¯re clean. You did not even ask me if I was on contraceptives.¡± I was amazed at how she could multi-task, typing while angry and throwing words at me.


    ¡°I saw your pills in your drawer, and knowing how perfectionist and obsessive with things you are, I know you are still taking your pills, and I am clean. I told you I haven¡¯t slept with anyone since I met you. You¡¯re making this a big deal because you¡¯re not ready, and maybe you don¡¯t want to have kids.¡±


    She turned her head at me, ring. ¡°Do you? Weeks ago, the rtionship was thest thing you wanted. Then suddenly you want to be a family man.¡± She was right, but as I said, that was before I met her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? People change all the time, Adley. And here I thought you¡¯re thest person to judge me.¡±


    ¡°I am not judging you.¡± Yeah, deny all you can. If you were being honest to yourself, you know I was right.


    ¡°You just did, wife. You just did. Or maybe you don¡¯t wanna have kids with me because I can¡¯t be a good role model. My father is an asshole, and I¡¯m a fucked up younger version of him.¡± I rose from the couch. ¡°You know what, if we n on having a family, we n it together because this is our family, not Lex or anyone around us. This is our life. We thrive, we struggle, we fail. It¡¯s all on us. If anyone should decide, it¡¯s not them, and I¡¯m not the kind of person who lets anyone dictate our lives.¡± I walked towards to door. ¡°I¡¯m going out, maybe drop by the convenience store and buy a box of condoms.¡±


    I called Dash on my way to a bar. I was hoping Adley would admit she overreacted when I came home.


    ¡°Trouble in paradise?¡± He slid on the stool and ordered a drink. ¡°Old fashioned, please?¡±


    I blew a breath. ¡°I¡¯m actually buying a condom. I thought I would meet you first.¡±


    He barked into augh, patting my back. ¡°You are far away from a convenience store, my friend.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something Lex talked about with me, and she was upset when it came up.¡± I sipped the Godfather. Liquor was something he and I didn¡¯t mix. I asionally drank just to blend in. I had wine cers because I dreamed of having one.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t exin.¡±


    ¡°I did. She didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°You both are still in the process of getting to know each other. Expect a lot of arguments, fights, and misunderstandings along the way. If you can get passed through that, then you both are a lucky couple. Love and trust are the basic elements in a rtionship. What you have with Adley is not something you can just walk away from if things getplicated. You need to find the solution to the issue before the trust is gone. You chose this life for a reason. Prove it to her that you aremitted to her and your marriage.¡±


    I emptied my ss and stared at him. I was utterly stunned by his words. Who would have thought one day I would be listening to his advice? And to be honest, he was right, ¡°Well, look at you. And here I thought you¡¯re an empty vessel.¡± I was kidding. Dash was wise if he didn¡¯t use his dick a lot.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Go home, Mykel. This is the time where she needs you the most.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, bro.¡± I patted his back.


    ¡°This is on me. I¡¯m still the godfather, right?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t get yourself drunk.¡±


    ***


    Adley was already sleeping on her side. I didn¡¯t even stay out long-she must have gone to bed after I left.


    After I put the box of condoms in the drawer, I joined her in bed and rested my hand on her arm. ¡°Baby, are you up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Her voice was barely audible.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m over with it.¡± She didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Just drop it, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°And this is where a huge trouble in our rtionship starts when you let it go without taking it out.¡±


    Finally, she turned to face me. ¡°We¡¯re still working on our rtionship. I may have overreacted, but I¡¯m not ready to go there.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry for not telling you and putting you in that position. I want us to be okay before we go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like secrets between us. You can ask me anything. I¡¯m transparent.¡±


    ¡°I know. Come here.¡± I opened my arms for her. ¡°I hate arguing with you.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Finally, she¡¯s back in my arms. I sighed shakily, letting those pain and grief go as I hugged her tight.


    ¡°Do you really wanna have a kid?¡± Her question made me pause.


    ¡°I love kids. And of course, I wanna have kids with you. Before I met you, I still imagined myself as a married man in maybe twenty years. Do I feel terrified? Fuck yeah.¡± She pinched me. ¡°Sorry. Hell yeah. I didn¡¯t have a role model for being a father. I don¡¯t have any idea how to be a father. Obviously, money is not a problem. I will settle a college fund. But how do we change diapers, deal with colic and tantrums, and exin why this exists? How to be with her when I have to leave for a business trip. But if it happens right now, I will do my best to be with you both. I would go to the moon and back for both of you.¡±


    ¡°When you joked about you won¡¯t let her go out on a date with jerks, I thought it didn¡¯t mean anything to you.¡±


    ¡°Baby, I already told you I meant everything I said.¡± I kissed her forehead.


    ¡°Condoms slipped my mind, actually. It never happened, but with you, it happened so fast, and all I could think about that night was to feel you. You were like a drug to me, Mykel, and I was euphoric the whole time.¡±


    ¡°I take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the effect of having a dry spell.¡± She shook as sheughed.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a long dry spell. Just admit it, that you are crazy about me.¡±


    She red at me. ¡°I¡¯ve slept with hot and attractive men, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Okay. This is not funny anymore.¡± I pulled away.


    She grinned. ¡°Really? Does it bother you? How about if we talk about your sexual shenanigans?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not shenanigans. As far as I know, I¡¯m honest. They knew my intention, and I didn¡¯t give them false hopes. Are we really gonna talk about it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, God. I¡¯d rather not.¡± She slipped from me, moving away to her side.


    ¡°The night¡¯s still young, baby.¡±


    ¡°Go to hell.¡±


    ¡°So you can keep that up all night? Or I might find you in my arms when I wake up in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Shut it.¡±


    I went to her and wrapped my leg around hers. ¡°Are we okay?¡±


    ¡°If you keep on talking about your sex life before me. I¡¯m gonna elbow you and make sure I will break a rib.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I believe you. I won¡¯t mention that again.¡± There was still something I had not told her, and I knew it would bite me back in the ass. ¡°Condom or without a condom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a mood right now.¡±


    ¡°In the morning then. I know you enjoyed our morning sex.¡± I hugged her tight and cupped her sweet breast. ¡°What did you say? Oh, God. More. Faster!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God. You¡¯re gonna use it against me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Iughed. ¡°I like it when you¡¯re noisy. It turns me on more.¡±


    ¡°Stop it, or I will sleep in the other room.¡± I was aware she was serious with her warning.


    ¡°Okay, baby. Goodnight.¡±

 Chapter 38

    ADLEY


    It had been a week since we didn¡¯t sleep together. Every time he started kissing me, my excuse, I was not in a mood. I admired his patience, and he never forced himself into me. Deep in my heart, I felt terrible for him, but as long as he would not throw the condom in his drawer, we were not having sex. Call it childish, but I wanted to teach him a lesson, and that condom was his idea.


    We were good, though. In fact, we were great. We started talking about nning a family in three or four years. Life was good either way.


    Kaelie knocked and came in. ¡°Someone here insisted on talking to you, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I lifted my gaze from the screen of myptop.


    ¡°Me.¡±


    I was on my feet before I even realized it. Icy seeped through my veins as if I¡¯d seen a ghost. ¡°What are you doing here, Gary?¡±


    ¡°I just wanna talk to you. I can¡¯t get close to you if you¡¯re with Lex or Mykel. You blocked my number, too.¡± That was the whole point. I didn¡¯t want to talk to him. Yet he still did not get it.


    ¡°I suggest you leave this premises, Gary,¡± I said calmly.


    Kaelie looked terrified, maybe scared she would lose her job if this confrontation would not go well. Or maybe Gary threatened her. Either way, I felt terrible.


    ¡°You may go, Kaelie,¡± I told her with a faint smile. As soon as Kaelie was out of sight, I focused on Gary. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Just hear me out.¡± He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept for a week. His clothes were crumpled as if he¡¯d been sleeping with them. He hadn¡¯t shaved or maybe didn¡¯t shower either. There were dark circles under his eyes. Gary looked miserable, but I still didn¡¯t feel sorry after what he did to me.


    ¡°Then you better hurry up. Mykel would not be so pleased to see you in my office again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting you.¡± His voice was shaky, and he had so much pain in his eyes. ¡°I was drunk and under a lot of stress.¡± I was not buying it.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse you for acting that way. You almost hurt me if I didn¡¯t ask for help.¡± I pressed my lips into a thin line. If I pushed further and reminded him of his terrible action, he might get angry.


    He looked away, licking his lips. ¡°I know what I did and feel terrible.¡±


    ¡°It done. You can¡¯t undo what happened if that¡¯s why you¡¯re here. I made my peace. I hope you do, too. Don¡¯t waste your life on something that is promised to you that you can¡¯t have. Life isn¡¯t easy, but you can be a better person, Gary. And you look terrible. Go home and get a shower and some sleep.¡±


    ¡°I need something from you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I stilled as he took a step forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna hurt you.¡±


    I raised my hand for him to stop. ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna hurt me, then stay right where you are.¡±


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t trust his words even a bit. I didn¡¯t trust him at all. After what he did to me, he scared me, and until now, I was still terrified of what he might possibly do. There was really something wrong with him. He became reckless, unpredictable, and a ticking time bomb.


    ¡°Okay. Okay.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I still tried to be patient and not to trigger whatever anger he had inside him.


    ¡°Tell my father and Lex that I apologized, and we¡¯re good. That what happened was just a misunderstanding.¡±


    I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°You want to lie to my grandfather and your father? What made you think they¡¯re gonna believe me when Grandpa has witnessed what happened?¡± Besides, his father and I were not even on speaking terms.


    ¡°Improvise.¡± He shrugged and scratched his arm. ¡°Tell them it was just a misunderstanding.¡± He was desperate to get his life back. He should have thought about the repercussions before acting like a wild animal.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t lie to my grandfather and your father. Besides, if your father knew, why didn¡¯t he evene and talk to me? You have to do it yourself, Gary. Make amends, admit your mistakes, and move on.¡±


    ¡°He knew. That¡¯s why he cut my trust fund out.¡± Of course, it all came down to freaking money.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you have to prove to them that you¡¯re a reformed man and won¡¯t drink to oblivion again. You might as well attend an AAA meeting and see a doctor. You don¡¯t look well, Gary.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crazy.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re erratic. You should admit your mistake. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help you.¡± I gestured for him to the door. ¡°You should leave. Mykel would not be so thrilled to hear this conversation, and I don¡¯t want him to get into trouble because of you if he finds out what you did to me. You harassed me, remember? Please, leave,¡± I said again, and he wouldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°You did this to me!¡± he yelled at me. He suddenly switched to the agitated man in that room just like that, startling me.


    ¡°Lower your voice, Gary, or I will call the security.¡± I tried hard to make my voice calm, but I failed spectacrly. My voice shook in the end.


    ¡°You are the reason why this happened to me, bitch!¡± It all happened in a split second that I didn¡¯t even see how it urred. The moment I saw Garyunching into me, the next thing I knew, he was thrown out into the hallway.


    My heart nearly stopped. My breathing held, and my eyes were wide as I stared in shock.


    ¡°Adley,¡± someone was calling and shaking me, but I was too shocked to react. ¡°Baby! Hey, hey, look at me? Breathe.¡±


    I blinked fast and finally met Mykel¡¯s eyes, worried and terrified for me.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said in a raspy tone. I swallowed hard and felt like my throat was so parched.


    ¡°Talk to me, baby. Are you okay?¡± He checked me out from head to toe. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°N-no.¡± I swallowed hard again. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m just pretty shaken up, I guess.¡± I watched Gary lying unconscious on the ground.


    Mykel kissed my forehead and pulled me into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I came here sote.¡±


    I hugged him back and breathed in deeply his scent. I closed my eyes for a moment to tell myself that I was okay. ¡°It¡¯s all right. You were just right on time. Thank you for saving my ass again.¡±


    ¡°If like this gorgeous and firm ass requires saving, I¡¯d be your Superman.¡± I knew he was still terrified and angry. I could hear it in his voice and feel the roar of rage vibrating inside him, but he still managed to crack a joke.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make me feel good. I know you are pissed.¡±


    He lowered his gaze at me, his brows nting. ¡°Your assistant called me. I came here as fast as I could. I told her to call the cops right away. She said he threatened her, so she had no choice but to allow him in, and the security just went for a bathroom break. Have a seat.¡±


    I sat down. My knees were still shaking-my whole body. I didn¡¯t know that I badly needed it until I was on my chair.


    The security was still watching Gary.


    Kaelie walked in with a bottle of water. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Adley. He left me no choice.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You did the right thing. Thank you.¡± I finished half of the water.


    The cops finally arrived and started asking questions.


    ¡°How do you know Mr. Merick, Ms. Kross?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Creed,¡± Mykel butted in. I wanted to roll my eyes for being so possessive in front of the two cops.


    ¡°His father works for my Grandpa at the Kross Corp. That¡¯s how he knows me. He came here once-¡± and herees the hard part. I looked at my husband. ¡°And this isn¡¯t the first time he harassed me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mykel literally spelled out the words one by one, eyes wide. He rose from the chair. His jaw clenched hard, his teeth almost ttered, his nose red, and he never left his focus on me as he red as if he was telling me this was all screwed up.


    ¡°Care to borate, Mrs. Creed?¡±


    ¡°I was with my grandfather at his house. My grandfather wees Gary, and his family and mine are close friends. I was in my room waiting for Morrow, Grandpa¡¯s butler, to bring me the wine I requested. I was excited to open the door that I thought it was him, but it was drunk Gary. He pushed me-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna fucking kill that asshole,¡± Mykel growled beside me. His body was vibrating with anger, his hands formed into fists and about tounch toward the unconscious Gary.


    ¡°Mr. Creed, calm down. Threatening a man in front of the police officers is not right. And if something happens to Mr. Merick, your words can be used against you.¡±


    He red at the cops before he looked at me. ¡°What else did he do? And why am I not informed about this? Does Lex know?¡±


    When I did not answer, that was what gave it away. He shook his head in dismay and anger. ¡°Jesus, baby.¡±


    ¡°Sir, we are still interviewing the victim. Let us finish so we can work on this if she wants to press charges.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we are pressing charges. This is the second time she¡¯s threatened and assaulted, officer.¡± He spelled out.


    ¡°Mykel, please?¡± I held his arm, and it clenched against my grip.


    ¡°I have a call to make.¡± He was going to stress out Grandpa. He walked out without a second thought.


    ¡°Mykel, wait!¡± I called him out. He stopped in the hallway with a groan and turned around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call, Grandpa, please? He has his dialysis at this moment. Let this one go. We¡¯ll press charges, but we¡¯ll do it alone. I don¡¯t want to stress him further. Gary hurt me, and I¡¯m gonna let him stop this before he hurts someone else.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± He grunted. His reaction just betrayed his own word.


    Mykel was ring at me all the time as he listened to everything I said to the officers.


    ¡°Did he try tomunicate with you after that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s how he found me here. After a few calls, I blocked him. He also threatened my assistant, the one who called 911.¡±


    Once the cops left, Mykel pinned me in my chair. ¡°You and I will have a long talk, wife.¡±

 Chapter 39

    MYKEL


    Rage blinded me that I could barely grip into my self-control. I was mad at myself for not being there to keep her safe. I was beyond furious at Gary fucking Merick for assaulting my wife, but no matter how I wanted to me Adley for not telling me, I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t even yell at her, and I could barely look at her for the guilt I felt inside. Somehow, I med Lex, and I med myself even more.


    ¡°Just get it over with.¡± She was undressing herself. ¡°Scream out the rage and anger inside your chest. It¡¯s my fault that I didn¡¯t tell you because I didn¡¯t want you to get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°So I should thank you for doing me a favor. Is that it?¡± I grunted, asking her sarcastically.


    ¡°I know how you feel about Gary, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve talked about keeping secrets, yet here we are again.¡± I threw my hands in the air. ¡°If your assistant didn¡¯t call the cops and me, you would have been hurt, Adley. Do you know how it feels watching someone I care about get hurt? Of course, you don¡¯t. At that moment, I wanted to stop the fucking time. No. Fuck that! I wanted to throw him into the chasm in the desert so he can¡¯t fucking hurt you again.¡±


    She put on that prettyce sleepwear and came to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tried not to talk about it when Grandpa told me it had been handled. It¡¯s still terrifying.¡± The word terrifying cut my chest so deep that it hurt like a motherfucker.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°You¡¯re almost vited. Lex should not have trusted that asshole in the first ce. I know an asshole when I see one.¡±


    She rested her palm on my chest and sighed. She could feel the rise and fall of my chest and the stupid rapid beating of my heart. ¡°Look, I know you are mad right now, but what is important is I¡¯m okay. You stopped Gary, and I¡¯m safe.¡±


    I looked her in the eye. ¡°You¡¯re not going to work or get out of the house without a bodyguard. Don¡¯t even argue with me on this. And I should have done this a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± She red at me before she went into the bedroom. ¡°It¡¯s over. We¡¯re filing charges against him. I don¡¯t need someone to babysit me.¡±


    ¡°Not only him. There are still a lot of people who want to hurt or kidnap you because you¡¯re a Kross¡¯ heiress. You¡¯re married to me. Believe it or not, Kross has spent decades with the fortune to build the empire and influence. Your family is more powerful than you¡¯d like to admit. Lex should have hired you a bodyguard since you started living independently.¡±


    ¡°Your exaggeration is unparalleled, Mykel. I was fine weeks ago until I met you. But I¡¯m tired. It¡¯s been a long day. I don¡¯t wanna discuss this right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired too. I¡¯m tired of thinking of how to keep you safe. I can¡¯t concentrate on my work. I can¡¯t do anything because I keep thinking about you when you are not with me. And you¡¯re a pain in the ass.¡±


    ¡°I still object to having a bodyguard like a dog following me. The answer is no.¡± She was a strong-headed alpha woman. I got it. We both wanted dominance and control of our own lives, but I wouldn¡¯t let her win over this.


    ¡°You will work with your bodyguard, or you will work from home.¡±


    Sheughed sarcastically. ¡°Is that a threat?¡±


    ¡°Call it whatever you want. Now take off your clothes,¡± I barked an order.


    With a brow raised, she stopped at the foot of the bed. Her cheeks turned red. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Your excuse of not being in a mood shtick is getting old, Adley. If you don¡¯t want me to rip that thing off your skin, you better get naked and spread your legs wide for me.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± I watched her pupils widen. She swallowed hard in anticipation yet still tried to resist her needs. ¡°If you want to make love with me, all you have to do is ask nicely, and you can¡¯t order me or force me to sleep with you.¡±


    ¡°Who said about making love with you?¡± I narrowed my eyes at her and made sure I was dead serious about mymand. And down below, I was already fucking hard. I missed her so fucking much, but I yed along with her excuse for a week, and it would end tonight. ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you so hard, you forget how to breathe, and you wouldn¡¯t remember what day it is.¡±


    She red back. ¡°I¡¯m not submitting to you. No freaking way. Not in this lifetime.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± I stalked toward her with my gaze pinned on her the whole time. Her eyes got wider as I was feet apart.


    ¡°Wait.¡± She raised a hand. Her voice softened a little. ¡°Are you really gonna do that?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking? You pissed me off, so yes.¡± I remained emotionless.


    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent idea.¡± Her eyes lit up. Her chest heaved. And my fucking cock just jerked in my boxers. In just a few seconds, she was naked in bed. ¡°I want you to throw that dang stupid condom. I¡¯m sick of it.¡±


    I stripped naked as well. Her gaze strolled over my body until it dropped on my tattoo down to my fully erect cock. I was hard as steel before she bit her lip in anticipation. Now it jutted upward for her attention.


    She moaned at the sensation of my hands on her back. Adley was on four with her head down, ass up, her pussy lips pink and ripe-nothing looked more vulnerable and sexy as fuck than this sight.


    I rubbed my hands up on her shoulders down to her spine to the globes of her ass. I did a light spank.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± She yipped before she gasped.


    ¡°For being a pain in my fucking ass.¡± I spanked her again on the same side of her pretty firm, round ass.


    ¡°Ouch. And you curse a lot tonight. You think it¡¯s attractive.¡±


    ¡°Give me a break. I¡¯m still pissed. Does it hurt?¡± I rubbed the pink skin where I spanked her.


    ¡°No. Not really. Do it again.¡± Okay, she was enjoying it. When I thought she would throw a fit, I was wrong.


    ¡°Baby, I¡¯m not doing that again.¡±


    ¡°It feels good after, though.¡± She turned her head to look at me. Her eyes filled with lust. It really turned her on. Who was I to deny that pleasure?


    ¡°It stings but turns you on, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Do it again.¡±


    I did another p. ¡°Don¡¯t ever keep something like that from me again, or I will go fucking mad. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I rubbed the skin of her ass before I nted a kiss and licked it. Then I moved my face to the center of her pleasure.


    ¡°God!¡± She cried out in the new sensation as she felt the blunt tip of my tongue on the pretty tight ring of her asshole. Then I ran my tongue from her slick pussy up to her ass.


    ¡°Mykel!¡± She cried out again.


    ¡°More?¡±

 Chapter 40

    MYKEL


    ¡°Yes! Yes, please?¡±


    ¡°Then be a good wife, Adley!¡±


    ¡°I told you, you can¡¯t make me submit to you.¡± Her voice was resisting, but her body was submitting. I could feel her giving in to her pleasure. She was dripping wet, her pussy lips swelled, and her clit was hard as a diamond, begging to be fondled.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. I know you want to be the boss of your life, but you are married to me. I will always take care of your well-being, including keeping you safe and satisfying your needs in bed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully chatty in bed tonight. Either we talk or continue what we started. But we can¡¯t do both.¡±


    ¡°Then be stubborn, or you won¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°If you deny me, I might have to invest in sex toys. You know it¡¯s a thriving business. People get creative in bed. And you asked me once for a butt plug. I could design one, maybe a shape of your tiny-¡±


    ¡°Tiny what?¡± She got a spank from me.


    She moaned louder, and the grip on the sheets tightened as she pushed her ass upward. I knew what she was doing-she was eager toe and urging me to give it to her.


    ¡°Do you want my cock inside you, baby?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Say, please? And I will let that word tiny go.¡±


    ¡°You wanna be boss? Fine. You win for tonight.¡± She looked over her shoulder and gave me that pretty good wife look. ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being who the boss or who wins, baby. I would never deny your needs, but your safety is also my priority.¡±


    ¡°We can talk all night if that¡¯s what you want because I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m getting tired in this position.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Got it, boss.¡± I covered her with my body. With my lips moving on the sensitive spot of her neck, my hand on her breast, my cock teasing her ass, I whispered, ¡°Do you want me to fill you?¡±


    She looked over her shoulder. ¡°I haven¡¯t done it before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna fuck your ass, baby. That would be for another day. But thank you for being honest and for trusting me. I cupped her other breast gently, massaging them.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Her breathing caught, lifting her ass further, shoving into me for more friction. ¡°If I don¡¯t trust you, I wouldn¡¯t have told you to throw the condom away.¡±


    ¡°I know. We don¡¯t have to use that.¡± I sucked the soft skin of her shoulder enough to leave a mark before I settled on her back. ¡°It was a mistake anyway. I felt like in heaven when I was inside you, bare. You felt fucking good, baby.¡±


    I rubbed the tip of my cock on her ass down to her slick glistening pussy. Her reaction was immediate as she moaned and grew wetter into my strokes. She gasped in shock at the bliss rocking through her. She was so aroused-she was dripping.


    I slowly glided my cock inside her, burying deep, stretching her from behind. She moaned at the sensation of my cock filling her so perfectly, fitting her pussy around me like a glove.


    As I rocked my hips, thrusting so deep into her, she dug her fingers against the sheets.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, baby. I won¡¯t.¡± I plunged in deep and stilled, allowing myself to relish the intensity of the sensation of being enfolded by her sweet tight pussy.


    ¡°Harder, please?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you all you want. Fuck.¡± I shut my eyes closed as a ragged groan escaped my throat. ¡°This feels so fucking good.¡± I grabbed her hips and began rocking against her hard, fucking her with deep and even strokes.


    She met me in the middle with her scream. Her voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Do you like this, baby? Fucking you hard?¡± Adley felt beyond fucking amazing.


    ¡°Yeah. I take what you give me, Mykel.¡± Her words made me freeze for a moment. My heart pumped a million times harder.


    ¡°I will always give you my all, Adley. I am yours if you take me.¡±


    ¡°Then I am yours, too.¡±


    Fuck me. Those were the most beautiful words I ever heard from her, and I believed her even if we were in a lust state of mind. Those were my undoing.


    Suddenly, I felt in a dream-like state. I pulled out and entered her again. She groaned as I filled herpletely, her pussy engulfed and clung like a tight glove. Our bodies rocked back and forth. Each stroke pushed her to her powerful orgasm.


    That was how it felt like to be in her. As I pushed her to her limit, she took it, embracing it.


    ¡°Mykel!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also closed, baby.¡± I pressed my thumb into her tight hole, pushing it a little in, and then moved it in circles. As if she got some strength, she rose on her knees, pushing into me, joining our bodies, her hands on my hips, gripping as she rocked my world.


    With one hand on her tit, The other on her clit. She froze in shock as pleasure flooded her body, so emersed in her own ecstasy.


    I wrapped my arms around her as I thrust harder and harder, deeper and deeper, as she mped and spasmed around my cock. I continued the rhythm until it was too much to handle.


    I couldn¡¯t remember having enjoyed this sex so much in a long time until I met Adley, who gave me the true meaning of it-not only the meaning of pleasure of the flesh but sharing it with someone you cared about. It was remarkable.


    I knew it always felt amazing to be inside her. However, I had not expected this to feel different and overwhelming, and that sent me spiraling into the abyss of bliss that I would never want toe out of.


    ¡°Adley!¡±


    ***


    Our legs still intertwined as she draped over my chest. She lifted her head and looked at me, really looked at me.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°What fine?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna argue with you anymore. Maybe it¡¯s a good idea to have a bodyguard. Sometimes, I wanted to take a nap during traffic. Maybe this is a good time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I pressed a kiss on top of her head.


    ¡°I also want to contribute to expenses.¡±


    A groan rumbled in the chest. ¡°Not happening. In fact, I was about to say that I got a credit card for you.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I have money. I have lived alone and paid my bills. I can take care of a few-¡±


    I put my finger on her lips for her to stop. ¡°Sorry, baby. That is not negotiable. In fact, if you care for me, you will use that card I¡¯m gonna give you.¡±


    ¡°Such a controlling jerk.¡±


    ¡°A jerk with a big dick.¡±


    ¡°Still a jerk.¡±


    ¡°Did you mean it?¡±


    She rested her chin on my chest. ¡°Did I mean what?¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯re mine.¡±


    ¡°That was sex talking, Mykel.¡± Shey back, and I felt her smile against my chest.

 Chapter 41

    ADLEY


    At a nce, I walked down memoryne.


    We decided to visit Grandpa at the Kross Corp. He was more determined to work in his office than at home.


    I remembered those days when Dad brought me here-it felt like yesterday. Though this ce had gone through a lot of redecoration, the memories were still fresh to me.


    I scanned through old photos. Grandpa kept the picture while I was just a kid, taken at the private airport. It was the day I lost my parents. I put it back when the emptiness in my chest became too much.


    I looked at Mykel. He was in deep thoughts as he stared through the cityscape outside.


    I was about to say something when Grandpa walked in.


    ¡°Mykel, Adley, what are you two doing here? Not that I¡¯m not happy to see you both.¡±


    ¡°You should have told me, Lex. It happened in your home, and I was there the next morning,¡± he stated matter-of-factly.


    Grandpa sighed deeply. Regret and pain reflected in his eyes. ¡°I felt ashamed. I was about to push my only granddaughter to that sick son of a bitch, and I didn¡¯t know he was temperamental and delusional.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s mentally unstable, too. See, how families can keep their deepest dark secrets?¡± Mykel snorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, son. I did what I thought was right. I specifically ordered his father to get his son a doctor and treat his drinking problem, but I guess we have different ways of handling our families. He cut Gary¡¯s trust fund instead and fired him from work. And I knew his father. He¡¯s too proud of his son that he doesn¡¯t ept failures even the slightest.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I can see that. I don¡¯t like that son of a bitch ever since,¡± Mykel admitted.


    ¡°We¡¯re pressing charges, Grandpa.¡±


    He looked at me. ¡°Do whatever you must. But if his parents wille and talk to you about dropping the charges, try thinking about it for old time¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°No way, Lex.¡± The harshness in Mykel¡¯s voice reappeared.


    ¡°Listen to me, Mykel. I wanted to keep this issue away from the media and the boards as possible. And I¡¯m not talking about business. We haven¡¯t been through with the n yet.¡±


    ¡°What did Merick have against you? He knows you¡¯re sick, is he?¡±


    Grandpa looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t want it to draw much attention. If they know I¡¯m sick, he will call an emergency board meeting, and the rest, you know what will happen. He has a share and is also the COO. And I can¡¯t throw my responsibility on Adley.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time I step up, Grandpa. I¡¯m a business ad graduate. I may not have executive experience in a major corporation, but I can handle it. We still owned Kross Corp, and I¡¯m still one of the major shareholders. At least before my parents¡¯ asset is transferred in my name, let me be your representative.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna do this?¡± The worry in Mykel¡¯s tone was audible, but he looked proud of me as well.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I went to sit beside Grandpa.


    ¡°Very well then.¡±


    ¡°Your parents would be so proud of you,¡± Grandpa said and smiled.


    I smiled back, even if this was not part of the n.


    I hated when people ckmailed for their gain-that was unfair. No one should use my grandfather¡¯s illness against him. I also knew a shark when I saw one. And the Merick had not seen me yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m turning over my seat to ze. It¡¯s time I handle the family business.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t wanna think about this first?¡± Mykel looked surprised by my words. I knew he cared a lot about me and knew how hard it was to run a multi-industry corporation in a male-dominant environment.


    ¡°Are you afraid that I will fail?¡±


    A smile slowly curved up his lips.


    ¡°What?¡±


    His smile widened. ¡°You¡¯re smart and determined, not to mention head-strong. You won¡¯t fail. You will make your parents proud.¡±


    ¡°Are you still up for buying my parents¡¯ assets?¡±


    ¡°Are you still considering selling it?¡±


    ¡°I wanna see the look in their eyes when I turn over the CEO position to you. I think they underestimated Kross, and they thought Grandpa was weak and that he couldn¡¯t control his own little rebellious granddaughter. I¡¯ll show them what Kross can do.¡±


    ¡°I think you are ying with fire, honey. You know how dangerous it is.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fully aware, but not when you are the fire.¡±


    Mykelughed out loud and walked in my direction. He knelt before me, cupped my head, and kissed me with a loud smack, making my grandfather groan.


    ¡°For the love of God, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°I will kiss my wife whenever and wherever I want.¡±


    Grandpa shook his head in both dismay and amusement. ¡°Just be careful, Adley. Never trust anyone.¡±


    ¡°I will, Grandpa.¡±


    ***


    I was engrossed in reading a book about leadership management. I was done with the structure of thepany, its organizational chart, boards¡¯ backgrounds, thepany¡¯s visions and missions, and its policies. Yet, I was not even close to done with my ns.


    My eyes were aching, my head hurt, my butt was numb, and my shoulders could use a good massage. God, I missed Madelyn. I wished she was here right now.


    We had a dinner n at Hartford¡¯s residence, though. I just discovered that Mykel changed his surname to his mother¡¯s years ago.


    The office door creaked open, revealing my husband in a shirt and sweatpants. ¡°You¡¯ve been here, obsessively reading books. You haven¡¯t showered, and you ate here and never rose from that seat, Adley Creed. This is not healthy.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t be long. You¡¯ve forgotten the fact that you also have a husband who needs you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want them to tell me that I¡¯m not capable.¡±


    ¡°You have what it takes, Adley. You are smart, quick-witted, ountable, and have tenacity. You are very creative, strategist, andmitted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making that up.¡± I continued reading. When he came closer, I lifted my gaze. ¡°They have experience. When the boards cast their votes, they would never choose me.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s not about experience. In business, you¡¯re maybe the head, but there are people below your position who execute the job to make thepany strong. You know that. That¡¯s why you have your team. You¡¯re the thinker, but you are not always the doer. And don¡¯t underestimate the trust of the boards on Kross.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I feel weak and insecure.¡±


    He came to me, held my hand, and looked directly into my eyes. ¡°You are capable of doing something great. You built a multi-million dor business at the age of twenty-two. What other proof do you need? Give yourself a little credit, Adley. If they would look so little at you because you have a vagina? Then show them how pussy they are.¡±


    I wrinkled my nose. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I learned to like you with that dirty mouth of yours?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m awesome, and my mouth, tongue, fingers, and dick work magic.¡± A huge grin emerged from his lips.


    I faked a cringe. ¡°You¡¯re so filthy.¡±


    ¡°You like me anyway.¡± He pressed a kiss on my lips. ¡°You really have to stop this obsession of yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done.¡±


    He rose to his feet, shaking his head. ¡°No, baby. That¡¯s enough for today. It¡¯s three in the morning. You need to sleep.¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s still nine.¡±


    He showed me the time on my phone. ¡°Why would I lie to you? I want you to rest and energize for the next day. You need it, and trust me, baby. You¡¯re gonna need it. You¡¯re going to thank meter.¡±


    I sighed deeply, finally giving up. I shut the book close.


    When we reached the room, he told me to strip off. ¡°Come on, baby.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kinda tired.¡± I grinned sheepishly. I didn¡¯t realize how exhausted I was until I saw the bed.


    ¡°No sex tonight, baby. I want to clean you up.¡±


    ¡°Can we do that in the morning?¡± I stretched my limbs and yawned.


    ¡°No. You smell like yogurt right now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I smelled my armpit.


    ¡°It was a joke, but you can sleep well if you¡¯re fresh.¡± He helped me out of my baggy shirt. ¡°Get in the bathroom. I¡¯ll be there in a second.¡±


    He had already filled the tub, and the smell ofvender was divine. I sunk in, soaked myself, and moaned as I closed my eyes.


    I felt Mykel walk in toward me. ¡°See? You badly need that.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    He then started massaging my shoulders, and it felt so good. ¡°You are so tense.¡±


    ¡°I can have an orgasm with your touch alone.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°No sexual innuendo, baby. You need a long sleep.¡± He pressed his lips on top of my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Not tonight. If you keep doing what you¡¯re doing, then no sex either. I¡¯m good with my hand.¡±


    My eyes cracked open, and I turned to look at him. His eyes were twinkling. ¡°Is that a challenge?¡±


    He smiled meaningfully.


    ¡°Then I should invest in vibrator and dildo. I¡¯m calling my ountant tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Where can you find my size?¡±


    I hit him on his arm. ¡°I¡¯ve seen bigger than yours.¡±


    ¡°Really? Who? The first time I had you, you were tight as a glove. It felt amazing, by the way.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such have a filthy brain.¡±


    ¡°Coming from someone who just said to invest in vibrator and dildo.¡±


    I snaked my hand around his neck and pulled him closer to me. I kissed him on his cheek. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Mykel.¡±


    After my short time soaking in the tub, I quickly hit a shower. Mykel was already waiting for me when I got in bed, yawning.


    As soon as my head hit the pillow, I instantly felt sleepy; I could barely keep my eyes open. ¡°Night, Mykel.¡±


    He wrapped his arm around me. ¡°Sleep tight, baby.¡±

 Chapter 42

    MYKEL


    I was d Adley slept like a logst night. She started to make me worry. One thing I learned about her was she had this obsession with something, and she would not stop until she was done with it. Maybe that was one thing we had inmon.


    Even if Adley woke upte in the morning, she was energetic and went to the mini-gym for her yoga.


    I was preparing breakfast when she joined me with a kiss on my cheek, then wrapped her arms around my waist.


    ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°For reminding me that health is also wealth, and there¡¯s more important than making money and good impressions.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± I put a small amount of butter on her pancakes and poured a good amount of syrup.


    ¡°You and our marriage.¡± Her reply froze me for a moment. Did she really say that?


    My heart started pumping hard. I held her hands and turned around. ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    She looked fantastic today. ¡°Yeah. You took care of mest night and reminded me that my husband was more important to me than making an impression on those old mutts. You and the people I care about matter most.¡±


    I cupped her face and looked right into her eyes. I wanted her to know how much she meant to me. ¡°I would have let you do whatever you wanted to if I didn¡¯t care about you, but you mean the world to me, Mrs. Creed.¡±


    ¡°I still like the hyphenated.¡± She always made me smile. This woman became my everything in a short time. How did that happen? I still had no clue. Love made everything possible.


    ¡°I know.¡± I pressed my lips into hers. She kissed me back right away, tightening her arms around me. I deepened the kiss, slipping my tongue between her lips. She weed me. Her taste was as sweet as the syrup, and I couldn¡¯t get over it.


    I cupped her ass without breaking our kiss, and she did not protest. She simply wrapped her legs around my waist and quickly ground herself into me. I was already hard. My cock was erratic to get free.


    I raced out toward the table. There was no time to go up to our bedroom. I wanted to be inside her in less than a minute, or I would go mad. Iy her carefully on the table, and she was the only God damn thing I wanted to see, her face all rosy, lips plump, and ready for me. She quickly stripped off naked in front of me. In less than five seconds, my sweatpants and boxers were on my knees, and I was gripping and stroking my cock as I watched her spread her thighs wide apart, teasing her slick pussy, and spreading her wetness around.


    ¡°Fuck. You are so beautiful.¡±


    She bit her bottom lip and dropped her head back against the table. Gripping both her hips together, I pulled her down the edge. I let her hook her legs around my waist before I position my cock in her sweet pussy.


    I rubbed the tip in her slick entrance and pressed on her clit. I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. I could die right now if I weren¡¯t inside her in a second. And I knew this would be quick and fast.


    She gasped in response, letting out a little moan as she felt my rigid cock, pushing further into her.


    ¡°Be ready.¡± Before I could finish my words, I mmed into her. I hit the root.


    She cried out loud, her hands gripping the edge of the table.


    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±


    ¡°No. I want more.¡±


    ¡°You have it, baby.¡± I thrust in shallow strokes, faster and faster.


    ¡°Harder!¡± How could I ever deny what she wanted? I would give everything to her, including the satisfaction she asked for right now.


    I rocked my hips, pounding into her as I gripped her waist, holding her steady. The table squeaked and creaked against the floor. Her perfect tits bounced against my strong ministration.


    ¡°Cup your tits and pinch your nipples, baby.¡±


    She did as I said. In a matter of seconds, she was arching her back, rocking her hips as she sought her impending orgasm. And I knew how to give her fast.


    I pressed my thumb on her clit, and she screamed my name, echoing in the entire penthouse.


    Watching her lose into her own bliss made me the happiest man alive. She threw her head back, her eyes rolling, her body tightening, and then she shuddered, her pussy mping around my cock as she let go of thest bit of her orgasm.


    I didn¡¯t stop. I pounded into her harder and faster until I felt the shiver running down my spine, my balls were heavy, and my cock was swelling. I thrust in and stilled for a second before sinking harder and deeper again, exploding and letting loose a powerful load that filled inside her.


    ***


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna do this? We can still go back and have dinner in a restaurant.¡± She looked at me with those pretty sterling eyes.


    ¡°If you say you changed your mind, where getting out of here. But if you¡¯re thinking of me, we¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about you, Mykel. But I was the one who suggested meeting your father once and for all.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going. If he bes disrespectful toward you, I¡¯m punching his face.¡± I helped her out of the car. She was wearing a beautiful ck dress and put on the earrings I gave her.


    We were weed by one of his employees. ¡°Your father is waiting for you, Mr. Creed. Wee, Mrs. Creed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± My wife said politely.


    We proceeded toward the living room, and I quickly found my mother on the sofa in her white formal dinner dress.


    ¡°Honey.¡± She was quick on her feet, hurrying toward us. She kissed me on my cheek. ¡°You look handsome tonight, Mykel.¡± Then she went to pull my wife into a hug.


    ¡°Good to see you again, Mom.¡± I just found out today after our amazing and wild sex on the table that Adley and Mom were keeping in touch. It felt good to know that they cared for each other.


    ¡°Oh, boy. You¡¯re getting beautiful every day, darling.¡±


    ¡°You, too, Mom. You¡¯re lovely in your dress.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, darling.¡± Before we could exchange more pleasantries, my father joined in.


    ¡°Son.¡± He extended his hand.N?velDrama.Org content.


    As a guest, I set aside the anger inside my chest and shook his hand. ¡°Dru.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Adley.¡± He did a cheek kiss on my wife.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind as his plus one.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a family now, Adley. I¡¯m d you came. Dinner is almost ready.¡± He gestured and led us to the living room.


    Mom and Adley quickly fell into an easy conversation when my father excused himself.


    ¡°Did he force you into this?¡±


    ¡°Mom, this is her idea.¡±


    Mom tilted her head. ¡°I figured only Adley can persuade you.¡±


    I smiled and squeezed my wife¡¯s knee. ¡°Yeah. She has that effect on me.¡±


    My father came back. This time he wasn¡¯t alone anymore. He had a woman in his arms.


    ¡°Son, I¡¯d like you to meet my-¡±


    ¡°You knocked your girlfriend?¡± I was already on my feet. ¡°And how old is she? About my age? About my wife¡¯s age? Then when you¡¯re done with her, you¡¯re gonna kick her out to the curb too?¡±


    ¡°Honey.¡± I felt Mom¡¯s hand on my arm.


    ¡°Watch your words, son.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°You invited me here to tell me that I¡¯m gonna be a twenty-eight years old brother to your newborn child. Wow! Isn¡¯t it lovely? As always, you are full of surprise, Dru.¡± I realized how this night got even worse and awkward. The woman was about a few months pregnant. I shook my head in disappointment. ¡°Unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°Mykel.¡± My wife cleared his throat.


    ¡°You ditched your other son. What¡¯s so different this time?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ditch him.¡±


    ¡°So you are just the unluckiest, I guess, huh.¡±


    ¡°Look, if you can¡¯t show a little respect to me, at least to the woman carrying my child.¡±


    ¡°You just won the father of the year-¡±


    ¡°Son of-¡± His eyes flew to my mother.


    I had already balled my hands into fists, ready tounch into this asshole¡¯s face if Adley and Mom didn¡¯t stop me.


    ¡°Mykel, enough! We¡¯re their guests. At least show some respect.¡±


    I turned to Mom. ¡°This is okay with you? You knew about this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I made my peace a long time ago. How else I¡¯ve been happy if I kept some pain and anger in my heart?¡±


    ¡°You raised your son to be this-¡±


    ¡°What? Well, where were you? Who taught me to be strong if ain¡¯t you?¡± I scoffed. I hoped he got what I meant. ¡°You¡¯re the best teacher, Dru. The abandonment you did, the pain you¡¯ve caused, and your choices were my best motivation. My past shaped me to be the person before you. How else would I be here today?¡±


    ¡°Mykel, please?¡±


    I looked down at my wife. She was hurting, and I was the one to put that to her.


    I squeezed my eyes shut and drew a heavy breath before I turned to the poor pregnant woman. ¡°I wish we¡¯d met under different circumstances. Forgive my manner. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Lyra. Nice to meet you, Mykel.¡± She held her hand out. Poor woman, she didn¡¯t know what she got herself into.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, too.¡± I shook her hand out of pity. She was innocent. The feud between my father and me started a long time ago. She was out of this. I just hoped she knew what she was doing.


    The chef announced dinner was ready. He and his woman sat on the hosts¡¯ chairs.


    I had to suffer for the whole dinner sitting next to my father. Thankfully, Adley was beside me, constantly reminding me not to stub my father with the fork. Mom was sitting across mine. There was an empty chair that was supposed to be for my half-brother.


    ¡°He declined.¡± My father looked at me. He knew something-a reminder of my fucking secret. A chill of dread ran down my spine.


    The appetizer was served, and the situation was getting more awkward until the soup arrived.


    ¡°How far are you?¡± Thankfully, my wife finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Twenty-one weeks.¡± She smiled at Adley. She could have chosen a younger guy. What did she see in him? Money? A father figure she never had?


    ¡°So you already know the gender?¡±


    She smiled again and stole a look at my father. I wanted to cringe.


    Honestly, the menu was terrific, but it was hard to stomach sitting next to my father.


    ¡°It¡¯s a girl,¡± Dru announced.


    ¡°Wow! Congrattions,¡± my wifemended the couple, grinning enthusiastically.


    ¡°Thank you, Adley. How about you two?¡± It was Lyra who asked.


    ¡°Hopefully, in three years, but if ites early, it¡¯s fine.¡± She smiled at them and me. ¡°We still have a lot of things to prioritize right now. Once we settled out the business issue, then we can have a baby.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be a grandmother,¡± Mom gushed across the table.


    If only Adley were carrying my child right now, that would be terrific news. I chuckled at the idea of having a child the exact age of half-my sister. The world was just so fucked up.

 Chapter 43

    ADLEY


    The evening started rocky to the point that Mykel was ready to walk out.


    After dinner, I got a chance to get to know his father. The man was a jerk, but he was making his amends, and he had nothing but respect for his ex-wife, who he abandoned. And who was I to judge against someone willing to change to be a better version of himself?


    We all had issues, made mistakes, and learned each step in our lives. We fell, stood up, and started over. That was all that mattered.


    While Mykel was tensed the entire time, he exchanged a little conversation with his father¡¯s girlfriend.


    ¡°You have an ent. Where you from?¡±


    ¡°I was born Queens, but my parents are originally from Colombia.¡±


    ¡°That tells your skin. It¡¯s lovely. I¡¯m jealous,¡± I butted in.


    ¡°Do they approve of your rtionship?¡±


    Lyra looked down.


    ¡°I see. Do they know you¡¯re pregnant?¡± Mykel asked.


    ¡°Yes. My family is a little bit traditional regarding raising a child.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t approve of raising a child out of wedlock,¡± I cut the chase.


    She nodded in agreement. Mykel stole a nce at his father. It looked like Dru had no n to marry this woman before the baby was born. Mykel seemed right. Business came first for Dru, or he didn¡¯t believe in marriage anymore. Whatever his reason was, I hoped it was for their own good.


    ¡°If you need anything, my wife and I are always here for you.¡± I admired my husband for looking after this woman he had just met an hour ago.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She smiled timidly.


    ¡°Adley, are you still in the design business?¡± Dru asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you can help us design the nursery room.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still busy dealing with the situation at Kross Corp. Her friend ze will take over,¡± Mykel cut in. I knew he wanted me not to get too close to his father, but Dru asked for a favor.


    ¡°That sounds great,¡± Dru said. His expression slightly changed when Mykel butted in.


    ¡°Thanks. I can still design for you. Then I will endorse you to the team. I haven¡¯t resigned anyway,¡± I respectfully replied. It felt like he had a lot of embarrassment for tonight. I could lighten up the tension in this room.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can just visit the office-¡±


    I swatted my hand. ¡°It¡¯s no biggie, really. Just let me know when you¡¯re both ready.¡± I turned to Lyra. ¡°We can talk about it over a coffee.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lyra said gleefully. She was five months pregnant, and her baby daddy had not done anything for their child.


    Wow! I wasn¡¯t judging, but I was grateful Mykel got the majority of his DNA from her mother. Actually, scratch that. They had fifty-fifty, but he was just raised well by Madelyn.


    The dinner went well in the end. Madelyn finally decided toe to the penthouse with us after some persuasion.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t wanna impose. You two are newly married. I¡¯ve been there-¡±


    Mykel and I shared a look. I instantly knew what was on his mind. We just had sex on the table, and I didn¡¯t know if I could see that thing the same again without thinking something dirty and wild.


    ¡°Mom, we wanna spend some time with you before you return home.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, honey.¡±


    I had red wine with me while Mykel was responsible for the sses. Madelyn sandwiched between us as we settled on the couch.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna continue watching the series.¡± She picked up the remote and searched for the show she was talking about.


    ¡°You¡¯re not watching rom, Mom.¡± Mykel offered Madelyn a ss of wine.


    ¡°Thank you. Nope. This is about a surgeon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boy. The killer from another show?¡± Mykel looked at me.


    I shrugged. I was afraid I didn¡¯t know what he was talking about.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to watch this, or I¡¯m going to bed.¡±


    Iughed beside her.


    ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll watch it.¡± Mykel knew he was not going to win over this time. He was losing a vote from me for Madelyn.


    The show started with the first episode. ¡°I¡¯ll start from the beginning so that you two can rte.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± he muttered with sarcasm.


    ¡°I love you, my boy.¡± He received a kiss on his cheek from his mother. ¡°And you, too, darling.¡±


    ¡°Love you, too.¡±


    ¡°Baby, can youe over here?¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°Sorry, big guy. I¡¯m staying in my seat.¡±


    ¡°You both just watch. No more talking.¡±


    Three hourster, no matter how interesting the story went, I had to hide my yawn.


    I might have fallen asleep while watching. Thest thing I knew, I was carried and put to bed.


    Then I forgot to silence my phone. Someone called and woke up my senses.


    Mykel shushed me. He must have put my phone on silent mode and returned to sleep.


    ***


    ¡°Oh, my God, Mom! What are you doing?¡± I rushed toward Madelyn with her hands full in the kitchen.N?velDrama.Org content.


    I woke up early, but not earlier than Mykel, who was like an rm clock, never missed a minute in his five o¡¯clock routine. But then, his mother was also an early riser.


    ¡°I¡¯m making us breakfast,¡± she replied casually.


    The coffee pot was almost full. There were sliced fruits. Madelyn had a pan on the stove, my guess for the egg and waffle maker on the counter.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mykel?¡±


    ¡°In the mini gym.¡±


    ¡°And he let you do all this alone?¡±


    She sighed and smiled at me. ¡°Darling, I onlye here to visit once in two months? I still wish I could make you breakfast and dinner every day.¡±


    ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t have to do this. How can I help? I¡¯m gonna hire a chef after this.¡± I felt my cheeks burning with embarrassment. She may be Mykel¡¯s mother, but she was still our guest.


    ¡°Just sit pretty and chat with me.¡±


    ¡°You know that I don¡¯t really cook. Did he tell you that?¡±


    ¡°Tell her what?¡± Mykel replied from my back, kissing my exposed neck. ¡°Morning, baby. Mom.¡± He went to kiss his mom on the cheek.


    ¡°You¡¯re sweating, Mykel. Go clean up, you stinky boy.¡±


    ¡°You love me.¡±


    I watched him smile as he walked away, and Madelyn didn¡¯t miss it.


    ¡°You love my son.¡± Her remark got my attention, making me blush. I wasn¡¯t surprised. I knew it woulde up.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m in love with him.¡± There was no reason to deny the fact. I always felt that my feelings for Mykel grew deeper and deeper.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear that my son¡¯s heart is in good hands.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s gonna break my heart first before it happens.¡±


    ¡°You two talked about working at Kross Corp?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He actually suggested this first. Then I realized I needed to be there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to hear. You should always share opinions on what¡¯s good for both of you. Trust and love each other. You¡¯ll grow old together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the n.¡±

 Chapter 44

    ADLEY


    Mykel pressed his lips against my cheek so hard I winced. He enjoyed so much with his public disy in front of his mother. I found it sweet and annoying at the same time.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± I rubbed the skin that was probably pink right now.


    ¡°Really? Does it hurt? You don¡¯t mind it-¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Stop it, Mykel. We¡¯re having breakfast.¡± Madelyn stacked thest waffle onto the te and gave it to her son. ¡°Go and prepare the table.


    I hopped from the stool. ¡°Let me help.¡±


    ¡°No, darling. Let him work.¡±


    I hid my smile. Mykel seemed okay with the arrangement.


    ¡°He¡¯s used to doing this chore. He had a lot of money that he could spend ten lifetimes, but he neverined even once.¡±


    He returned, grabbed some cutlery from the drawer, and stocked some tes. He took the sliced fruits and the softest still steaming scrambled egg next. Once he picked up thest cup, he looked at me. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast, Mom, baby.¡±


    Our breakfast was light and fun as his mom shared about his childhood.


    Unfortunately, Madelyn had to leave after. It was heartbreaking and amazing to watch at the same time that the two didn¡¯t want to let go.


    ¡°You take care of your wife, okay?¡±


    ¡°Did shein to you already?¡± He looked distraught. Why would he think that?


    I chuckled behind them.


    ¡°Her onlyint is that you are too protective of her.¡± She kissed his son on the cheek one more time. I didn¡¯t actually say that.


    ¡°That¡¯s not gonna change. Come on, let us send you to the airport.¡±


    ¡°Stay and spend some time with Adley.¡± She looked at me. ¡°I had a great time, darling.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± I smiled.


    He couldn¡¯t win over his mom. Once Madelyn entered the elevator, Mykel pulled me into his arms, waving goodbye to his mother.


    Iy on the couch silently and grabbed the book on the coffee table. Mykel joined meter, massaging my foot-he was good at this. I almost moaned. Then he moved to my legs.


    ¡°That feels good.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It sounds like aphrodisiacing from you.¡± He ttened his palm on my tummy, then rubbed it slowly. The warmth of his palm radiated down my belly button.


    ¡°Why are you reading that?¡± He pulled my legs apart, settling between my thighs, his face on my abdomen. The warmth and the weight of my body create sensations down my core.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I lost my concentration.


    ¡°Question to question, I see.¡± He leaned down and nted kisses on my abdomen, nibbling my skin, running the tip of his tongue enough to make me squirm.


    ¡°Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Are you wet?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± As soon as my question left my mouth, he slid down, and before I knew what was going to happen, he had me pinned down, his head between my thighs, his teeth sinking against my mound through the shorts I was wearing.


    ¡°Mykel! What the hell are you doing?¡± I tried to squirm, but he was heavier than a log.


    ¡°Pull your shorts down.¡±


    ¡°Not doing that.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    I thought he had given up. Instead, he opened the fly of my shorts and slipped them down harshly against my hips, leaving only myce panties. This time, I dropped the book and covered my face in surrender.


    ¡°Let me make you feel good and teach you something more interesting.¡±


    ¡°What lesson do you think I can learn from what you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, a lot, baby.¡± He blew my sensitive nub against my panties. ¡°For instance, like this.¡±


    I gasped and bit my bottom lip.


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn how to manage your impatience. Control. How to dy your orgasm. How to bear the ache in your clit.¡± Heved me against my soaked panties. I was already wet. He knew it before he tore off my shorts.


    I was already gripping the book, breathing hard, and my chest heaved.


    The next torture came up as he ran his nose through my aching nub, my hips backed up, but he was expecting my reaction. The friction was gone before I could have it.


    ¡°You smell sweet when you¡¯re wet.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t talk. I was dizzy with my arousal. I let go of the book and touched myself.


    ¡°Bad girl.¡± Mykel was faster than me, pinning my hand on my tummy, his other hand hitting my aching core.


    ¡°And torturing me makes you a good guy?¡± I wiggled hard, but I had no luck breaking free.


    ¡°Patience, baby.¡±


    ¡°My butt.¡±


    I yelped in shock. He smacked me on my engorged lips. It stung, but it also gave pleasure-it turned me on evermore.


    ¡°Do you want me now, baby?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Smacked.


    ¡°Do you want more?¡±


    I kept silent.


    ¡°Baby?¡±


    ¡°I want you to rip off those dang panties, Mykel.¡±


    He chuckled.


    ¡°Jerk.¡±


    ¡°This jerk is your ticket to your L Land of orgasm, baby.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m staying here.¡±


    Suddenly, the book was taken off my face. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°A soak in the warm tub always does the trick, jerk,¡± I said confidently. ¡°I would never beg to be fucked.¡±


    ¡°Wow. A couple of nights ago, you didn¡¯t have a problem with begging to be fucked.¡± He took off his shirt and stripped naked in front of me. Mykel was lucky in that area. I was still wondering how he fit in with me.


    ¡°So?¡± I met his gaze.


    ¡°Not tempted?¡±


    ¡°No. But on the hand, sit,¡± I ordered.


    He looked surprised as he stared at me.


    ¡°Did I stutter?¡±


    He shook his head, amazed and amused.


    ¡°Then sit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    I settled between his legs.


    ¡°Baby, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Learning.¡± I gripped his length from the base. Then I looked at the tip with his precum leaking through. When I lifted my gaze, he was so darn turned on, his eyes dazed with lust.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, baby.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t what?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to-¡±


    ¡°You wanna teach me, right? Then I wanna learn this as well.¡± I leaned down and tentatively ran my tongue around the tip. He groaned and jerked.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± He threw a curse as I watched him watch me taking his shaft into my mouth. ¡°Fucking hell!¡±

 Chapter 45

    MYKEL


    My wife surprised me every day. I¡¯d never expected her to get down on her knees and literally fucking blow my mind. I knew she had a fire in her, but when she admitted that she¡¯d never done it before, it warmed my heart with pride that she trusted me with her body.


    It was a new experience for her, and I was lucky that her first was with me.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± She had never stopped reading since she decided to take the CEO, and her grandfather nned to go under the knife.


    I admired her tenacity and willingness to learn. At the same time, as a selfish bastard like me, she sometimes chose to focus on things rather than appreciate my existence.


    ¡°Just grateful to be your husband.¡± I came to visit her at her office. By the end of this week, she would turn over her position to ze.


    She wrinkled her nose. She was not convinced why I was here not making some deals. ¡°What is it, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, really. I just came to see you. Have you told ze yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m trying to finish the remaining work before I turn the position over. I don¡¯t like keeping work for someone else.¡±


    ¡°Figured, baby.¡±


    She squinted her eyes at me as she may have noticed the dullness in my voice. ¡°Mykel, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I just noticed that you have twenty hours researching, reading, three hours of sleep, then one hour for three meals. If you start working at the Kross Corp, do you still have time for home? For me.¡± Not to mention, she also enrolled in a seminar online twice a week for three months.


    She closed the book and rose to her feet. She smoothed her dress before she came to me. She cupped my face, looked me directly in the eye, and pressed her lips into mine. ¡°I thought you understand what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m not changing, Mykel. After I learn what I should, I¡¯ll be back to you twelve hours a day that you¡¯ll be sick seeing this face you wanna vomit and flee.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to watch you so focused and forget the people around you.¡± I kissed the palm of her hand.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You mean you? I thought we were in this together.¡± Her eyes shed with emotions.


    ¡°This morning, I invited you to have dinner with me, but you declined.¡± And my fucking half-brother just reached out to her. I deleted the call logs and his message. It was a dumb move, but why was she still have his number saved? ¡°It was just a few hours, Adley.¡±


    And I had not told her my rtionship with fucking Knox. And now that we knew where our rtionship stood, I didn¡¯t know how to bring it up without blowing it in my face.


    ¡°I told you, I want to finish my research first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I scratched my stubble.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I stood up, changing the topic before I went all weepy, asking for attention. ¡°How¡¯s your bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°He seems capable.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s temporary, but if he¡¯s proven doing his job properly, he can be permanent next month.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s stiffed. I feel safe already,¡± she joked before returning to her desk.


    ¡°I briefed-¡±


    ¡°Not to look at me, not to pay attention to my boobs and ass. I bet you did.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°He is military trained, baby. I didn¡¯t exactly say the exact words-¡±


    ¡°Just admit it that you are territorial and possessive as crap.¡±


    I simply slipped my hand into my pocket. ¡°He knows what he¡¯s doing, and it¡¯s inappropriate to have more time watching your boss¡¯ ass than the danger around you, correct?¡±


    A smile curved up her lips. ¡°You should have hired an older man, but whatever floats your boat, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Did you talk to Lyra?¡± I felt like I should get to know more about her considering I was going to be the brother of her child. I promised my mother to be civil to her. At least, a simple hi and hello would be a good start.


    ¡°She will be hereter.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I have to go back.¡± I went to her desk to kiss her.


    She leaned over to kiss me. ¡°Don¡¯t work so hard. I might need your strength tonight.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Might, huh?¡±


    ¡°I might be tired, or my mood changes or I will spend time with ze and go homete. Or maybe you¡¯re meeting the blonde. A lot of possibilities to suspend my anticipation.¡±


    ¡°If you want me here right now, I won¡¯t deny you. You know that, right?¡± I kissed her nose.


    ¡°No way. We¡¯re not having sex in my office.¡±


    ¡°Home office, then?¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Bye, Mykel.¡±


    I went back to my office. After hours of meetings, I texted Adley.


    MYKEL: How did it go?


    ADLEY: Still with her.


    My brows furrowed. My father did note with Lyra?


    MYKEL: Alone?


    ADLEY: Yeah. I¡¯ll get back to you.


    She sent it with a heart emoji. Why a heart emoji if she could send me; I can¡¯t wait to see you tonight? Or she should start calling me babe, my love.


    I scoffed. Elisa came in.


    ¡°Your father is here.¡±What the fuck? What does he want now?


    ¡°Dru.¡± I gestured for him to take a seat. ¡°What a surprised.¡±


    ¡°Lyra is with Adley. I figured I coulde and visit you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So I heard. Why didn¡¯t you stay with her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my thing. And I have more important matters to attend to.¡± He took a seat.


    ¡°Like visiting me. Well, it¡¯s for your child and the woman carrying your child, Dru.¡±


    ¡°I know, Mykel. There¡¯s been a rumor that Lex is retiring. Is it true?¡±


    I paused for a moment. Gossips in any business spread fast like lightning in this modern world. It always scared me because when you were under the microscope, the world only wanted to see the filtered of a very specific lens-your mistakes.


    ¡°If your reason foring over to ask me if the rumor is true, of course, Lex is retiring, but when? I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t he mentioned something to you?¡± What was he getting from this?


    ¡°We were with himst week. He mentioned that he wanted to step down. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Who would take his seat?¡±


    ¡°One of the major shareholders.¡±


    ¡°Adley.¡±


    I searched for the true intention in his eyes for a moment before I replied, ¡°You seem to have an opinion about it.¡±


    ¡°I have an idea. The boards will choose experienced shareholders, but Adley definitely has potential. Most of them have confidence in the Kross. Until now, Kross Corp is still the top-ranking corporation in the country.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a word of advice?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m confident. There¡¯s no gender in running a big corporation and definitely no age. It¡¯s the tenacity, good listener, and decision-making that make someone a good leader. Like you, son. Experience can be learned. You have her. She has Lex and can consider me her consultant if she wants.¡±


    My father was one of the best financial analysts in the world-he advised leaders, economists, capitalists like me, and entrepreneurs. He was featured in business magazines multiple times. News channels frequently asked for his advice. I still wondered why he declined the offer of work in one of the government sectors as a top-ranking official. He ran his empire, but he chose to be low-key.


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll make sure to ry your offer.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    He stood from the chair. ¡°I should go.¡±


    ¡°Um, Dru.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember Dash?¡±


    He buttoned his suit. ¡°Yeah, sure. The blond friend of yours.¡±


    I chuckled. People constantly referred to him as blond. I didn¡¯t know why. The male blond was typical, but even Adley sometimes called him that too.


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the one. Maybe we could get a drink sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Just let me know.¡± He smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I held my hand out. ¡°Thanks foring to see me.¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡± He shook my hand.


    After he left, I sat back on my chair, wondering what had taken me so long to ept his mistake. I spent most of my life hating him when I could have that peace I felt right now for years.


    After an hour of extended silence and contemtion, Adley called me.


    ¡°Why did you not tell me?¡± I quickly recognized that tone. She sounded upset about something. My stomach painfully twisted before I found out the reason why.


    My brows creased. ¡°You okay? About what?¡±


    ¡°That Knox is your half-brother, Mykel!¡±


    Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.


    I swallowed hard. I opened my mouth, and I had to close back. My mind went nk. I didn¡¯t know what to say because I had not anticipated she would find out today.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even answer me, can you? Do you n on telling me the truth? Because you knew it was only a matter of time until I found out.¡±


    ¡°Baby, let me exin.¡± I shut my eyes close as I processed the right words to say.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been waiting for months.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°This is sick, Mykel. I was in his apartment while you were bagging another woman next door. How screwed up is this? Then you flirted with me- Oh, my God. That makes sense now, how you told me he wasn¡¯t good in bed. So you two are in some kind ofpetition?¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ, baby. That¡¯s not what happened. I already told you the truth.¡±


    ¡°You mean half-truth?¡± Jesus Christ! I could even hear her ring at me.


    It felt like the air was leaving my lungs. I couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that woman¡¯s apartment was next to my half-brother.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been together for months now, and you¡¯ve never mentioned him to me or maybe nning on meeting him because you knew how would I react.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not closed. And could you me me? I mean thinking of my half-brother kissing my wife or maybe something happened that I preferred not knowing.¡±


    ¡°I told you nothing happened between us! But maybe in our second meeting, you did it on purpose, proving to your half-brother that you were better than him, showing him that you could have the woman he wanted to date.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fucking true.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s precisely what this sick illusion of yours is all about, Mykel.¡±

 Chapter 46

    ADLEY


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you the design next week. Then we can talk about changes.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re busy. I really appreciate you for doing this.¡± Lyra seemed a genuine person. Besides, she had nothing to do with the feud between Mykel and Dru.


    ¡°You¡¯re a family, Lyra.¡± I got up from my seat. ¡°Your baby might be hungry. Let¡¯s get something to eat.¡±


    ¡°I also need some exercise.¡± She agreed with me. ¡°How¡¯s Mykel as a person, as a husband?¡±


    ¡°At first, I found him egotistic, arrogant, shallow, foul-mouthed, and you know the stereotype-a rich yboy who gets what he wants. But when I get to know him, he¡¯s thoughtful and has a heart of gold. There¡¯s more to see in him than meets my eye.¡±


    Despite the busy street, it was a good day. The weather wasn¡¯t humid, and I enjoyed Lyra¡¯spany.


    ¡°How did you and Dru meet?¡±


    ¡°I worked for him for more than two years.¡± She smiled. I couldn¡¯t see the spark of being in love, but I did believe she cared about the father of her unborn child.


    ¡°Worked? You stopped?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal. I mean, my doctor did not restrict me from working, but Dru made me. That¡¯s our deal. So, I stay at home until I give birth.¡±


    ¡°Well, that sounds great. He¡¯s concerned about your health and your baby.¡±


    We made it to the bistro. I ordered my usual while Lyra chose a teatte before we upied an empty road table.


    ¡°You actually eat from here?¡± She looked surprised.


    ¡°Yeah. Why? It passed the city health inspection.¡± I chuckled at the look on her face.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re an heiress. You could have chosen a ss cafe.¡±


    ¡°I lived in a two-bedroom apartment on the west side with my best friend. I still do, actually. My things are still there. I eat Chinese takeouts. I drove myself to work.¡± I pointed at my driver. ¡°This is his second week working with me. Mykel hired him. So my life isn¡¯t as morous as the other heiresses.¡±


    Our order arrived. The croissant and eir looked delicious.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t mind having some calories?¡± she asked as she looked down at the cream on top of the coffee.


    Iughed. ¡°I got that a lot. To be honest, I like food. I love to eat and drink. I run on a treadmill and do yoga, but I don¡¯t starve myself. Of course, I have restrictions-I make sure I eat healthy food, but I don¡¯t mean some sugar and carbs.¡±


    ¡°I agree with you. And you definitely don¡¯t look starved.¡± She looked at my body. ¡°I don¡¯t believe those pictures I see on Instagram. I¡¯m also not against people who work hard to get the body shape they want, but I don¡¯t think starving is good for the body and mental health.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I sipped my coffee. ¡°How¡¯s Dru handling being a baby daddy?¡±


    She rubbed her abdomen. I thought it was cute. I believed unborn babies could feel the mother¡¯s emotion, touch, and hear noises. ¡°My baby is not his.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked in shock. My hand flew to my mouth. ¡°Does he know?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Forgive my intrusion. How did he take it? I¡¯m sorry.¡± I held my hand up. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business. You don¡¯t have to answer.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s the one who volunteered to help.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I was still in shock. My brain was still reeling. I had a terrible way of trying to sink everything in right now.


    ¡°Dru knew about my ex. It¡¯s just right that he should know everything. My ex didn¡¯t take it well when I told him I was pregnant with his child. He said this was not his, even if he knew I only slept with him. I was a virgin when we first slept together.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I know. I was a twenty-six-year-old virgin, and I thought he loved me, but I was wrong.¡±


    I reached out and squeezed her hand. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. You shouldn¡¯t have gone through that. No one deserved to feel that way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Then three months ago, Dru noticed me. I denied it at first. And it¡¯s not stated in a contract that single female employees can¡¯t be pregnant-¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That would be ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Then he told me that I would bepensated, and I have paid maternity leave. At that time, my parents just learned that I was considering abortion, but I felt awful thinking of killing an innocent unborn child because of my mistake.¡±


    ¡°Then what happened?¡±


    ¡°I came to workte.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Dru told me I could go home if I weren¡¯t feeling better. I refused. I had to work because now that I was not alone anymore, I needed to save for my child. I didn¡¯t have savings, Adley. I still offered my help to my family. It¡¯s a family thing. I don¡¯t know. I still feel obligated even if they never asked me. When I got home to my apartment, I was shocked to find my boss waiting for me. He gave me no choice but to tell him the truth. Then Dru offered his help-¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    ¡°Provided that I should stop working, but I¡¯m still getting paid. As soon as I give birth, I can decide whether to keep the baby or send it for adoption. But I¡¯m keeping my baby, and he¡¯s okay with that.¡±


    ¡°You two never been involved? Sorry, just curious.¡± I smiled. I felt like a gossiper, wanting more details.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I saw something in her smile. ¡°He¡¯s kind. He¡¯s also like my father, but I started to care about him.¡±


    ¡°You know the truth between him and his son?¡±


    ¡°His sons,¡± she corrected me. ¡°Yeah. He said he¡¯s still trying to pick up the pieces and put them together, but Mykel has never given him a chance. He regretted everything he¡¯d done. Trust me. He cried a river when he opened up. He couldn¡¯t me Mykel. Dru got married and had a child at a young age, and he was just as ambitious as Mykel. It was toote when he got what he wanted and nned on getting his family back.¡±


    ¡°I grew up without parents. If I could return to that time, I would tell them not to go on that trip. But we can live for this moment and be good to the person we care about.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s working on his rtionship with his other son, too. An artist. We visited his gallery downtown. He¡¯s also talented and good-looking. It really runs in Hartford¡¯s DNA.¡±


    ¡°Really? Mykel never mentioned him to me even once. What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Knox-¡± What? Did she just say Knox?


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± There was a lot of Knox in the city, right?


    ¡°Knox Waylon Hartford.¡±


    ¡°Knox, huh? What¡¯s he looked like?¡± I fist my hands when they trembled and felt the ice seeping through my bones.


    Lyra just described the person I just once knew. ¡°Are you okay? You look pale.¡±


    I nodded, even if it wasn¡¯t convincing. ¡°Excuse me for a minute.¡± I rose from our table and fished out my phone as I walked away from Lyra.


    I dialed Mykel. He picked up right away, and he just admitted everything. I felt like my world was slipping off my feet and falling deep into the dark.


    ¡°How could he keep that from me?¡± I kept repeating that question.


    I felt awful, terrible, and disgusted with myself. I kissed Knox and met Mykel the same night. How did I miss the clue?


    ¡°Adley, are you okay?¡± It was Lyra, squeezing my shoulder.


    I hung up the phone before I turned around. I wiped my tears before I replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but listen. I have no idea you¡¯ve never met Knox. I¡¯m so sorry. I should have known.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I couldn¡¯t believe it, and I¡¯d never questioned myself why Mykel never mentioned his half-brother¡¯s name.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Well, who would have thought I would be kissing brothers. God, I feel sick in my stomach.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay,¡± she said as she rubbed my arms.


    ¡°I should be the one saying that to you, Lyra. I¡¯m sorry. Oh, God! I felt like I¡¯m gonna throw up.¡± I pressed a hand on my abdomen. ¡°It¡¯s awful.¡±


    ¡°Do you wanna get out of here?¡±


    I watched Romare for a while before I decided, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We managed to hail a cab in the next block.


    ¡°Where to, madames?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to go.¡± I didn¡¯t know whom I was answering, the cab driver or myself. I didn¡¯t want to go home. I wasn¡¯t ready to face Mykel and listen to him as he defended his ego, and I couldn¡¯t go to my apartment where he would search for me. ¡°I just wanna get out of here away from Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Would you mind if we go home instead?¡±


    I stared at Lyra for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Thanks.¡± She then told the driver the address. ¡°We can talk about it there. Dru would not be at home until tonight.¡±


    I nodded as I smiled at her timidly.


    ¡°But Mykel might be looking for you as we speak, you know.¡±


    ¡°Your home will be thest ce he¡¯d look for me.¡±

 Chapter 47

    MYKEL


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I screamed out my frustration in the office. I was shaking in anger as I pressed the button. ¡°Elise, cancel everything in my schedule for today. I¡¯m going out.¡± I hung up, not waiting for her reply. She would do what I said anyway.


    Before I could put on my jacket, the door swung open. Elise walked in with a confusion looked on her face.


    ¡°May I know why?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I stuffed myptop back into my bag and grabbed my keys. ¡°Stay on your phone. I might need your help.¡± I strode toward the door.


    ¡°Mykel, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    I squeezed my eyes shut before I answered, ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you¡¯re poking your nose in my personal business, Elise.¡±


    ¡°Since when?¡± Since when? Yeah, she was right.


    I turned around. My jaw clenched hard. Before I could say what I was about to say, Elise raised her hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, boss. Have a good day.¡±


    I walked toward the elevator and dialed Sax.


    ¡°Prepare the car. I¡¯m going to see my wife.¡±


    ¡°Of course, boss.¡±


    The car was already waiting for me in the parking lot. Sax and Kye could sense danger a mile away. When I got in the car, they knew something was off. I could feel they were dying to know.


    I knew my wife and trusted her that she and Knox had never met again. Based on his text, that was the first time he contacted her after that night. Still, it bothered me. She liked him first before I met her. What if she went to meet him to confirm my rtionship with my brother.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± I growled out.


    ¡°Is everything okay, boss?¡± Sax asked from the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°I wish people would stop asking the obvious,¡± I grunted a reply.


    ¡°Apology. I just received a call from Langston.¡±


    ¡°Kye, I want you to check where Knox is right now.¡±


    ¡°Anything in specific you wanna know, sir?¡± He turned to look at me.


    I shook my head. ¡°Just keep me updated on his whereabouts. Stay with him all the time, discreetly.¡±


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡± He turned to Sax. ¡°Stop right here. Call me.¡± I knew what he meant when he told Sax-in case there was an emergency.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll call the cavalry, man.¡± Sax parked the car, and Kye climbed out of the vehicle. Then we drove off to my wife¡¯s office.


    I didn¡¯t wait for Sax to open the door. I jumped out right away. When I got to the office, I met her assistant. I should have called the office first, but I was consumed with rage and guilt and wasn¡¯t thinking straight.


    ¡°She left for a coffee with Miss Lyra Marquez.¡±


    ¡°How long ago?¡±


    ¡°An hour or so. Is she okay, Mr. Creed?¡±


    ¡°She managed to flee from her bodyguard.¡±


    Speaking of the devil, Romare just walked in. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find her within the blocks. She was just gone, sir.¡±


    My nose red, listening to him. ¡°Talk to ze in his office. Ask him if Adley has called within an hour. We¡¯ll discuss thister.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He went to the hallway.


    ¡°Thanks, Miss Zi,¡± Sax thanked Adley¡¯s assistant and followed me.


    I let go a shaky sigh as I climbed back into the car.


    ¡°Boss, may I say something.¡± He looked at me through the rearview.


    ¡°Can I stop you?¡±


    ¡°I think we can work well if we are aware of the situation. We¡¯re highly skilled people trained to withstand a high level of stress. We¡¯re experts not only on weapons but also onm, op, intel, and medical, so if I know what¡¯s happening, I might be able to help.¡±


    ¡°The night I met Adley for the first time, she met my half-brother-¡±


    ¡°Knox Hartford?¡±


    I wanted to roll my eyes. ¡°Who else? Is there anyone else that I don¡¯t know about? Yes. It¡¯s Knox.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    I red at him. ¡°They did not have a one-night stand.¡±


    He rxed in his seat with his hands in ck leather gloves like Agent 47 on the steering wheel while I could barely breathe. ¡°I¡¯m not judging, boss. It¡¯s just the circumstance, like fate brought you together. What happened?¡±


    ¡°I met this woman-¡±


    ¡°The woman you blocked after posting ament-¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°How the fuck-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of my job, boss, to dig for possible risk. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I found out that woman was in the same building and floor with Knox.¡±


    His brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a possibility that that woman intentionally picked you. She must have known your brother. Anyway, you slept with that woman while Knox was with Mrs. C.¡±


    I cringed out. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°I hit on Adley in the elevator.¡±


    ¡°The same night? When you asked me about Mrs. C¡¯s address?¡± he asked, surprised. Now I saw the judgment. ¡°That¡¯s messed up even for you. And let me guess, she didn¡¯t know you¡¯re Mr. Hartford¡¯s half-brother.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and boom.¡± I made that explosion sign.


    ¡°Oh, boy. If you did not tell her, how did she find out?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanna know.¡±


    ¡°Why did you not tell her? I mean, you¡¯ve been with her for months-¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to help me or make me feel guiltier? Because right now it¡¯s working, Ryder, and while Adley is mad at me, I can¡¯t also find her, and that fucking Langston just lost her on his watch!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss. Your fault is you kept the truth from her-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking think I don¡¯t know that?¡± My heart began crashing as the reality settled in my mind.


    ¡°You can¡¯t reach her phone. Obviously, your wife knew what she was doing. Why don¡¯t you give her some time alone, you know? To get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°I wanna find her and exin.¡±


    ¡°Call Mr. Lex Kross or anyone at his house.¡± Did he just order me?


    ¡°Thanks, boss,¡± I said sarcastically.


    ¡°My apology. I mean that Mr. Kross would answer your call because he has your number, and you want to find out where your wife might be.¡±


    I dialed Lex.


    ¡°Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Is my wife with you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is she not in her office?¡±


    ¡°We have a little misunderstanding. Adley turned off her phone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at home, but she¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Son, why would I lie and keep your wife away from you?¡±


    ¡°My apologies. I just wanna talk to Adley.¡±


    ¡°A matter of life and death situation. Let me guess. She found out about your half-brother.¡±


    I clenched my teeth hard before saying, ¡°How do you even know?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my granddaughter. Of course, I know who she met and the people in her circle to the T, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Then you know thest person she talked to.¡±


    ¡°Your father¡¯s woman.¡± This man sometimes was crazy and creepy. Fuck me.


    My hopes rose. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna know, but thanks, Lex. Bye.¡±


    I dialed my father. ¡°Son, what a surprise?¡±


    ¡°I need Lyra¡¯s number.¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong? Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t reach my wife.¡± I made a better excuse before he informed Lyra. ¡°Her phone must have run out of battery.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m sending it to you now.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dru.¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡±


    Sax checked out on me through the rearview every second.


    I received Lyra¡¯s number and hit the call immediately. It rang a few times before she picked it up as if she second thought answering my call.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Lyra, this is Mykel. I know my wife is with you, and we had a fight. I can¡¯t reach her number. Please, I need to talk to her. It¡¯s is urgent.¡±


    ¡°Mykel? Oh, hi. Come again. What happened?¡± I knew people when they tried to stall, which Lyra exactly was doing.


    ¡°Lyra, please. I wanna make this right, okay. I¡¯m sure your intention is good. You can put this on speaker. I want my wife to hear this-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid-¡±


    ¡°Lyra, I¡¯m worried sick. She can stay with you if she wants, but I wanna make sure she¡¯s okay. Romare, her driver, is also looking for her. If within a few hours I can¡¯t find my wife, I may have to call the firm for search and rescue and report her missing-¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be missing for forty-eight hours before you file a report for a missing person?¡± I got that she was smart, but I was desperate.


    ¡°She¡¯s married to a billionaire and an heiress worth billions. The risk in her life is high, Lyra. She could be kidnapped. That¡¯s why I need to know-¡±


    Sax was hiding hisugh behind the wheel.


    ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake, Mykel, you can now stop terrifying the pregnant woman!¡± The call cut off instantly.


    ¡°Baby? Adley!¡± I stared at the screen for awful seconds.


    ¡°Fuck. This woman is a royal pain in the ass.¡± I was afraid my phone would crack in my grip.


    ¡°At least we know now your wife¡¯s okay, but you were pretty convincing there, boss. I mean, pulling the billionaire heiress card-¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Ryder.¡±


    Sax chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the Hartford residence at thirty miles per hour. The weather is-¡±


    ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± My eyes narrowed to slits. I knew he was trying to make fun of me, but he was pissing me off instead. ¡°Just drive and inform Kye-¡±


    ¡°He was listening to the conversation the whole time, boss.¡±


    I shook my head while looking outside the window. ¡°Un-fucking-believable.¡±


    ¡°Comm, boss.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    After a fucking long stretching hour, we entered my father¡¯s house.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lyra?¡± I asked the helper.


    ¡°Let me help you, Mr. Creed.¡±


    ¡°I can find my way. Just tell me where.¡±


    ¡°In the nursery, Mr. Creed. Can I bring you some refreshments?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good. Thanks.¡± I turned to Sax. ¡°Stay here. She might n on exiting the back door.¡±


    ¡°On it, boss.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I climbed upstairs. My father¡¯s house was as big as mine, but the rooms were aligned like in the hotel. I passed the hallway to the end. Once I reached the nursery, I recognized my wife¡¯s voice; the other was Lyra. They wereughing while talking about colors.


    She seemed okay while I was worried as fuck.


    ¡°Juste in, Mykel!¡± Fuck. She knew.


    I pushed the door open to find them sitting in the middle with sets of color charts on the floor.


    Adley finally lifted her gaze at me. My heart bled in pain as I did not see the warmth in her eyes that I got used to.

 Chapter 48

    ADLEY


    I listened to him terrify the poor pregnant woman. I knew he would find out I was with Lyra, but I didn¡¯t realize it would take him that long to figure out. I knew it was only a matter of time before he would burst into this door.


    I was still mad and freaking hurt. And I felt like our rtionship was built on lies. The whole damn time we were together, I felt like it was all part of his game. I wondered what was the catch that he was willing to go to that extent for this marriage. Not definitely for the money and power. Ego? Probably, because honestly, I also had connections and money. I came from a prominent family. My grandfather was as wealthy as him. They both ran billion-dor empires. So my marriage to him would boost his power and ego. But that¡¯s not it. I was missing something here.


    Lyra became like a sister I never had. She looked at the security monitor in her hand, watched the car enter the gate earlier, and informed me that it was definitely Mykel.


    A shadow behind the door caught my eye as we scanned the color charts spread on the floor. I knew it was Mykel.


    I met his gaze. He looked worried, but everyone could be a good actor when desperate.


    Lyra helped herself to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two alone to talk.¡±


    I nodded and felt sorry for the disruption.


    She stopped when she was in front of Mykel, gripping his arm. ¡°Just be honest, Mykel.¡±


    He looked down at her and nodded in agreement.


    I went to the rocking chair. The first time I saw it, I once imagined being a mother as I rocked my baby to sleep. Right now, I didn¡¯t think it would happen sooner.


    He leaned against the changing table, and I felt his eyes on me.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the time in the world. You should start talking, or I walk out.¡±


    ¡°Just like that, huh? You¡¯re not willing to listen to my exnation.¡±


    ¡°I think I understand everything perfectly fine.¡± I kept looking away. I couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t want to see the pain in his eyes. I took it as my weakness.


    ¡°Baby, you don¡¯t know half of the truth. And please, look at me.¡±


    My eyes started to burn as I met his gaze.


    ¡°I tried telling you once, but then your phone rang. I wanted to try again, but we were so happy. I didn¡¯t wanna sour our moment. Then it slipped my mind.¡±


    ¡°You never tried again? Like after we met your father.¡±


    ¡°I was scared.¡±


    ¡°Of what?¡± I raised my voice, frustrated.


    He shrugged off.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? We agreed on not keeping secrets. We¡¯ve been doing great for the past weeks, and I was happy and normal. I felt like I was in the best ce with you.¡± I huffed out my frustration, throwing my hands in the air. ¡°And then-¡± I squeezed my eyes shut. When I met his gaze again, he was also in pain, guilty, and struggling to deal with this matter because he honestly had no other excuse.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t wanna deal with it. I was okay with the fact that he met you first, and you liked him.¡±


    ¡°It was just a hookup, Mykel. You do that all the time.¡±


    ¡°Yet he called your phone and texted youst night.¡±


    ¡°He did not,¡± I affirmed and confused. I didn¡¯t see Knox¡¯s message and didn¡¯t definitely see his call. ¡°In fact, I haven¡¯t talked or texted him since west met.¡±


    ¡°I deleted the message on your phone and the call logs.¡±


    I was on my feet, ring at him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Why did you do that? You have a trust issue over me?¡±


    He swallowed and ran his fingers through his hair. He sighed deeply. ¡°I didn¡¯t like him talking to you.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because you thought I would run back into his arms? Nothing happened because I felt we were not good for each other. I felt off. I mean, he was kind and funny, but I didn¡¯t feel the connection. Are you really this dumb? For God¡¯s sake, Mykel, I chose you over him. And he¡¯s your brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He dropped his gaze.


    ¡°And do you think your single sorry would fix your lies after what you did and all?¡± I smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Of course not. That¡¯s why I am here.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°I want to fix my mistakes.¡±


    I should believe what he said, but I doubted it this time. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand you, Mykel. You let me down.¡± My heart felt like shrinking.


    ¡°I¡¯m jealous and don¡¯t know what to do with it, knowing I am jealous with my own blood. And it fucking sucks knowing you first kissed my brother-¡±


    Iughed sarcastically. ¡°That was ages ago. And do you think it was okay with me kissing him then I married you? But I didn¡¯t take offense to the fact that you banged the other woman next door even though it sometimes hurt. And knowing you slept with most women in the city, I still didn¡¯t keep the grudge against you because I trusted you. I believed we have something-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me anymore?¡± A deep frown formed between his brows while knots coiled in my belly.


    ¡°You lied to me, Mykel. You kept the truth from me. You deleted Knox¡¯s message. It only meant one thing-you never trusted me. Abandonment issue much?¡± I picked up my back and was about to leave when he held my wrist.


    ¡°Let me make this right, baby.¡±


    ¡°Let me think about this.¡± I tore my wrist free. ¡°And I need time.¡±


    ¡°Baby, it¡¯s just-¡±


    I faced him. ¡°A lie?¡± I shook my head and disappointment. ¡°After all, our rtionship started with a lie.¡±


    ***


    I went home to my apartment. I felt like I had lost my strength and still carried tons of loads over my shoulder.


    ¡°Come in.¡± ze opened his arms for me.


    I literally threw myself at him, and he hugged me tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dropping by unannounced.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? It¡¯s still your apartment.¡±


    ¡°You knew?¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t help when your driver rushed into my office, asking about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡±


    ¡°Stop apologizing. Couples, married or not, friends always have misunderstandings. You¡¯re gonna be okay. You two should work this out instead of running away.¡±


    I pulled away. ¡°You don¡¯t know what happened.¡±


    ¡°I think I do. I warned him-¡±


    ¡°You knew? And you didn¡¯t tell me?¡± When he looked at me with are-you-kidding-me-looked on his face, I slumped myself into the sofa.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a secret and definitely not mine to tell. Howe you never found it out ever since you crawled in bed with him, living under the same roof, and for God¡¯s sake, you are married to Mykel. This should not be an issue.¡±


    ¡°Crawled in bed? Seriously? You made me sound like a whore.¡± I curled my upper lip in disgust.


    ¡°Seriously, Adley?¡± He even made me look like a lousy wife.


    ¡°You¡¯re on his side now?¡± I sneered.


    He shook his head as he sat on the chair to my right. ¡°You¡¯re taking this all wrong.¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°Did he talk to you into this?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve known Mykel for months-he is verypetitive and loves to challenge himself. He might havepetition with his brother, proving himself that he¡¯s better than Knox-¡±


    ¡°Does he, though? Better than Knox? Of course, he¡¯s fucking awesome than Knox! No questions ask!¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re a terrible best friend.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a horrible wife, Adley. That man had moved mountains for you, and you did not even realize how much he sacrificed in his life for you. I mean, you¡¯re gonna ruin your marriage because he kept the not-so-secret from you?¡± He quoted in the air. ¡°You¡¯re an ungrateful bitch, best friend. Sorry, I¡¯m not sorry.¡±


    I should have been offended, but I wasn¡¯t. I just stared at him in utter shock.


    ¡°Tell me, who kissed you the best?¡±


    I wrinkled my nose. ¡°Do you have to ask me that?¡±


    ¡°Who made you wet and gave you tingles? Who made you scream?¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡± I felt my cheeks burning.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Not until you admit that you have feelings for Mykel.¡±


    ¡°You know the answer to that.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Adley, but I don¡¯t. You never admitted anything to me. And that¡¯s not eptable. Who are you thinking of right now? Hartford or Creed? Who made you feel sexy? Who cares for you?¡±


    ¡°Stop this nonsense, ze. You¡¯re insane-¡±


    ¡°Who do you wanna fuck you?¡±


    ¡°Fine! Mykel!¡± I found myself standing, my hands on my lips, as I red down at ze. ¡°Happy?¡±


    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡±


    I slumped myself back to the couch, crossing my arms over my chest as I frowned deeply.


    ¡°You just have to bnce what matters in your life, Adley. I love you and always will. You will encounter more issues, uncertainties, and challenges throughout your marriage. Sometimes, it would cross your mind if he¡¯s fucking someone else and cheating on you when he¡¯s out of town. Would your love and trust win over your doubts?¡±


    I red at him, keeping my mouth shut.


    ¡°You love Mykel. You don¡¯t have to tell me. I can see it deep in your eyes, in your soul. Give him another chance if you think your feelings matter more than your anger. Knox and your past should be the least of your worry. His past didn¡¯t even matter to you. You epted him because deep in your heart, you know he was true to you the whole time.¡±


    Finally, I wiped a tear that rolled from my eye.


    I spent dinner with ze. He ordered Chinese. It was supposed to meet my appetite, but I bare touched my meal. My mind went back to what ze had told me.


    ¡°He called asking if you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for dinner. Are you not gonna go and stay with Elise?¡±


    ¡°You need me more. To add to your conscience, you¡¯re not making it easier for her job, best friend.¡± He made an emphasis on the word best friend.


    ¡°Well, thank you, too, best friend. I¡¯m hitting the bed.¡±


    I went to my room. I still have clothes here. I changed into myfy pajama and went to the attached bathroom. After I brushed my teeth, I slipped into my nket and tucked myself in.


    ¡°Call me if you need anything like a shoulder to cry on after realizing what a terrible decision you made.¡±


    ¡°I hate you, but thank you.¡±


    ¡°Wee and good night.¡±


    I fell asleep immediately until I woke up in the middle of the night with a full dder and a warm breath fanning my neck.


    How did he get in here? That was a terrible question.


    I slowly slipped myself off his arm to make sure not to wake him up. At some point, the situation did not bother me anymore. All I needed was a night of sleep.


    Toote to realize that I was in a queen-size bed, and suddenly, I found myself on the floor wincing in pain. The sound just woke him up.


    ¡°Baby?¡± Mykel was ncing down at me with a shock on his face. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°What are you even doing here?¡± I swatted his hand off. He wanted to help me while I tried to stand up. ¡°Never mind. Go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°You also wanna know if I what I¡¯m gonna do in the bathroom?¡± I snapped. I was grouchy, maybe because I slept alone in bed and woke in the middle of the night with a bedmate, fell off the bed, and my butt was sore.¡±


    After emptying the dder, I returned to the room and found him leaning against the headboard, staring down at his hand-at his wedding ring.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± My voice surprised him.


    He shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Get back to sleep.¡± I crawled back to bed and tucked myself in.


    ¡°Hey. I know we haven¡¯t gotten in touch for months, but I hope you cane to my gallery at Sandroad street, corner Abbey.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have to ask what that was all about. Lyra mentioned Knox being an artist.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I was afraid to see my whole life wiped out in only a matter of one secret.¡±

 Chapter 49

    MYKEL


    I had to be grateful despite the space between us. Adley came back home to me, and that was what mattered most. I would make it up every day for the rest of my life until she would learn to forgive me.


    She was checking herself in the mirror when I came in. She wore a blue dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her round ass should be a sin, and those ample round tits gave me a constant hard-on.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°You look fantastic.¡± I smiled at our reflections in the mirror.


    ¡°Not bad yourself.¡± There was no life in her reply, and it fucking hurt.


    I couldn¡¯t take another second-I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the side of her head. I closed my eyes and took her smell in my chest before I let her go.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± She was staring at me.


    ¡°Foring home.¡± This time I tend to tell her everything. No more secrets.


    Her smile was genuine. ¡°There¡¯s no ce I¡¯d rather be. Anyway, there¡¯s something I wanna tell you.¡±


    My heart skipped a bit. I didn¡¯t like this kind of intro.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I tried to calm down, but I almost didn¡¯t make that one word out. I felt my tongue stuck in my mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should tell you this, but Lyra opened up to me, so I guess this is not a secret in the family.¡±


    ¡°What is it about?¡±


    She turned to face me. ¡°Lyra¡¯s baby is not your father¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck? Does Dru know about it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In fact, your father volunteered to help Lyra leave work while she¡¯s pregnant. They¡¯re not romantically involved, but I guessed they greatly care for each other.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the sperm donor?¡±


    ¡°Lyra¡¯s first andst boyfriend didn¡¯t want to be involved. She said he denied that it¡¯s his.¡±


    ¡°Fucking asshole,¡± I grunted out.


    ¡°See? I think Dru wanted to help her because he felt guilty about his past. He gave the poor woman a roof to stay in when her parents literally threw her out of their lives.¡±


    ¡°She mentioned about her family being traditional.¡± That made sense.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give him a chance?¡±


    I nodded. It had been in my heart for a long time. Maybe it was about time to let go of the past and move on. I didn¡¯t know if it would be easy for all of us, but baby fucking steps, right?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She hooked her arm around mine.


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna do this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nning to support your family, mine, and my friends for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for doing this.¡± I covered her hand with mine.


    ¡°He¡¯s still your half brother, Mykel. He¡¯s family.¡±


    We arrived at the address he texted Adley. I had not seen the ce. Kye only told me the details.


    Knox¡¯s gallery was not big but pretty decent. Knowing he did not ask for my father¡¯s help, he would not certainlye to me and ask anything, maybe even if his life was in danger.


    Yesterday, I screenshotted his post on his Instagram ount and posted it on my ount, and it received a lot of buzz from my friends and followers.


    The gallery was surprisingly almost crowded now. I spotted him right away. Knox was an inch or two shorter than me, but we had some simrities. He had long curly hair, and he got his hazel eyes from his mother. Adley told me that I had strong and edgy features, while Knox, on the other hand, had softer.


    ¡°Mykel, what a surprise? I didn¡¯t know that you woulde.¡± He extended his hand while Adley was elbowing me.


    ¡°Knox.¡± I pulled him into a brotherly hug. After that, I cleared my throat. ¡°I want you to meet someone-¡±


    ¡°That I already knew.¡± He smiled. ¡°Hey, Adley.¡± They hugged each other. If it had happened before I told Adley who Knox was, I might rip her away from Knox, but this time was different. She made a choice, and I was grateful and lucky that I still mattered to her.


    ¡°This is amazing.¡±


    ¡°You know. Well, the least I can do, is use my talent since I¡¯m the half-brother.¡± That must have been difficult for him. I always felt insignificant and useless when people acknowledged me for being Dru Hartford¡¯s son even though I was using Creed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you felt that way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not only that, but she also chose you over me.¡± His smile was mischievous, but I got it. ¡°My surprise, you two are married just a week after I met her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    ¡°Nah, man. I¡¯m good. She¡¯s yours. And I can see that now. You two are a match made in heaven.¡± He offered his hand again. ¡°Water under the bridge?¡±


    We did a handshake. ¡°Water under the bridge.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for helping me spread the word. Your post helped. I guess the perk of having a billionaire brother. Half-brother,¡± he corrected himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you. You made us proud. I know you would nevere and ask for my help, but it doesn¡¯t have to be of anything. You¡¯re always wee.¡±


    His brow arched. ¡°What changed?¡± I knew he would ask that.


    I nced at Adley, waving at Lyra walking in our direction.


    ¡°I see.¡± Knox nodded. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you. Don¡¯t break her heart, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Not gonna happen.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Mykel, Knox.¡± My father joined us. After exchanging some pleasantries, I saw the look in Dru¡¯s eyes. He looked happy. ¡°This is wonderful, son.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have a business mind as him.¡± He pointed at me. ¡°Or as theoretical brain as yours, I¡¯m good with my hands and colors.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dad. Please, check some paintings, and don¡¯t go home empty-handed. I have some guests to entertain. And Mykel, it¡¯s nothing personal. It¡¯s just an art.¡± He grinned at me.


    ¡°What the hell is he talking about?¡± I asked my father as I watched Knox walk away.


    ¡°I have no idea, son. Thank you for being okay with this.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time to leave the past behind. Adley made me realize the importance of family. There¡¯s no such thing as a perfect family. You just have to ept their ws and mistakes and be there for them. I think I had enough fair share of pain and suffering. I want to be happy with my wife, and I want you and Lyra, Knox, and your unborn child to be a part of my life, as well.¡±

 Chapter 50

    MYKEL


    ¡°How did your mother respond to this?¡± My father¡¯s eyes glittered with unshed tears as he smiled at me.


    ¡°She¡¯s one of the reasons why I¡¯m doing this.¡± I smiled back as I recalled Mom saying to give my father onest chance.


    ¡°Thank you. And the baby-¡±


    ¡°I know. You did great, Dru.¡± I gripped his shoulder.


    ¡°Thanks, son.¡± He pped my shoulder. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I got to go and check on Adley.¡±


    I found her standing in front of a massive painting with a Champagne in her grip with her serious look, scrutinizing it.


    ¡°Do you like that?¡± I wrapped my arm around her waist.


    ¡°Intrigue.¡±


    The more I looked at the painting, the longer it became a familiar face. It was like an illusion. I was not an art connoisseur, but the techniques and the details made sense. ¡°Do you see what I see?¡±


    ¡°I think your brother is amazing.¡± She sipped her champagne.


    ¡°I tried hard not to take offense on that. But yeah. It¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awesome in your own way, big guy. Don¡¯tpare yourself to your brother. You both are unique in so many ways. You know what question convinced me that I would always choose you?¡±


    I looked her in the eye. ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°ze asked me two days ago if who was I gonna choose to-you know.¡± She just blushed.


    My gaze stayed in her eyes for a moment before dropping to her lips. ¡°That broke the deal?¡± A warm tingle fluttered through my belly, knowing she would still choose me over Knox.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sheughed.


    The art dealer walked in. ¡°The most challenging piece he did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s sold.¡±


    ¡°To whom? How much? I¡¯ll double the price.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She looked puzzled. Well, she should be.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I noticed my brothering toward us. I called him, ¡°Knox!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Who bought this one?¡± I pointed out the impressive art on the wall.


    ¡°I can¡¯t reveal the buyer, bro. Why?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s your model?¡±


    He smiled cunningly.


    ¡°Figured. You¡¯re full of mischief. I¡¯ll double the price.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I sold that piece.¡±


    ¡°A hundred?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not famous, bro.¡± He turned to the dealer. ¡°It¡¯s a favor. I¡¯m giving the other buyer fifteen percent less on any paintings he will choose, and this guy is donating to The Children and Paints.¡±


    The dealer incredulously ping-ponged her gaze between us.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s my ass half-¡±


    ¡°Brother,¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you Mykel Creed?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it alwayses down to that.¡± Knox rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I am. Ignore him. He¡¯s a pain in his own ass tonight. So deal?¡± I grinned and held out my hand.


    ¡°I still looked more attractive than him. He only got money-¡±


    ¡°And a beautiful wife,¡± I cut in.


    ¡°I can now clearly see the same DNA running in your veins,¡± Adleymented.


    ¡°I met her first,¡± Knox mentioned.


    ¡°But she chose me.¡±


    Bemused, the dealer shook my hand. ¡°Whoever pays higher. I¡¯ll tell him there¡¯s some kind of mishaps.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, bro. I should paint her more often.¡±


    ¡°I will charge you next time,¡± Adley replied.


    ¡°You¡¯d do that to me? You brother-inw?¡±


    Adley rolled her eyes, beaming. ¡°Kidding. You¡¯re brilliant.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. You still chose him, though.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°Sorry, Knox. I go for an older guy.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She got a pinch on her side from me.


    My father and Lyra left the eventter on. After we received the painting, we went home right away.


    In the car, Adley was scrolling Knox¡¯s Instagram ount.


    ¡°See something you like?¡±


    ¡°Are you still jealous of Knox?¡± She found one picture and zoomed it in. ¡°I thought you got most of your looks from Mom.¡± I loved that she called my mother Mom.


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°The shape of your face, nose, and jaw. Your eyes are from Mom, also your lips and hair.¡±


    I snatched the phone from her. ¡°I think I had enough of Knox for tonight that willst next month.¡± I leaned in closer and whispered, ¡°You might as well scream his name instead of mer tonight.¡±


    ¡°And if that happens?¡±


    ¡°I might have to wring his neck.¡± I was not joking about wringing my brother¡¯s neck, but that must be the end of my life if something happened like that, even by mistake.


    Adley cupped my face and pressed her lips into me. ¡°You hurt me in less than forty-eight hours ago-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s passed forty-eight hours, baby.¡± I stared directly into her eyes.


    ¡°Who cares? Anyway, but I¡¯m here with you and giving us another chance-¡±


    ¡°Because you chose to fu-¡± She kissed me again to stop me from saying the word.


    ¡°You¡¯re so filthy. How did I let you kiss me with your filthy mouth?¡±


    ¡°I have a few ideas.¡± This time, I kissed her. When she kissed me back, I deepened, slipping my tongue in her mouth, tasting her sweet as a honey mouth. I groaned as she raked her fingers through my hair, digging her fingernails into my scalp.


    I was instantly hard. She gasped for air as I broke the kiss and ran my tongue down her jaw to the sensitive spot of her neck, inhaling her sweet and seductive scent, kissing, sucking, nipping, and licking her skin.


    ¡°Mykel.¡±


    I ignored her, calling my name to stop me. I moved my lips to her ear, biting her earlobe and breathing.


    A moan slipped from her throat. ¡°Mykel?¡±


    I lowered my head toward her chest, licking the swell of her tit and sucking it into my mouth.


    ¡°Mykel, stop. We¡¯re on the road.¡±


    ¡°I want you, baby.¡± I was hard as steel. The zipper of my pants was ready to pop.


    ¡°Me too, but not here.¡±


    I continued nting soft kisses on the valley of her tits. She smelled divine, addicting, and she was driving me insane.


    ¡°Babe, you¡¯ll get what you want if you behave for a while.¡± That stopped me.


    I lifted my gaze and stared at her.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You called me babe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So?¡±


    I pressed a kiss on her lips once again. It was quick, but I was satisfied and smiling the entire ride.

 Chapter 51

    ADLEY


    ¡°Not every day I¡¯m being summoned to the principal office.¡± ze made an entrance as he entered my office.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± No one knew his promotion aside from Mykel and Grandpa. I was still updating the document before the finalization.


    ¡°What is this all about?¡±


    For a brief moment, I nced at him.


    ¡°Let me guess. You¡¯d say, thanks, ze, Mykel, and I made up, and I¡¯m carrying a baby Creed.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°We¡¯re working in progress, but thanks for the pep talk. But that¡¯s not why you¡¯re here.¡±


    His brows furrowed. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Talk to me as your employer, not as your best friend. How happy are you with your job?¡±


    ¡°Is this an evaluation?¡± His brows furrowed.


    ¡°Nope. I want you to be honest with me.¡±


    ¡°Am I gonna be fired if I say bad things?¡±


    Iughed. ¡°For being honest? Nope. Rate your experience as COO.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m serious, ze.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I have loved the job since the beginning. You know that. It¡¯s challenging, but all jobs are not easy. Where can I find a COO seat who would hire me?¡±


    ¡°Are you staying for another year? Or are you looking for another job for a change?¡±


    ¡°Before I became a COO, yeah, but I¡¯m very wellpensated. So, I¡¯m staying for another year.¡±


    I pulled a folder from my drawer and pushed it to him. ¡°Think about it. I need your answer before Friday.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± He opened the folder. I watched his eyes widen before he stared at me. ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about time. My grandfather needs me. You¡¯re the only person I trust to run thispany like your baby. You know how much I love what we do here, but I have to go with my calling. It breaks my heart, but I know K&B will be in good hands.¡±


    ¡°How did Mykel take your decision?¡±


    ¡°We did it together. He¡¯s on board because he doesn¡¯t want to buy my parents¡¯ assets. But we¡¯re still in the process of finalizing our ns. One thing we¡¯re sure of is I have to step down as K&B¡¯s CEO. That¡¯s the first step.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the offer. I¡¯ll have my final decision on Friday.¡±


    ¡°Please, consider it?¡± I gave him a puppy eye look.


    ¡°You¡¯re a terrible boss to me, anyway.¡±


    Iughed at him. ¡°That, I believe you.¡±


    After the door closed behind him, I looked around my office. I would surely be going to miss this, Kaelie, the team, and everyone. I took a deep breath as I tried to let it all sink in.


    I dialed Mykel.


    ¡°Baby?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°How did he take it?¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly cool with it. I hope he will ept my offer because it¡¯s hard for me to offer the position to someone I don¡¯t fully trust.¡± My eyes became teary.


    ¡°I know how much you love K&B, but it won¡¯t go anywhere. Different management would just handle it. And I know how personal is this for you, but it¡¯s ze who would run it.¡±


    ¡°If he won¡¯t turn down my offer.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t. I can be persuasive if he ns on turning it down.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your influence on this, Mykel. I want him to ept it from the bottom of his heart.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, baby.¡±


    ¡°I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Take care.¡±


    ***


    We woke up in the middle of the night. This time, we made love. It was vani. We took it slow, and it felt unbelievably good, unlike after the gallery event. We didn¡¯t make it to bed. We ended up hard banging against the door and on the stairs. We were like wild and starved animals. He rocked my world. When I thought I hade so hard, I was wrong. That night, I couldn¡¯t see the word fuck the same ever again. It surprised Mykel as well. That was how good we were together.


    I made a surprise visit to his office, but instead, I was the one who got the surprise in the end.


    I almost bumped into the woman that I thought looked familiar. I just couldn¡¯t point my finger at where I met her. At that point, I felt my chest constrict painfully, and my heart beat awfully hard.


    I ignored the twist in my lower belly. I met Elise at her desk, yelling over the phone.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I touched her shoulder, and she was giving me my back.


    ¡°Nothing is okay! I¡¯m gonna be fired! What do you want?¡± She yelled at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± I understand she was under much pressure working in a giantpany like this.


    She must have recognized my voice now as she froze in her seat. She spun her chair with wide eyes. Her hair was messy, and her face was flushed.


    ¡°Oh, my God. I¡¯m so sorry, Adley.¡± She looked embarrassed, covering her face with her hands.


    ¡°Are you okay? I heard you were yelling on the phone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure my job is still secure, but I¡¯ll be fine. I was yelling at the reception and the security.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t take much of your time, but is Mykel in the office?¡±


    She could barely nod. ¡°Yes. Maybe you can calm him down. I¡¯d never seen him pissed off like this since I worked for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll check up on him. Thanks.¡±


    I drew a long breath before I pushed the door open.


    ¡°What the fuck do you want? How many times have I told you I don¡¯t fucking wanna be disturbed right now, even if it¡¯s the president of the United States of America.¡± He was facing the window. The view was spectacr. It wouldpletely ease my headache if I sat in his position.


    ¡°Even your wife?¡±


    He froze a moment before he spun his chair. ¡°Adley?¡±


    ¡°Tough day for a tough guy, huh?¡± I strolled toward his desk. ¡°Nice view.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that.¡± He looked guilty, but I could still feel the rage vibrating in him, and the tension was all over the room.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Can I get a hug for a second?¡±


    I smiled sympathetically. ¡°Remember when you told me the only one missing in your office is me.¡± I sat on his desk. He pulled me closer, lifting me so I could sit on hisp.


    ¡°How could I forget? You look gorgeous while you¡¯re offended at what I said. I wanted to cup your head and kiss you hard and breathless that day.¡± He wrapped his arms around me, pressed his nose on my back, and breathed deeply.


    I turned my head to kiss him. It was quick and sweet. ¡°Did you threaten to fire Elise?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. I might have said that she has only one job and can¡¯t do it right.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a mean boss, you know.¡± I covered his hands with mine. ¡°You should apologizeter. I know your job needs a lot of focus and critical thinking, but when did Elise let you down and fail to do her job? You might as well evaluate yourself and not just your employees.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, baby,¡± he muttered. His voice was still shaky.


    ¡°Now tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°Remember-¡±


    It suddenly came back to me like shes. ¡°The woman I almost bumped in the elevator. I was getting in, and she was getting out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She came here after creating chaos down when our security didn¡¯t allow her toe up without an appointment. She threatened to ruin me-¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I held my breath, hoping his answer wouldn¡¯t be terrible as I thought.


    ¡°Sexual assault.¡±


    I gasped in shock. My hand flew to my chest, and my heart just stopped in momentum. A chill ran through my body at the thought of Mykel facing that kind of charge.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what happened, baby. You have to trust me.¡± He held my hands, squeezing them.


    ¡°I believe you.¡±


    ¡°Before you walked in, I was just done talking to mywyers. I told them what had happened. It was just one time and mutual. I also told them about herments on my post.¡±


    I rose from hisp when I regained my bnce. I looked outside the window. It was beautiful and peaceful, unlike how I felt, and my brain was also chaotic. I couldn¡¯t say another word, but many scenarios kept popping in my head, and it broke my already broken heart into a million more pieces.


    ¡°Maybe she wants money.¡± That was all I could think of.


    ¡°If I offer her, she can use that against me. And I would never do that because I¡¯m not guilty. Did you ever doubt my words?¡±


    I instantly looked at Mykel, who looked about to break down. ¡°Never. I trust you with all my heart. You could have done it with me if you ever sexually assaulted that woman or if you were ever that kind of person. May I ask you something personal?¡±


    ¡°Do you really have to ask me?¡±


    I slowly shook my head. ¡°Was she drunk when it happened?¡±


    ¡°No. She drove the car. I would have known if she was drunk. She came to me and invited me to her apartment.¡±


    ¡°Did it turn physical, or did you both do some, you know, kinks?¡±


    ¡°It was just sex in bed.¡± He shut his eyes closed. They filled with apologies, guilt, and regrets when he cracked them open. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, baby. I don¡¯t wanna hurt you-¡±


    ¡°I need to know, Mykel.¡±I need to know what happened, even if it breaks my heart.


    ¡°Sex in bed. Once. I swear. When I put my clothes on, she grabbed my hand. She wanted me to spend the night, but that¡¯s not how I do it. I have rules-one woman, one time in one night. I don¡¯t want to make itplicated. She told me, you¡¯re not fun, Mykel. Then I left.¡±


    ¡°If you did nothing wrong, no one would believe her.¡±


    ¡°She said she would go to the tv station or post on Twitter. She would expose me on social media.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a sexual predator. The truth will always prevail, babe. You¡¯re gonna be okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I dragged you into my mess. You¡¯re about to execute the major change in your life, then this happened.¡± He threw his hands in the air, frustrated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. That can wait.¡± I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. ¡°Be strong for me. For us. It¡¯s just a bump in the road.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what would I do without you, Adley.¡±

 Chapter 52

    MYKEL


    The horrible feeling when you were in a scenario where your world was being pulled under your feet, you became helpless, grabbed the nothingness until you fell into the profound loss and sadness.


    I felt that way when it all sunk in-my denial turned into reality, and I knew my life would crumble before me at any moment.


    I have lived my life to the fullest for the past five years. Those countless sleepless nights, those days of exhaustion, no baths, empty stomach, trials, rejections, and humiliation had finally paid off. I deserved it.


    All you wanted to do was to celebrate that eventually, the world was in your favor-you tasted the fruit of your sess.


    People had seen your capabilities-to some, you became their inspiration, some idolized you-to some, you were just a joke, some took advantage of your status, and some didn¡¯t want to see you on top of their world, wanting to drag you down with their failures.


    I have had the best life since I seed in capital ventures. I found the love of my life, had true friends, and got my family back. The people who believed me had my support in return. I had a great life, and I could not ask for more.


    Then the past I preferred to be kept in the past wanted toe back and fucking bite me in my ass.


    ¡°Babe, are you done there?¡± I jerked at my wife¡¯s voice behind the shower¡¯s ss wall. I lost track of time but knew I had been there too long-my skin was hot and painful.


    ¡°Mykel?¡±


    I turned the rain shower off. ¡°Done.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let me dry your hair when-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, baby. It¡¯ste. Get in bed, please? I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± I could barely look at her. I was not guilty. She knew that, but I would have never expected that I could hurt her like this.


    Adley cared about me. I knew why she excused herself from the conference room while we had a video conference with mywyers. She went out because she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. It fucking hurt knowing the people you loved were in pain because of what I¡¯d done.


    She was scared to lose me. She was afraid of what would happen to me. She was terrified of losing all my hard work because of lies. Sometimes, you couldn¡¯t think the truth-would-prevail-bullshit when you were in a frightful difficult situation. Positive thinking didn¡¯t always work. You may also doubt God if He even existed, and the billion-dor question-why you?


    I got in bed, but my mind was still in turmoil. Adley was already there facing my side, but she was obviously struggling. I knew the feeling of trying tofort someone, yet you felt helpless on your own.


    Sheid her head on my shoulder, her palm resting on my chest. I was stiffed as a corpse as I stared up at the ceiling, looking back at what that bitch could possibly use against me. I was exhausted thinking of it. And any threats about my life and anyone I cared about, I didn¡¯t take it lightly.


    I should be pretty confident. I had the best defense attorneys in town, yet I was losing my shit. The case had not been filed yet, but my life would be over if this issue escted and be out in public, on gossip sites, and the social media.


    You could only imagine how trolls on social media easily judge and destroy you with false ims. It could ruin your life, your image, yourpany, and the people you loved because that was what they do.


    Mywyers advised me a long time ago to be very careful because I was not the person I was who had nothing to lose. I did not listen to their advice to protect my image from scandals. My fucking words finally got back to me and wed me in my ass.


    Adley kissed me on my shoulder. ¡°Everything is gonna be okay.¡± I knew all she wanted was to make me feel better.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    She held my cheek. ¡°Look at me, babe.¡±


    I turned to face her and looked her straight in the eye. It bled my heart to see the deep sorrow in her beautiful soul. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Whatever she had against me, I know it won¡¯t stick. I did not do anything wrong.¡±


    It cringed me, realizing I slept with that bitch. I respected women, and forcing someone to have sex with me? That was even horrifying to think about it.


    ¡°I know.¡± Adley closed the gap between us, kissing me on my lips.


    I kissed her back, even if my chest was heavy. I would never let our lives be ruined and controlled by usations. I couldn¡¯t also use my wife and use sex as convenient whenever I was in pain and used it as an escape from reality.


    I stopped, letting out of shaky breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± My wife just apologized.


    Fuck. This was so fucked up and messing in my head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Never apologize to me, okay?¡±


    ¡°I apologize because I know you feel this is too much, and you¡¯re tired.¡±


    I looked her in the eye. ¡°This is not too much. I¡¯m exhausted, yes. But you know we always did even if we were both tired. But this time, I can¡¯t use you and sex as temporary relief of pain, as a band-aid, baby. You¡¯re my everything. I love you as I¡¯ve never loved anyone in my life.¡± I closed my eyes for a few seconds and took a deep breath-way of trying to be romantic at the wrong time.


    ¡°D-did you just-¡±


    I opened my eyes and chuckled wistfully. ¡°I¡¯m such an ass. I wanted to say it to you many times, but I refrained from saying it before or after sex. I was trying to find a way to say it in some ces romantic. Yet here we are.¡±


    She smiled, and the smile turned to a beam. ¡°Bed is always romantic.¡±


    ¡°When I just stopped us from making love? I just killed the romance, baby. How does it so romantic?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You just said you love me unless you don¡¯t mean it?¡±


    ¡°I meant every word, Adley. I love you.¡± I smiled, but I still felt the heaviness in my chest that it was almost hard to breathe.


    She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me so tight. I was good with her response, even if she did not say it back.


    ***


    I woke up with a terrible headache. I got up from bed and went to find some painkillers in the medicine cab. I swallowed two tabs.


    I did not only wake up with a killer headache, but I also woke up alone in bed and terriblyte.


    After using the bathroom, my stomach just growled. I remembered that I was barely able to swallow my dinnerst night.


    I went down to the kitchen only to find myself freezing in my spot. A lot of people were chatting at the dining table, including Lex. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡±


    ¡°Well, good morning, babe.¡± My enthusiastic wife came, tiptoed, and kissed me on my lips as if we were not carrying the world over our shoulders yesterday, even until now.


    ¡°How could you kiss that kind of mouth?¡± Lexmented, stabbing some sliced fruits on the te.


    ¡°A talented mouth, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Come and have breakfast, son.¡± It was my father, patting the empty chair beside him.


    ¡°I saw the painting. Well, who couldn¡¯t notice? I¡¯m impressed by the way. Perfect spot to hang it.¡± How in the fucking hell was Knox here? I was d he was here, but I was still puzzled by this sudden reunion.


    Adley thought the painting should be in the family living room, and she also printed the family photo and framed it. Additional touch to the family room. Her words, not mine.


    ¡°Imagine my disappointment when I received a call that there were some mimunications with my purchase. That¡¯s kind of a terrible mishap for art dealers, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that, Grandpa.¡± Adley showed a guilty smile.


    ¡°I understand. I know it was Mykel¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s vegetarian?¡± Elise and ze were carrying two full tes of sandwiches. ¡°In rice wrapper.¡±


    ¡°Are you just gonna stare at us?¡± ze seconded.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting heads.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared we¡¯re gonna empty your fridge?¡± Knox released a shortugh.


    ¡°Considering I might lose billions, yeah.¡± I snorted.


    Lex literally rolled his eyes, which he never did. He gestured his hand. ¡°Come and eat, Mykel.¡±


    I finally joined them, sitting beside my father and my wife in the host chair. I kissed Adley on the side of her head. ¡°How long have you been up?¡±


    ¡°Three hours. I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I had enough, babe.¡± She put a slice of toast on my te, a lot of scrambled eggs, sliced fruits, and bacon. ¡°Do you want some wrap veggies?¡±


    ¡°Looks pretty, but no thanks.¡±


    ¡°It tastes good, actually. It¡¯s refreshing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a sight of sore eyes and refreshing even if youck sleep.¡± I started digging in my breakfast.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lyra froze in her seat and grinned. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡± The way my father looked at Lyra and asked it melted my heart.


    ¡°She¡¯s surprisingly active today.¡±


    Then I watched Dru ce his hand on Lyra¡¯s growing tummy. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s already a badass.¡±


    Knox chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m d she¡¯s a girl.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong if a boy?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Another pain in the ass?¡±


    Everyoneughed at his answer.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s gonna be a pain in our asses, brother.¡±


    Lyra smiled delightedly. ¡°I¡¯m gonna teach her grima. Don¡¯t worry, boys.¡±


    ¡°Then she¡¯s gonna be a really butt-kicker,¡± my wife replied.


    Sax and Kye walked in with serious looks on their faces.


    I put my fork down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°No worries, boss,¡± Sax answered.


    I was about to rise from my chair when Adley held my hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have a lot to talk about. But not until you¡¯re done with your breakfast. You¡¯re gonna get sicked if you miss another meal.¡±


    I was still confused.


    ¡°Trust me. This is gonna be over soon.¡± Her assurance put my worry at bay for now. I trusted her judgment, and moreover, I trusted her with my life.


    Everyone went back to the living room while Adley dragged me into the conference room, which was big enough that could fit a basketball team. Kye was already there, setting up for a video conference while Sax was on theptop.


    ¡°What the fuck is going on, Sax?¡±


    ¡°Saving your loser ass, boss.¡±

 Chapter 53

    ADLEY


    I couldn¡¯t sleep. I was wide awake all night, trying to think how I could help Mykel, and as his partner in crime, I was terrible at giving emotional support.


    I got up from bed at four in the morning. I did yoga for a couple of minutes and then hit the shower.


    I was always a nner, but Mykel helped me loosen up. I was in the study, scrolling through my contacts when an idea popped into my head. I created a group and added who I considered family.


    I realized who could give more emotional support better than the people who cared about us, who would be there when things got tough, and who would help us without expecting reciprocity than family.


    I typed a message.


    ADLEY: Mykel needs us. Come to this address. Thanks.


    I sent it to the group and went to Sax and Kye at the guest house.


    Kye looked already up for a couple of hours. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Kye.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mrs. C. Good morning. How may I help you? Wannae in?¡±


    I entered the guest house with two rooms, a living room with a pool table, baths, and a kitchte. ¡°Did Mykel brief you with something?¡±


    Kye turned to Sax before he nodded. ¡°I believe my boss is innocent. He would not throw away his life for a woman-¡± He stopped. ¡°Not like you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°I understand. What did he ask you both to do?¡±


    ¡°Do our job and be vignt.¡±


    I raised a brow. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the boss wanted, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Romare isn¡¯t briefed?¡±


    ¡°Not necessary.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°So in your line of work, the securitypany you worked with, is it illegal to follow someone?¡±


    They exchanged looks again before Sax joined in. ¡°What do you have in mind, Mrs. C?¡±


    ¡°Adley isn¡¯t a mouthful.¡±


    ¡°My boss wouldn¡¯t be so thrilled to hear us calling you by your name, Mrs. C, but I gotta take that under advisement.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Anyway, I want you to hire someone who can run full surveince twenty-four seven. I don¡¯t care how much it costs.¡±


    ¡°Let me get this straight. You want us to hire one of our men to spy on this woman? Does the boss know about this?¡±


    I propped my hands on my hips. ¡°Look, if you can¡¯t help me, just say so. You¡¯re not the only private security that is capable. I might hire my grandfather¡¯s private investigator instead.¡±


    I turned in my heels.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    I literally grinned. I turned around with an angry face. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We want to help our boss. I¡¯ll make some contacts,¡± Sax said, pulling out his phone.


    ¡°Good. And I¡¯m giving him a bonus if he can provide the best information. Make sure that that bitch can¡¯t connect the dots to Mykel and me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re good at what we do, Mrs. C,¡± Kye proudly said.


    ¡°Good. I want it within a day or two.¡±


    I went up and changed to jeans and a shirt. Within two hours, our family arrived. After our pleasantries, we gathered in the main living room.


    ¡°We¡¯re surprised to receive a message from you. Is Mykel okay?¡± Dru asked as he settled beside Lyra.


    Elise and ze walked in, sandwiching me into a tight hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay,¡± ze whispered.


    ¡°Sorry about yesterday,¡± I said to Elise.


    ¡°No biggies.¡± They settled on the chair-ze on the armrest.


    ¡°What¡¯s going, honey?¡± Grandpa asked.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked you to be here, but I need you. We need you right now, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°You made the right decision, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Am Ite?¡± Knox walked in. ¡°When someone like me is not used to being in this neighborhood, your house is hard to find even with the GPS.¡± He kissed me on the cheek. ¡°Where¡¯s the man of the hour? Are his ventures finally getting back and biting him in his ugly ass?¡±


    My chest tightly squeezed as I looked at Knox.


    ¡°That was insensitive. I¡¯m sorry. Terrible joke.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know it¡¯s a lie. Some low life just wanted to ruin him.¡±


    ¡°I believe you. I¡¯m here to help.¡±


    ¡°Thanks foring,¡± I said when everyone was around. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Mykel would appreciate why I called you here, but I don¡¯t think I can do this alone. As our family, we need you guys so bad. I felt his struggle even if he tried his best to hide it from me, and even if he pretended that everything was okay, deep in his heart, he knew it was not.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is my son not feeling well?¡±


    ¡°Thankfully, nothing like that.¡± I smiled sadly at Dru. He just got his son back. I knew this would be hard for him, too.


    ¡°Whatever you heard from here, I want to keep this in this family circle alone. I trust you. We trust you.¡± Then there went the hard part. ¡°As you know, before Mykel and I met, he was a-¡±


    ¡°Don Juan, lothario, yboy, manwhore.¡± My grandfather cut me off.


    ¡°Yeah. Yesterday a woman came to his office, threatening him with a sexual assault charge.¡±


    ¡°What the actual fuck?¡± Knox let out his outburst. ¡°Would someone actually believe her?¡±


    ¡°She said she has incriminating evidence that would bring Mykel to court. I know in my heart that it¡¯s not true. I¡¯m the living proof that Mykel would never hurt a woman. It¡¯s absurd that he hurt women while supporting women against sexual violence.¡±


    ¡°The fact that this just came out now. How about those women he slept with in the past.¡± Lyra looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this is hurting you. Why does nobodye out andin? Did hiswyers encounter this before? I mean, considering how rich and powerful he is, did he consider that maybe someone or groups hate him and wanted to bring him down?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good theory,¡± Lex agreed with Lyra. ¡°Who¡¯s this woman?¡±


    I told them the details that so far I knew about.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°She lives next door? What the fuck? From the start, I didn¡¯t like that woman!¡±


    ¡°As much as I wanted to punch Mykel in the face for putting you in this position, I believe he¡¯s innocent, and this usation is deliberate.¡± ze threw his hand in the air.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have a n to counter-sue?¡±


    ¡°He does, Dru. And hiswyers are just waiting for her side to make a move.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see the look on her face.¡± Knox snorted.


    We had breakfast, and Mykel finally came down with a deep frown on his forehead. He looked like he had trouble sleeping as well.


    ***


    In the conference room, he was still confused. He went to the front and looked at me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, my wife, dragged them into this, especially Lex and Dru.¡± He stared at me. ¡°Do you know the meaning of Non-disclosure, baby?¡±


    I raised my hand. ¡°I did not sign, and these people are here to be our moral support. No offense, but we¡¯re terrible with that, me in particr, but that¡¯s why we have them. And what I shared with them is not a secret, and no case has been filed yet. None of us believe you hurt anybody.¡±


    Mykel shook his head in amusement. ¡°I¡¯m overwhelmed with the outpouring of support, baby. So what are we doing here? Isn¡¯t this a little bit overkill?¡±


    Sax connected the call to their security team. ¡°That¡¯s our CSO, Gabe Linden, and his partner, Jasper Greer. With me is our client, you know him, Mykel Creed and his wife Adley Creed, sir.¡±


    ¡°I received a call from Ryder, Mr. Creed. I¡¯m d he reached out to us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your quick response. I believe my wife reached out to these guys.¡±


    ¡°Guilty.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but hide my smile.


    ¡°Our job is not only to protect your life. It covers everything, including keeping you away from scandals that could ruin your image. It¡¯s not a surprise that someone wanna destroy you, the people you cared about, and something that you don¡¯t wanna lose,¡± Gabe exined.


    ¡°How can you help me with this?¡± Mykel asked.


    ¡°I have the name of the woman who wannae after you. How far would you wanna find out? I already assigned two of my best men to dig deeper into it, from her family to thest person she contacted and mingled with.¡±


    ¡°I wanna know if she has an aplice.¡± This reminded me of the case against Gary. It didn¡¯t stick because we didn¡¯t have enough evidence that I was physically assaulted. ¡°I want names and anything you can dig that can be used against me.¡± The frown on Mykel¡¯s forehead was still deep as he focused on the screen.


    ¡°Consider it done.¡±


    He sighed deeply after the conference call. ¡°I wanted to spank your pretty ass for calling the cavalry, but somehow it helped me a lot, knowing there are people who don¡¯t only love to dig in my pockets.¡±


    ¡°Those people waiting for us are family and including these two.¡± I pointed at Sax and Kye.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He smiled. This time was genuine. Even if nothing was filed yet, he felt relieved.


    We returned to the living room, but everyone was not there until we heard loudughter from the patio.


    ¡°Okay, my turn.¡± ze stood in front and started gesturing for signs.


    ¡°Refrigerator?¡± Mykel answered as we joined them.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± ze was disappointed that Mykel guessed it in a second.


    ¡°Well, your gestures were obvious. You opened the door and searched for something cold.¡± He practically rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Your turn.¡± ze pointed at me.


    ¡°Go ahead, honey.¡± Grandpa encouraged me because he knew I didn¡¯t like this game. I was terrible at this.


    Mykel was alreadyughing.


    ¡°No coaching,¡± Elise booed him.


    ¡°I¡¯m justughing.¡± Mykel was quick to my defense.


    I picked up the phone and pressed the button. I instantly cringed and thought for a moment before I put it down. ¡°It¡¯s an animal.¡±


    ¡°Snake,¡± Mykel answered, even if I was just about to start.


    I narrowed at him. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°You cringed, and I know you hate snakes, baby.¡± He shrugged with a confident smile.


    ¡°Guys, Mykel is out in this game!¡±

 Chapter 54

    ADLEY


    Our family left, leaving Mykel and me on the patio. The night seemed in our favor, and the moon was beautiful and bright.


    ¡°Come.¡± Mykel held my hand.


    Tonight was just Mykel and me-I cherished this moment and left the issue behind us for a while. I sat on hisp, and he instantly wrapped his arms around me, his cheek pressed against my back.


    ¡°I overstepped, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You did the right thing. I wasn¡¯t used to asking for help until you walked into my life.¡± I could still feel the pain in his voice, but I was happy that he appreciated what I did.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t call Mom because I don¡¯t want her to worry and rushed over here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for taking it into consideration.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m such a terrible husband. I¡¯m sorry that this happened. And I neglected to ask how are you handling this?¡±


    I faced him. ¡°Babe, look at me.¡±


    He lifted his head and looked at me. There was a smile on his face, but not the cocky smile I used to see in him.


    ¡°I¡¯m handling this well than you. You may not voice it or show me because you think it will hurt your imperious authoritarian facade, but I can feel it. I feel you. And I¡¯m not just gonna sit at the corner and watch that bitch ruin your life.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°You¡¯re badass. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Among other things.¡± I grinned at him.


    ¡°You went to Sax and Kye and asked for help.¡±


    ¡°I told you I would do anything in my power to not give that bitch the satisfaction she wanted. I¡¯m giving her the taste of her own medicine.¡±


    ¡°Okay, baby. As much as I love listening to you using that word, your grandfather wouldn¡¯t be so pleased about my influence on you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Honestly, if I see her again, I might just p her. I¡¯m not violent and never hit someone, but I¡¯m considering it.¡±


    He burst intoughter. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think about that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I thought about that. The level of stress she gave us? I¡¯ll throw eggs into her face.¡±


    ¡°You know you¡¯re cute when you are nning something fun for your foe.¡±


    ¡°Did you just call me cute?¡±


    ¡°You turned red when you¡¯re angry, and among others. Remember the animated movie we watched. You told me she¡¯s cute.¡±


    ¡°You could just say I¡¯m hot.¡±


    He cupped my face and kissed me passionately. I moaned in less than a minute. ¡°You¡¯re hot, sexy, seductive, alluring, sultry-¡±


    ¡°Those are the same.¡±


    ¡°Okay. You¡¯re fucking hot. How does it sound?¡±


    ¡°Take me to bed.¡±


    He stared at me with those love and devotion. ¡°My pleasure.¡±


    ***


    I moaned at the sensation of his tongue thrusting into me, in-out, then sucking my clit, nipping it alternately. My fingers dug into the sheet, and the other was on his hair, gripping, pushing his head down where it most pleased me.


    When he pinched my nipples so painfully erotic, I cried out his name. And I knew I was so close to the edge my toes curled.


    As he sucked harder, pushing me to the limit, I shuddered, throwing my head back as pleasure flooded my entire body.


    I was still emersed in my own ecstasy, but Mykel was already on top of me, thrusting his hard and steely length so deep that it hit bottom. My mouth flew open, but no words came out. I was impaled with his monstrous beast. I felt I could split in two.


    I let go a gasp as he stilled, frozen, and I wrapped my legs around his hips so he could take me more deeper. He snapped his hips, thrusting hard each time, and I got lost in the sensation.


    He lifted his head and kissed me. Pleasure zinged through me as he started pumping his hips, speeding up as he felt I was so close to my orgasm again.


    With so much pleasure blinding me, I lifted my hips, searching for the friction I was looking for, and he gave it to me, grinding against me.


    I sucked in a breath, shaken to my core. My breasts were heavy, my nipples tightened and sensitive, and my clit tingled. I was delirious with the satisfaction building in my body.


    ¡°Let you, baby. Don¡¯t hold anything back.¡±


    One more thrust of his thick length inside me, a violent rush of ecstasy ran through me as I climaxed.


    ***


    ¡± Oh, my God.¡± My mouth hung open to the sight I saw. I was not a fan of porn, but I¡¯d rather watch it than the image in front of me.


    Mykel turned to me, his brows knitted. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be here, baby.¡±


    When Linden called us earlier asking if we coulde to the private military security firm, I did not, in God¡¯s name, expect to watch a real-life sex video.


    I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat. ¡°Thank God it¡¯s not you in that video because I might not be able to unsee it again.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna watch this?¡± Mykel asked again.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but that¡¯s just gross.¡± I cringed. There was also a sound. They had a device that you could hear a conversation from a distance. ¡°Oh, my God.¡±


    ¡°And so on and so forth.¡± Linden shut off the video.


    ¡°Fucking lunatic.¡± The first words came out of Mykel¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re good at what you do here,¡± I appraised Linden for the job well done.


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Do you watch a lot of people doing like that?¡± Out of curiosity, I asked. I was still trying to shake that image out of my head.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Good because that looks horrible.¡±


    Mykelughed beside me. ¡°Forgive my wife¡¯s curiosity.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I also apologized.


    ¡°He¡¯s Cenric¡¯s best friend and former bodyguard, baby.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± My eyes widened, surprised.


    ¡°And Jasper is his wife¡¯s brother.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I met Sadie once. She¡¯s a lovely woman.¡±


    ¡°She is. Would that be enough?¡± Linden asked Mykel.


    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough. Your people here are quite resourceful. I wouldn¡¯t have known about this if Adley had not reached out to Sax and Kye.¡±


    ¡°Sax and Kye mentioned that you are like family.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way, considering they risk their lives for me every day. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I wonder how Grandpa would react to this.¡± I chuckled. ¡°I think I should not reveal a few details.¡±


    Mykel turned to me with a huge grin from ear to ear. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to find out.¡±


    I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°So she did this because Gary Senior didn¡¯t like you in Lex¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how deep their desire of wanting me to get in trouble, but they can¡¯t put me down easily.¡±


    ¡°How did he find out about Maisey?¡±


    ¡°Through social media. Gary Junior is following Mykel, and he must see her post. He wanted to get his life back, and this is how he does it, proving he still has what it takes. He uses Maisey¡¯s weakness against her and maybe offers her money. She¡¯s still paying out her college loan. And based on the conversations, Gary Senior pays her cash and uses her sexually,¡± Linden exined.


    I sighed deeply. ¡°At least I can now sleep like a log again. Thank you, Linden.¡±


    ¡°May I ask?¡± Mykel asked Linden.


    ¡°How good is Romare?¡±


    ¡°Langston? He¡¯s good and trustworthy. He feels terrible about the incident.¡± Linden looked at me. ¡°Managed to escape in his watch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± I tried hard to hide my smile.


    ¡°So, I can trust him with my wife¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Guaranteed.¡±


    We went home wearing a grin on my face. Mykel was back to being cocky and naughty.


    On the couch, he lifted my foot and settled beside me. ¡°What are we watching?¡±


    ¡°Vampire reruns.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Babe, in real life, a vampire is a scary blood-sucking monster. In movies, they¡¯re a hot male with abs and fangs that growls and control their desires over their mates. Allow your wife to fantasize about being bitten by hot vampires.¡±


    ¡°Fucking hell. No way we¡¯re gonna watch that stupid movie.¡± With his long arms, he could easily snatch the remote from me or just stand up and pull the plug out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mean.¡± I red at him.


    ¡°Baby.¡± He growled loudly.


    ¡°Watch with me or go make some money without sex for a week.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not fucking with me, Adley.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s my term. This is not so bad. Try new things, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°No way I¡¯m watching that trash.¡±


    ¡°Maybe this is one of the cons of marrying a man older than me.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± he asked, stunned and offended by my reply. ¡°Four years is just like four months.¡±


    I tried hard not to smile at his reaction. So priceless. ¡°Oh, no. There¡¯s a lot of history made in four years, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Like what exactly?¡± He breathed out harshly.


    ¡°9/11? I¡¯m gonna do some researchter.¡±


    He annoyedly shook his head and threw my foot on the couch. ¡°Maybe Knox is good for you after all.¡±


    ¡°Whoa! Whoa! That¡¯s low, Mykel Creed.¡± I watched him walk away without hesitation.

 Chapter 55

    MYKEL


    ¡°Mykel!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what came over me that I was snarky and so pissed off with something nonsense. And what was worse was that I mentioned my brother¡¯s name.


    I was aplete jerk, an asshole.


    What had gotten into me? Because it had nothing to do with the choices of movies she wanted to watch. I just couldn¡¯t figure out what the jealousy was all about.


    I regretted it right away. I knew Adley didn¡¯t have feelings for Knox. She was mine in the first ce. So why was anything about Knox still bothering me?


    ¡°You¡¯re overreacting.¡± She joined me in the office and sat at the desk where I exactly told her she was the only missing piece.


    ¡°You pushed me away. I came here to make money. What do you want, Adley?¡± I asked dryly.


    ¡°You¡¯re upset with me.¡± She touched my chin, forcing me to look at her.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m a little bit over dramatic if I¡¯m pissed off about something.¡± I was typing gibberish. I couldn¡¯t focus on what I was doing when she just spread her thighs in front of me, her other foot on the armrest.


    ¡°Then what¡¯s with Knox? You know I don¡¯t like him anymore. Past is past, remember?¡±


    I held her leg and put it down. ¡°I¡¯m working.¡±


    ¡°Typing nonsense is working now, huh? How long do you think you can keep that up, ignoring me?¡± She pulled her shirt over her head and carelessly tossed it over her shoulder. ¡°Let me see if you can resist me.¡± She pulled her shorts down her legs and kicked them away.


    The remaining cloth on her body was hercy bra and thin thong. I was dying that my skin burned to take a peek at the swell of her tits, her t stomach, and her pussy which I knew she was ready for me.


    My lips started to dry as she tried to unhook her bra. My heart hammered in my chest as I already imagined every carnal detail I wanted to do to her, including spreading her legs wide on top of my desk, then sucking and licking those pink little tout buds of her tits.


    My needs started to burn inside me. My fingers began shaking as I thought of sucking and licking her sweet and wet pussy until she came into my mouth.


    I wanted to rip that thing off her body and ravage her like I was a feral animal.


    Except, I convinced myself that this was not me anymore. I was a better person than to let my lust control me.


    I drew a deep breath before I met her in the eye. ¡°Baby, please put your clothes on.¡± Even if my voice and body were betraying me, I loved my wife more than anything money could buy and satisfying my own desire.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    I shut myptop close. ¡°I love you so much it hurts. Sex isn¡¯t always-¡±


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m going to bed, husband, with a bruised ego, aching and unsated. I¡¯m done with the hot vampires, anyway.¡± She was quicker on her feet, picked up her clothes, and dashed out the door.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± I squeezed my eyes shut as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I was screwing up everything I touched.


    I decided to go to bed, and my wife turned her back on me.


    ¡°I wanna put tv in the room and watch vampire movies and tv shows with you for the rest of our lives. I¡¯m not letting anythinge between us. Ever.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with you and your brother?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, baby. I think that issue is messing with my head. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t have feelings for your brother, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I held her arm. ¡°Can you move close to me now?¡±


    She sighed deeply. ¡°Since you admitted that it¡¯s your fault and you apologized. Fine.¡± She was in my arms in less than five seconds.


    ¡°Are you still up for that stripping off your clothes?¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself. Sex isn¡¯t always the answer. Your words, not mine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I see. So I have to wait for another week to get you hot and bothered?¡±


    ¡°Are you still up for vampire movies?¡±


    Fuck me. There was no way out of this, was there?


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°No tv in the bedroom, though.¡±


    We watched the movie for another hour until she dozed off, snoring in my arms. I realized this rtionship was supposed to be a give and take. She gave me everything I needed and wanted, and I became selfish for little things like watching movies with her. So much for convincing myself how much I love her and how I became a better person.


    ***


    I convinced mywyers that we should meet with Maisey before things came out and escted. She arrived on time with herwyer and entered the conference room.


    I wasn¡¯t nervous anymore after knowing the truth about the reason why she was doing this. If she only came to me if she needed money, I would not hesitate to offer help. Somehow, I felt bad for her even if she was here to ruin my life and the Creed legacy I worked so hard for years.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Adley fixed my necktie. ¡°Remember, you have a clean conscience. You¡¯re doing this to clean your good name, handsome face, and sexy abs.¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    She tiptoed to kiss me and looked me in the eye. ¡°I feel it every second of every day.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in, Mr. Creed,¡± one of mywyers informed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here waiting for you, babe.¡±


    I nodded and smiled at her before we entered the conference.


    We sat across them. Maisey looked pretty confident. Merick Senior must have promised her a million dors if they won the case against me.


    ¡°So, you know why we are here today?¡± mywyer, Atty. Tawny started.


    ¡°If we are here to sort an arrangement, we are not interested. We are taking this to court,¡± herwyer countered. For a woman who was still paying her college loan but could afford a high-profilewyer should surprise me. But things became even more clear to me.


    ¡°May I speak with Ms. Bouchard alone?¡± Though mywyers advised me not to talk unless asked, I tried to help her in any way possible before everything would be toote for her.


    ¡°That¡¯s not gonna happen. She¡¯d already suffered too much in your hands, Mr. Creed. She shouldn¡¯t be here if yourwyers did not request this meeting.¡±


    ¡°My client is not guilty until proven,¡± mywyer countered.


    ¡°We have incriminating evidence against your client. Now, let¡¯s get into business. Is he ready to plea guilty?¡±


    ¡°We are not here to plead guilty or do anything because my client, Mr. Creed, did not sexually assault your client. Miss Bouchard knows the truth. We are here to tell you to drop the case before you file or before we reach the pre-trial, or we will file awsuit against your client of twenty million defamation,¡± My otherwyer, Atty. Randish made the point.


    ¡°Here¡¯s what we gonna do. Let¡¯s say you have enough evidence, and if you win, my client will still be a billionaire, and if you lose, you will be forever humiliated, won¡¯t be able to find a job, and won¡¯t be able to pay your college loan. The fact that you will swear an oath, whatever you have against my client, I know it will not hold in the court.¡±


    ¡°Do you really wanna do this, destroying me with lies, Maisey?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re done here,¡± herwyer dismissed.


    ¡°Okay then. I¡¯m sure Gary Merick Sr will help you win this case. Good luck to both of you. Let¡¯s go.¡± I rose from the seat.


    I first rushed out of the conference room, and mywyers followed me.


    ¡°You should not have done that. That¡¯s our rebuttal. I told you not to say anything in there.¡± Atty. Randish scolded me, which he was right.


    ¡°That asshole is using her. Whatever he promised, she¡¯s stupid if she thinks Merick will hold up his end of the bargain.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s her life. Why do you care? She¡¯s about to ruin yours,pany, and family in public, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it? I¡¯m just not a bad buy here to vite a woman,¡± I told him the truth. ¡°You can call everyone I slept with and ask them one by one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that will be going to happen.¡±


    ¡°I want them to be shaken.¡± I joined my wife.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I screwed up and just pulled the card that made them tick.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Adley also looked shocked. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Hold my hand, baby,¡± I told her when I felt my hand start to shake.


    She linked our hands together and pressed them against her lips. We reached the parking lot and saw Maisey, somehow waiting for us.


    ¡°What is she doing?¡± Adley asked, rattled.


    ¡°No idea.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s creeping me out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I reassured her.


    Sax and Kye came over, helping us to our ride. I was finally able to breathe when we were inside the car.


    ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯ve been holding your breath for a minute.¡±


    ¡°I was about to ask you the same thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m-¡± Adley yelped out when someone just knocked on the window. Her hand was fast on her chest.


    ¡°Stay right here. Locked the door.¡± Sax was faster in climbing out of the car. Kye was on full alert.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± I wrapped my arms around my wife and kissed her head. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Kye talked to Sax on them. ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked Kye.


    ¡°Boss, she wanna talk to us. I¡¯m taking her to the firm.¡±


    ¡°Is this a good idea?¡± I looked at Kye.


    ¡°Maybe she has a change of heart. Don¡¯t worry. We know how to handle someone like her. Sax will take the wheel, boss.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with already.¡±

 Chapter 56

    ADLEY


    ¡°What did she say to you?¡± We met Sax outside the firm.


    ¡°Surprisingly, she¡¯s less bitchy than I thought.¡±


    Mykel was seemingly in deep thought as he crossed his arms over his chest. He barely said a few sentences during the ride, and I started to worry.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get inside and see what she has to say, boss,¡± Kye particrly said to Mykel.


    Linden was already waiting for us as soon as we were in the firm. ¡°You can watch the whole thing, but I suggest you stay out all the time.¡±


    ¡°I wanna talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Mykel, let him do the job. After the interview, then you may talk to her, but I¡¯ming with you,¡± I insisted. This issue affected him so much, and I felt helpless. We were both under a lot of stress.


    ¡°I just want this to be over.¡±


    Linden walked into the interview room with a file in his hand. ¡°Maisey Bouchard, twenty-six, living at Hathorn, has an older sister, graduated in fine arts, and your current work-¡±


    ¡°I wanna talk to Mykel. Oh, no. I will only talk to him. Or else I¡¯m walking out.¡±


    ¡°For someone just about to ruin someone¡¯s life, what made you think that he¡¯s interested in listening to your borate lies. Besides, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s gonna be a trial, Miss Bouchard.¡±


    ¡°I was ckmailed.¡±


    Linden snorted. ¡°Yeah, it alles down to the ckmail, is it? Now that you admitted, we¡¯re not interested to know the rest.¡± Linden did not show interest as he rose to his feet. Maybe his tactics. He was good at this job. I gave him credit for that.


    ¡°Wait! Gary is insane. He¡¯s gonna hurt my sister if I don¡¯t do what he says.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Gary? Where¡¯s your sister?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in Queens. Gary Merick Jr. showed me the live feed. Someone has been watching my sister.¡±


    ¡°Do you really believe that another lie will get you out of this?¡±


    ¡°I swear to God.¡± She started to wipe her tears away.


    ¡°And that includes you sleeping with that old skunk?¡±


    Her eyes grew wide.


    I watch the color drain from her face. She swallowed hard and finally shook to cry.


    ¡°This is really messed up, Miss Bouchard.¡± Linden went back to the table and sat across hers.


    ¡°He¡¯s sick, and his son is crazy.¡±


    ¡°I think I need Grandpa to know this,¡± I told Mykel.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good time?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded before he focused back on watching Maisey shaking and sobbing.


    Grandpa answered quickly to my call. ¡°Adley?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I was in the office earlier. I¡¯m trying to constrain the issue froming out. And let me guess, this is why you¡¯re calling.¡±


    ¡°H-how did you know?¡± Did I really have to ask?


    ¡°Mykel maybe is the victim, but he¡¯s my grandson-inw, Adley. I know everything now. Only, it was toote that I found this out, but I trusted that son of bitch Merick. I took him in and gave him the life he deserved. And this is what I get in return.¡±


    ¡°What did he do?¡±


    ¡°If you work in finance, you know how to steal money, untraceable. He¡¯s stealing from me worth millions of dors that his share won¡¯t even be able to cover what he¡¯s stolen from me. But it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°When did you find out?¡±


    ¡°Last week.¡±


    ¡°And I didn¡¯t know about it. Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re busy with another issue, Adley. I let someone investigate his financial statement. I thought I¡¯ve known that man for damn years, but I guess I really don¡¯t know him well at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s ckmailing a woman.¡±


    ¡°I know that too. How¡¯s Mykel doing?¡±


    ¡°I think this case is messing his head. He¡¯s not himselftely.¡±


    ¡°Just be with him. He needs you now. This served him a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Grandpa. I have to go back.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Bye.


    I joined Mykel, still watching Maisey. She stopped crying, but she also looked guilty. Linden walked out of the room and joined us.


    ¡°I¡¯m calling a contact to catch whoever is watching her sister.¡±


    ¡°Tell her that no one can ckmail her anymore. My grandfather had evidence that could put Mr. Merick in jail for a long time. He¡¯s been embezzling money from the Kross for years.¡±


    Mykel didn¡¯t look surprised.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. What do you want me to do with her?¡±


    ¡°Let Sax handle that. Thank you, Gabe.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He walked into his office.


    Sax and Kye walked in.


    ¡°Sax, she¡¯s not safe yet. Get her a hotel room and tell her not to go anywhere.¡± He sighed. ¡°Give her some cash. If I ever know, she made a call to that asshole. I¡¯m done with her.¡± Mykel nced at me. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done.¡±


    We didn¡¯t get far when Sax called Mykel. ¡°I hope this is myst time babysitting, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get toofy, Ryder.¡± For the first time today, Mykel chuckled beside me.


    During the ride, Mykel constantly sighed while staring outside the window, with his thumb traced circles on my knuckles. Kye remained silent. As for me, I didn¡¯t know what to say because it felt like it didn¡¯t fit to say congrattions, or finally, it¡¯s over, just yet.


    ¡°Babe?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Finally, he faced me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna ask if you¡¯re okay because I know that¡¯s bullcrap.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been married for almost three months, and all I shared with you are issues.¡± His lips curved into a small smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You gave me love. You provided for my needs, you kept me safe, and I feel fulfilled. I learned many things, and I met amazing people. Where did thate from?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, baby. I think we need a vacation.¡±


    ¡°Does it involve aircraft?¡±


    His smile widened. ¡°It definitely does.¡±


    ¡°I can do it.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s ze dealing with your proposal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting his answer tomorrow.¡± I squeezed his hand. ¡°You¡¯re not surprised about Merrick¡¯s embezzlement.¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t like that asshole from the start. I had a pretty bad feeling that he was a deceitful scumbag and thief.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. ¡°I¡¯m d this is over.¡±


    ¡°Me too. For days I felt like I was slipping away. I can handle money lost and failed investments, but personal issues? I¡¯m not good at dealing with it.¡± He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment. ¡°I forgot to thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I will always be with you every step of the way.¡±


    He tentatively lifted his hand and then ran his thumb on my cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t know what my life would be without you.¡±


    ¡°I think we should thank Grandpa for his ultimatum. It did us both a favor.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He did.¡± He kissed me softly on my lips. ¡°I love you, baby.¡±


    ***


    Mykel finally slept like a babyst night. Before we went to work, he was back to his charming self and cocky mode.


    The following day, we were both back on track. And I was really looking forward to a break from work.


    I still had a lot to learn, and learning was a lifetime process, but I was mentally and physically exhausted to even think about reading.


    Thest thing I heard from Sax about Maisey, she was leaving out of town. Mykel offered her a fresh start on one of thepanies he was investing, but Maisey refused and wanted to find a job on her own.


    I got to know the real person behind that confident, uptight, controlling alpha boss shtick-Mykel had such a big heart. Considering what Maisey put him through, he would be terribly happy if she was wiped through the face of the earth. Instead, he still wanted to help her out.


    I felt like my mind was already out in the ocean in the office. I badly needed a day or two away from the busy city and noises. I wanted sun and sea breeze and felt my feet dipped in the sand.


    A knock interrupted my daydreaming. ¡°Come in.¡±


    It was ze, smiling. ¡°You were busy for the whole week.¡±


    ¡°Exhausted, and finally, it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s he holding up?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s back on track.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    ¡°And I wanna hear good news, ze. I wanna get out of here for a couple of days. I¡¯m dying to feel the sand beneath my feet.¡±


    ze took a seat andughed. ¡°Adley, is that so hard to make it possible? I mean, you can just snap your fingers. You have jets, money, and time. What are you waiting for?¡±


    ¡°You. Your answer.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I have a few conditions, though.¡±


    ¡°Shoot. Let¡¯s hear it.¡± I tapped my fingers on the desk.


    ¡°I need to divide the team, provide lead managers, hire manpower to divide and conquer since you¡¯re not here anymore. We have many clientsing, and our team is struggling.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t go out there anymore. I¡¯m not a Wonder Woman like you. I also want to have my own life outside the work.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    He ced a folder on my desk. ¡°My proposal.¡±


    I opened it, surprised. ze thought a lot about it. He alreadyid down his ns and divided the team members¡¯ names ording to their expertise.


    ¡°Approved. Sign the contract so that I can pack my things.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He put another folder, the one I gave him on Monday.


    I flipped the folder, and he had already signed it. I rose from my chair and grabbed the bottle of Champaign I hid under my desk. I popped the cork. ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    ze gasped in shock. ¡°What the hell?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the team.¡± I still have the Champagne with me as we met our entire team.


    ¡°Congrattions!¡± The team chorused, confetti popped, and the whole office celebrated.


    ¡°Wow! You knew I was going to take the offer, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I was positive, ze. You deserve the seat.¡±


    ¡°And you nned all of this?¡± He was beaming. ¡°Why would I even bother asking?¡±


    ¡°You are my best friend. You deserve a warm wee.¡± I raised my flute. ¡°To the new CEO!¡±


    Everyone was happy and officially weed him as their new boss.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He hugged me. ¡°I love you, and I¡¯m gonna miss you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± I looked at him as I pulled away.


    ¡°Technically, you are going to a higher building and bing the new CEO of a multi-billion dor corporation.¡±


    ¡°It sounds amazing, but it alsoes with many challenges.¡±


    ¡°I believe in you that you can make a lot of differences. And you belong there, Adley Kross-Creed.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t get over that hyphenation, can you?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯rete.¡± Mykel and Elise just arrived.


    ¡°Congrattions, ze. Good luck.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mykel.¡± He shook hands with my amazing and happy husband.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, ze. Congrattions.¡±


    I watched ze and Elise as they hugged each other. They looked perfect together.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± I was surprised when Mykel asked me. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d been watching my reaction all this time.


    ¡°I forgot to mention that they found each other because of you.¡±

 Chapter 57

    MYKEL


    Things seemed back to normal. Gary Merick¡¯s face just popped on the national news. He almost had Lex fooled. I should not gloat, but he deserved it. I always believed that good would win against evil.


    I have learned a lot of lessons in the past few weeks. One thing was, the family was always family. They were always there for me when I needed someone to hold onto and when I needed light when I was lost.


    My wife was incredible. Despite my involvement with women, it didn¡¯t stop her from helping me get through those hard times. She remained my source of strength-my anchor. How couldn¡¯t I love her more every day?


    ¡°You called me, boss?¡± Sax closed the door behind him. ¡°I hope not another babysitting assignment.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡± I pulled an envelope from the drawer and put it on my desk. I knew once I did this, there was no going back, and my decision would drastically change the course of my life.


    ¡°Spectacr,¡± Sax said before he looked down at me.


    Everyone in the office couldn¡¯t help but admire the view behind me. It was just the skyscraper that took someone¡¯s breath away. It was the view of the park and the sea, too.


    ¡°I want you to do something from me.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± He sounded unsure, but his eye caught what was on the desk.


    ¡°I want you to keep this between us.¡±


    ¡°Just us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to tell Kye and my wife.¡±


    His brows knitted. ¡°How am I supposed to-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re visiting a family member. I hope this won¡¯t take long.¡± I picked up the envelope and gave it to him.


    Judging by his expression and hesitation to take the envelope, he wanted to know more about it.


    ¡°Four years ago, I was just starting up with a capitalist venture. I was an arrogant son of bitch. I loved the attention so much that it got in my head. I knew I slept with a young woman. She was twenty or twenty-one at that time. I remembered it clearly. Weekster, she came to me iming she was pregnant with my child. I talked to mywyer. I was not interested to know if that child was mine or not. So I listened to thewyer telling me to pay her off. Twenty thousand, to be exact. I met her at a cafe and gave her the money. You know what I said?¡± I looked at his judging eye.


    Sax just clenched his jaw hard. I would have reacted the same if I was in his position. Now I was asking for his help.


    ¡°I told her to use the money to get rid of the baby.¡± I forced those words out of my mouth. My chest was heavy. I felt guilty, and it sickened me how I acted that way so quickly because I was too caught up in trying to prove something to myself.


    ¡°So, what exactly are you telling me to do?¡±


    I drew a deep, steady breath. ¡°When I saw Maisey yesterday, I thought of that woman. I couldn¡¯t even look my wife in the eye. The way she looked at me? All I saw was admiration. She didn¡¯t judge me despite my past. She was there for me the whole time, and I can¡¯t continue being a reformed yboy and a good husband when deep inside, I am a horrible person. Because of my reckless behavior, I can¡¯t pretend to be that good man she cares about when someone is possibly struggling somewhere out there.¡±


    ¡°I think I could agree with Mrs. C. You¡¯ve changed. If you were that guy years ago, you couldn¡¯t care less about that woman who almost ruined your life and marriage. Yes, you are lucky to have an understanding wife, but you are not that guy anymore. I didn¡¯t like what you did to that young woman, but who am I to judge, right? We made mistakes. Our past is in the past, and we don¡¯t know if the child is really yours, boss. Let me guess. This is where Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°I want you to find her. Herst address is in that envelope.


    ¡°What should I do if I found her?¡±


    ¡°I need you to get closed to the child and take a DNA sample. If you can get a copy of his birth certificate, that would be great.¡±


    ¡°How do you know she didn¡¯t get rid of her pregnancy?¡±


    ¡°She said she would never do it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving today. Keep me posted.¡±


    Before Sax walked out my face, he faced me. ¡°If I may give unsolicited advice, boss. You don¡¯t wanna repeat the incident when she found out about your rtionship with Knox. This one is different. You might not be able to fix your marriage this time.¡±


    Sax had a point. I was torn between telling Adley or waiting for the result. Thest thing I wanted to do was to keep this thing from her again. This time, she might not trust me and forgive me for good. She would leave me-the next thing I saw on my desk was a divorce paper.


    I was startled and almost fell off my chair when my phone vibrated on the desk. Her name popped up.


    My hand was still shaky as I picked up the phone.


    ¡°Baby?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    For a moment, I froze. My heart nearly exploded in my chest.


    ¡°Tell you what?¡±


    ¡°Sax is visiting his sick father?¡± That part was true. Sax had a sick father. In fact, I covered the bills every time he went for a follow-up.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    I met him in the lobby.


    ¡°My lobby?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why did you ask?¡±


    ¡°You sound weird and keep asking me questions.¡±


    Fuck. I should pull myself together. I drew a deep breath.


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve been busy all morning.¡± Again, I lied.


    ¡°Should I go back?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯m free now. I also wanna see you.¡±


    ¡°Really? You miss me?¡±


    ¡°I always miss you when you¡¯re not around. Let¡¯s talk about Sax when you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I love you, baby. Always.¡± I hung up the phone and prepared myself for another terrible news.


    Despite my anxiety, my wife was like the light in the dark tunnel.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Her smile could solve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.


    ¡°Sorry for intruding your little solitude.¡± She put the stic that smelled delicious on the table before she came to me, pulling me into a warm embrace.


    ¡°You are the best that has happened to me.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m awesome.¡± She kissed me on my lips. ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t had lunch.¡±


    ¡°I was about to, but thank goodness you called. What do we have?¡±


    ¡°Sushi. You eat Sushi, right?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    We settled on the lounge. I helped her out preparing the meal.


    We then started our lunch with a light conversation.


    ¡°Our first time sharing our meal here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, because you never invited me over. And thest time I came, that-I really wanna forget that issue.¡±


    ¡°Me too. But you can alwayse and visit me. I don¡¯t have to invite you, Adley. You are my wife.¡±


    ¡°It still feels special if you invite me, though.¡±


    I smiled at that thought. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Compared to how I constantly visited your office-¡±


    ¡°Barge into my office.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Barged into your office, I think I should have an invitation to see your office as the new CEO.¡±


    ¡°So, you haven¡¯t thought of being a CEO of twopanies?¡±


    ¡°You worked hard in preparing the new seat. I want you to take the leap, baby.¡± I put the chopsticks down and held her hands. ¡°Look at me.¡±


    She turned to me, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be great, and your face will be on the cover of every magazine as the most influential woman. You¡¯re honest, and your moralpass is in the right direction.¡±


    ¡°What made you so sure that I¡¯m not gonna change?¡±


    ¡°This is not just about how to make the right decision during a crisis. You need to be fair and think of thepany¡¯s future without the influence of the people around you. They won¡¯t always like your decisions. They will always question your capability as the first female CEO of Kross Corp. Prove them that having a penis is not always the basis of strong leadership.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°You have a penis, babe.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a dick?¡±


    She wrinkled her nose. ¡°Not always.¡±


    We were done with our lunch. After we cleaned it up, Adley stayed for a while.


    ¡°I was with Grandpa before I came over. The perks of being benched. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m jobless right now. But I¡¯m utilizing my free time.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the old man?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing great, but his doctor is still suggesting a transnt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor, but I agreed with it.¡±


    ¡°Me too. And I don¡¯t wanna be selfish. I already told Grandpa I was on board with the transnt. It¡¯s only fair that he can live longer.¡±


    ¡°Baby.¡± I drew a deep breath. ¡°I need to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°That sounds important. What is it?¡± She looked at me, and the pride in her eyes was killing me.


    ¡°I was not entirely open to you the whole time. I actually forgot about it until I looked Maisey in the eye.¡±


    She swallowed hard. ¡°Sure.¡± Her voice and expressions were entirely unsure. She was preparing herself and hoping what I was about to tell her would not hurt her bad.


    ¡°I know there¡¯s no easy way to say this, but four years ago, a young woman came to me-¡±


    I wasn¡¯t even finished telling her. She was already crying, her hands on her mouth.


    ¡°Baby¡­¡±


    ¡°Go on. I wanna hear it.¡± She was holding her breath.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I can¡¯t keep it anymore. My past started to catch up with me.¡±


    ¡°What did you do? Was she pregnant or something?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, God!¡± She stood up walking away.


    ¡°Adley, I¡¯m not entirely sure the baby is mine.¡±


    She turned to me, her eyes narrowing to slits. ¡°Did you sleep with her unprotected?¡±


    ¡°No-¡±


    ¡°But idents happen.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I swallowed the truth down.


    ¡°Then what happened? Where is she now? The kid, Mykel. You kid, where is he?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always telling me that!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I pressed my lips together, unable to tell her more. My thoughts jumbled.


    She closed her eyes. Disappointment shed all over her face. ¡°Sax didn¡¯t go to see his sick family member. It¡¯s his excuse to find and clean up your mess, your ego, and your guilt after four years, Mykel. And here I thought you are a better man.¡± She looked at me for a moment before she shook her head.


    Thest thing I knew, she grabbed her bag and walked out of my office. And I didn¡¯t even stop her. I let her slip through my fingers and walked away from my fucking life.

 Chapter 58

    ADLEY


    I taught myself to be considerate. I tried to be a better person-a better wife. That bomb he blew in my face was something I had never even imagined. I knew his little exploits, but to run away from responsibility because he was not ready or tried to show the world he was a good man? That was utterly freaking outrageous.


    We just got out of the almost highest-profile corporate alleged sexual assault scandal of the century. I couldn¡¯t even imagine watching him and our faces on TV and the inte. It would not only ruin my career but my entire life. I might as well find myself in a mental institution after that. Thankfully, it was over.


    Then here I go again-in the middle of the situation because of my ties with Mykel freaking Creed. And here I thought we were nning a family in the future.


    I was not usually selfish, but knowing he could have a three-year-old child with another woman? I couldn¡¯t take it. What if it was confirmed that the kid was his? Was I going to take care of his child?


    I was crying the whole ride back to Grandpa. I didn¡¯t know how to break it to him. Or would he even be surprised? He warned me, and I didn¡¯t listen because somehow, all I could see was his handsome face that blinded me, his ability to help a woman in distress, and his talent in bed until our sham marriage turned into a real one. Until he fell in love with me, and I fell for him.


    And he loves me.


    God, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    I went directly into my room. Grandpa had just rested. Thest thing I wanted was to stress him out because of my terrible decisions.


    I guessed I was too over my head. I was young, stubborn, and stupid, and getting what I wanted was what brought me to this austerity. I brought this affliction to myself.


    I heard the door open and close. I knew who walked in. I buried my face into the pillow as I couldn¡¯t face him-I felt ashamed.


    ¡°Adley?¡± Grandpa sat on the edge of the bed. His hand was on my back. ¡°I¡¯d never seen you like this for a long, long time, kid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I was sobbing. I could barely form a word. ¡°I should have listened to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t, child. Otherwise, you have wasted your beautiful life.¡±


    ¡°I still made a terrible mistake.¡±


    ¡°Then learn from that mistake. The more you make many mistakes, the more you be strong and make you a good person. It taught you how tough life is, honey.¡±


    ¡°You seemed not surprised why I am here.¡±


    ¡°I just received a call from your weeping husband.¡±


    I chuckled bitterly at the word weeping. I sat on the bed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take another lie from him.¡±


    ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°I thought he called you?¡±


    ¡°He did confess. It takes a lot of guts to tell that to his wife¡¯s grandfather, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it or him.¡± I wiped my tears dry.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°He lied to me again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the answer.¡±


    I met his gaze, and then I looked down at my hands. I tried to take my rings off when Grandpa stopped me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever think about it. Take responsibility for your action. If your husband made a mistake and tried to make it right, you should admire him. You should be proud of him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can. When you married someone like Mykel, you did not just marry his body and carry his name; you also married his life, including his past. This has nothing to do with lies. You¡¯re too emotional to face the truth. Sleep it over, ande to me when you¡¯re ready to talk.¡±


    My mouth hung open, and I watched Grandpa leave the room. Iy back and cried all over again.


    I woke up in the middle of the night to a constantly grumbling in my stomach. I called for a sandwich. A te of a turkey sandwiches and a ss of wine arrived in a few minutes.


    I cried while eating. I wiped my face, but tears didn¡¯t stop pouring until I gave up. I pushed the te away. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. And the shocking moment hit me in the guts.


    ¡°Oh, no, no!¡±ident happens. I sagged against the wall, dragging myself to the floor. I cried there until I lost track of time.


    I drew a deep breath and pulled myself together afterward. I kept chanting to be wrong with this, or else I would be losing my mind.


    I changed to pajamas and pulled my phone from the bag. It was shocking that I didn¡¯t have a single call or text from him. I swallowed down the pain and the reality that things were changing and happening all at once.


    I dialed ze.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I felt guilty that he woke up to my call. ¡°Change your mind?¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± I sniffed.


    ¡°Are you crying?¡±


    I chuckled sadly. ¡°Kinda.¡±


    ¡°Kinda? In the middle of the night? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Sorry to wake you up sote.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already awake, sweetheart. What¡¯s going on? Is Mykel okay? Your Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m here at Grandpa¡¯s.¡± I let go of a shuddering breath before I burst into tears again.


    ¡°I¡¯ming over.¡±


    ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to do that. Are you with Elise?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not in a mood to be with me, you know. It¡¯s the day of the month.¡± Great. Another huge reminder of my stupidity.


    ¡°Is it too much to ask-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask me. Just tell me, Adley.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I did deep breathing before I talked again. ¡°Drop by the convenience store or a pharmacy-¡±


    ¡°You want a pregnancy kit.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at Grandpa¡¯s house, and you¡¯ve been crying. Did I miss something else?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more, but I wanna tell you everything once you get here.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Be there in an hour.¡±


    Once he hung up the phone, I called security to let ze in.


    I was pacing back and forth while waiting for him to arrive until I got dizzy. I sat down in the middle of the bed, biting my nails.


    I was freaking out about the truth. I was careful, and I¡¯d never been dyed. I never missed the dose either. At this moment, all I could do was me myself.


    I cupped my face and cried again.


    It had been almost three months since we started sleeping together and it didn¡¯t freaking ur to me that I did not have my period. Mykel didn¡¯t even ask or say something.


    ¡°Adley?¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± I answered quickly.


    ¡°Hey.¡± ze dropped the bags on the bed and pulled me into a hug. I sobbed in his arms. This time I had a shoulder to cry on.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay. Women get knocked up all the time, single or married.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡± I hit him on his arm. ¡°I did not miss a dose, and it didn¡¯t make me feel better because I¡¯ve never been dyed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Elise has had it three times because she said she¡¯s messy. She told me to go home when she was on her period.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to make me feel better or terrible?¡± I groaned at him.


    ¡°What¡¯s so bad about having a baby? You and Mykel have billions of money and can hire twenty nannies monthly.¡±


    ¡°We have nned to have a baby after three years. Not today or tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s already here if you are positive. That¡¯s the consequence of having sex.¡± He grabbed a bag. ¡°I bought three different brands, Three each, to make sure it¡¯s not tricking us.¡±


    ¡°What else is in the other bag?¡±


    ¡°Ice cream.¡±


    ¡°I want that first.¡± I grabbed the bag from him and asked spoon from the kitchen.


    ¡°Rich people.¡± He snorted. ¡°Everything is just a press away.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for years, and it didn¡¯t bother you that I¡¯m rich.¡±


    ¡°I know there¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling, Adley. What is it?¡±


    I pulled the lid off and looked at the delicious tiramisu-vored ice cream. Tears rolled down my face again.


    ¡°Adley, what is it?¡± he asked again when I couldn¡¯t find an easy way to tell him.


    ¡°He knocked up someone else years ago. And he¡¯s asking Sax to look for the woman and the child.¡±


    ¡°Oh, fuck. I¡¯m so sorry, Adley. Come here, sweetheart.¡± He opened his arms for me.


    I went into his arms with a tub of ice cream in my hand. ¡°He said he wasn¡¯t sure if it¡¯s his, but he did sleep with that woman. I don¡¯t think I can take care of another woman¡¯s kid, knowing Mykel is the father. I know it¡¯s selfish, but I¡¯m not ready, ze.¡±


    ¡°I know, sweetheart. He puts you in a tough situation. What if you¡¯re pregnant right now? What are you gonna do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna raise my kid alone,¡± I answered sternly, ring at him.


    ¡°You know you two are married, and he¡¯s gonna find out, right?¡±


    ¡°I know that. I haven¡¯t forgotten that fact, and I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± I bit my lip nervously.


    The bowl and spoons arrived. We ate the ice cream directly from the tub. Somehow, itforted me.


    He cleared his throat before he spoke, ¡°Elise mentioned something today that Mykel left for a business trip.¡±


    I lifted my head and stared at ze in utter shock.


    ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t ever overthink.¡± He wiped my tears from my face.


    ¡°I already am. I wondered why he didn¡¯t even call or text me after I left. I guess that¡¯s the answer I was looking for.¡± I wiped my tears that never ran dry.


    ¡°Or maybe he wanted to find the answer he¡¯s looking for directly from the source.¡±


    I sighed deeply and scratched my head. ¡°I think I¡¯m getting a divorce.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? This is not something you should think about overnight, Adley.¡± He narrowed his eyes, scolding me.


    ¡°I can support my own kid, ze.¡± I got out of bed and crossed my arms over my chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but he will fight for the custody and bring it to court. Is that really what you want? We don¡¯t even know yet if it¡¯s really his kid. Did he tell you this himself?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Then, after you¡¯ve been through with that bitch, all he wanted was, to be honest. He might want to start over with you, Adley.¡±

 Chapter 59

    MYKEL


    I¡¯d never cried in my entire adult life, but I thought I was about to break the record today. Watching the love of my life go felt like the end of the world to me, and I couldn¡¯t make something right with her.


    Part of me wanted to run after her and beg for forgiveness. My heart crashed, and I followed the other part-to make things right. And I started by getting the truth if the kid was mine.


    ¡°Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Lex, is my wife with you?¡± I had never been this agitated and wrecked, but I wanted to find out if she was there.


    ¡°Maybe I should open another headquarter of 911 for matrimonial service.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for jokes, Lex. Please let me know if Adley gets home?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t her home now with you, young man?¡±


    ¡°She left my office upset.¡±


    ¡°You two really have a lot of things to work out, son. What did you do this time?¡±


    ¡°I admit this is my fault. I wanna make things right. After what happened with that woman and Merick, I wanna start over. I want a good life with Adley, which includes no more shocking news, revtions, and surprises. I couldn¡¯t watch her getting hurt-¡±


    ¡°And you just did. Thest thing I want is to see my granddaughter suffer in your hands, unintentional or not, Mykel. I trust you will take care of her and love her and not watch her smile fade slowly from her face. You are not even married for four months-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re married for three months and two weeks, Lex.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my point, but you already gave her so much distress that wouldst her lifetime. That¡¯s not marriage, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Marriage is not always unicorn and bullshit, Lex, but I¡¯m doing my best-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly not doing it right. Why is she upset with you?¡±


    ¡°I told her that I might have a child.¡± There went the hard part. I struggled to find the right word, but I had no n to sugarcoat it. It was out of my chest, but I struggled even more.


    Moments of silence stretched between us. I knew Lex was still on the line. I looked outside the window as sadness and pain in my chest would never fade away. It had just gotten worse every second ticked by, and Lex had not replied anything back.


    ¡°Lex, say something, please?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s gonna be fine if she¡¯sing home here. Fix this, Mykel. You¡¯re a good man. Prove it to me that I¡¯m not wrong in choosing you for my granddaughter. If her mother is alive, she¡¯s gonna be so upset with you, son.¡± Hisst words made me shut my eyes close. I didn¡¯t even know why he had to involve Amelie in this conversation. Maybe to taunt me. Well, he did a pretty fucking bang-up job.


    ¡°I will. Please take care of my wife. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    I stared at the phone longer than necessary. I wanted to call and hear her voice, but I knew she would not make it easy for me. This time I had to work hard on my patience because I knew this might take a while before she could forgive me.


    There was a fine line between love and hate. I couldn¡¯t afford that love would shift to thetter.


    I went to see my father at graduate school. I couldn¡¯t believe how I got in here, but I was desperate.


    I thought I knew a little about Dru, but he kept surprising me. He had juste out of the lecture hall when I met him halfway.


    ¡°Mykel, what are you doing here?¡± He was not expecting to see me today, but neither did I.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you teach.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to know about me, son. I was invited to give a lecture, but that¡¯s not why you are here. Is Adley okay?¡±


    I scratched my brow. ¡°I need your advice.¡±


    ¡°I figured the moment I saw you. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    I followed him to the cafe a few blocks from the school. I found him waiting at the end corner of the cafe.


    ¡°I ordered ck for you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I sat across him. ¡°I spent half my life hating you when I¡¯m no better than you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. I made mistakes. You made mistakes. What¡¯s important is we are doing our best to make things right. I¡¯m happy I get to talk to you before I die. But you¡¯re not here to talk about us. What¡¯s going on? Thest time you were in trouble, you didn¡¯t look like you were about to break down before me.¡±


    I scratched my stubble with my shaky finger. My father did not miss that movement. ¡°Adley left-¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he quickly asked.


    ¡°She left me in the office after I told her something upsetting.¡±


    ¡°She just left your office, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Dru, she¡¯s angry because I-¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, son.¡± He held my arm.


    ¡°Jesus-¡± I raked my fingers through my hair. I couldn¡¯t take this pain any longer-it hurt so fucking much, and it was even hard to voice it out. I was losing my shit. If this was how it felt to be heartbroken, I¡¯d rather let someone rip my heart out of my chest. At least the pain would be abrupt.


    ¡°Take a breath.¡±


    I did take a breath. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll start from the beginning. After I saw Maisey, the woman who was supposed to ruin me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over. I saw it on TV.¡±


    ¡°I know that, Dad-¡± I froze for a moment. I just called him dad after twenty fucking years.


    His eyes widened, and the shock on his face told me that he didn¡¯t expect to hear that sooner. He also looked fulfilled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been stressful.¡± I sighed.


    ¡°You call me dad. It feels good. At the same time, it¡¯s terrifying that I might fail you again. Continue.¡±


    ¡°She reminded me of a woman I met years ago. That she might be a mother of a three-year-old kid.¡±


    ¡°And you could be a father,¡± my father slowly added.


    I nodded, breaking eye contact. I felt ashamed even to look at him. I had convinced myself for years that he was an asshole, yet I was no better than him.


    ¡°Where is the kid now?¡± he leaned back, nodding in understanding. The only difference between his reaction and Adley¡¯s, I couldn¡¯t see any judgment than sympathy.


    ¡°I was just starting up my business. When I told mywyer about it, he told me to give the woman money to get rid of the pregnancy. I met her and gave her the money. She refused for abortion. I haven¡¯t heard from her again.¡±


    ¡°So you wanna know if the kid exists or not?¡±


    I wrapped my shaky hand against the coffee cup. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°And Adley didn¡¯t take the news well?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. I wanna have kids with Adley, even if we nned years from now. Nothing¡¯s changed. I still do, but the kid is mine, and by the looks of it, Adley might not ept that I¡¯m the father of that boy or girl. I don¡¯t know what to do. I can¡¯t and won¡¯t run away from that responsibility as I did before. I need to know if it¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°This is all my fault. If I was a good father and a husband, this wouldn¡¯t have happened to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Then do not choose between your wife and your kid. Do not, for the love of God, repeat what I did that I regretted until now. I chose-¡± He pressed his lips together as he looked down in shame.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I forgave you. Mom forgave you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. It still doesn¡¯t change the fact that I abandoned my family. You can still be a father and a husband. Never turn your back on someone you love. Adley will understand. It may take a while, but she will get there. How sure are you the baby is yours?¡±


    ¡°The time frame, I slept with her. Though I used protection, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not one hundred percent safe, but maybe that 0. 00001 percent was luck.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your n now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m flying today to meet that woman. Sax justnded, and I gave him the address, and he will be there any moment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure she¡¯s still there?¡±


    ¡°I searched her name on social media. She¡¯s not active. There¡¯s no picture of the kid, but I¡¯m positive she¡¯s in LA.¡±


    After my heart-to-heart with my father, I arrived at the airport where my jet awaited. As soon as we took off, I tried my best to take a nap because I knew it would be a long day.


    ***


    Sax was already waiting for us at the airport. ¡°I thought I was gonna work on this alone.¡±


    ¡°Change of n. Did you find her?¡± I climbed into the car.


    ¡°Yes. Same address.¡± He gave me the camera. ¡°You might be right. You can check the pictures.¡±


    I checked all the pictures. The more I saw every image on the screen, the more it became clear that he was mine. I had a kid-a boy-a cute little boy.


    I was a father. Goosebumps erupted throughout my skin.


    His hair alone was a carbon copy of mine. There was no question that this kid was mine. I could feel it.


    I looked at the image for a while when my hands started shaking. I covered my mouth when the picture of his mother slid next. She really was the woman who came to me years ago. She had aged, but she looked exactly the same.


    ¡°She¡¯s living in a one-room apartment with the kid, but a guy in a dark blue sedan picked sent them home. It might be her boyfriend. I haven¡¯t gotten a chance to get a copy of the birth certificate.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. The kid is mine,¡± I confirmed it.


    ¡°Where do we go from here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see my son.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea?¡±


    I red at Sax. ¡°Yes. My wife knows, and she¡¯s beyond pissed off. Thanks for your advice.¡± I made sure he got the sarcasm. ¡°Adley is staying at Lex¡¯s. I wanna make this right before I go back to her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boy.¡± That was the first time Kye spoke.


    ¡°Do you have any unsolicited opinion, Kye?¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t love kids? Mrs. C is the type of woman who¡¯s angry today and still angry tomorrow, but she listens and has a good heart.¡±


    After almost an hour, we arrived at the old apartment building.


    ¡°Is this even safe here?¡± I looked around.


    ¡°For you, no, but maybe this is the only apartment she can afford.¡±


    The painful reality hit me hard. My child lived in an unsafe neighborhood while I was sleeping in a luxury penthouse. Life was cruel, I got that, but my kid deserved better than this building in front of me.


    I climbed out of the car and looked at the old building with graffiti from the outside. I turned to Kye. ¡°Canvas a two-bedroom apartment tomorrow in a safer neighborhood.¡±


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡±


    We made it to the second floor, and my kid was in Apartment 5.


    After a moment of silence, I finally found the gut to knock on the door. My heart was pounding hard as I tried to prepare myself for the truth I was about to face.


    ¡°Coming!¡± someone yelled from the inside. That must be his mother.


    Then the door swung open. Her blue eyes grew bigger as she recognized me. Even if years had passed, if I were a part of her life once and knew that we had a bond together-a kid, it would be hard to forget, particrly the person who knocked her up, let her down, and abandoned her.


    The door mmed shut right into my face. It didn¡¯t surprise me, either Sax and Kye behind me.


    I knocked again. I knew she was still behind the door. ¡°Jade, open the door, please?¡±


    ¡°Go away! You can¡¯t take my son from me! Over my dead body. He is mine! You¡¯re married now, go and have babies all you want. Leave us alone!¡±


    I closed my eyes for a moment before I reopened them. ¡°I¡¯m not here to take him away from you, Jade. I just wanna see him and talk to you. And I¡¯m not going anywhere unless you open this door, and we¡¯ll talk like adults.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I waited for another minute until she opened it. She looked a little bit shaken.


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡±

 Chapter 60

    ADLEY


    It was the longest and most excruciating three minutes of my life. I was staring at the six kits aligned on the sink, and with each second ticked by for a whole minute, I felt like my heart burst out of my chest, and my stomach coiled tightly. I wanted to throw up.N?velDrama.Org content.


    I was anxious, terrified, and confused. And at the same time, I was excited to know the oue. Two minutes had passed, and there was still no result. I paced back and forth in the bathroom while chewing my cheek.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do. I didn¡¯t know to break the news if the result turned out positive. I didn¡¯t know to deal with it. I didn¡¯t even know if I could be a good mother. For the first time, I had no clue. On the other hand, this was not a part of the n. At least, not right now.


    I just burst into crying. There are many things I want to experience, but not quite being a mother.


    ¡°Adley, you¡¯ve been there for five minutes. I¡¯m gonna tear this door down ande in if you don¡¯t get out of there in this instant,¡± ze warned me with a constant knock.


    My chest was heaving. I tried to hold back my sob, but it didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°Just a sec.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Just a sec.¡±


    I had waited for the moment of truth, and it finally came. It took me a few shaky steps before I made it to the sink.


    A gasp passed my lips. My hand mped my mouth. My world just crumbled down on me. I felt like I was sucked under, through the deep of endless darkness. I kept falling and falling until someone just held me and dragged me out.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t do this,¡± I repeatedly chanted, hoping it magically changed the result, but it was crystal clear from the six strips I used. They were like mocking me back.


    ¡°Of course, you can.¡± ze dragged me out of the bathroom and let me sit on the bed. He wiped the hair off my face. ¡°Look at me.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this.¡±


    ¡°Look at me.¡± Hismand made me freeze. ¡°Look at me, Adley.¡±


    I opened my eyes and looked at him through my blurry sight.


    ¡°Pull yourself together. You can do this. You are the strongest woman I¡¯ve ever met who changed the course of her life, stood for what she was passionate about, and went against her fate and fought for what rightfully belonged to her. You are that woman. You are stronger than you know. Stop crying and get your act together now that you will be a mother. Be brave because, as of this moment, you are not alone anymore.¡± ze kept shaking me until I nodded at him. ¡°You have a little peanut growing inside you, Adley.¡±


    The word little peanut made me chuckle and cry at the same time.


    ¡°You can cry and be like this weak loser or be the Adley I once knew. But it will affect baby peanut. Now wash your face and freshen up because we have a little ice cream party to celebrate.¡±


    I went to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I checked myself and my tummy, but nothing visible had changed yet. After I washed my face, I went back to ze, who was already eating the ice cream.


    I joined him in bed and sat Indian-style. I took my spoon and slurped the melting dessert.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone, ze.¡± I looked him in the eye. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone, especially Elise and him.¡±


    ¡°You mean the father of your child?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I looked down at the food in my hand.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide this forever. Yes, for a while, but eventually, pregnancy will grow. Your tummy will grow big as if you just swallowed the entire watermelon.¡±


    ¡°Jeez, I know that. Let me figure things out first.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m moving out of his house. I might buy my own apartment.¡±


    He shook his head in disapproval. ¡°If he will let you, especially once he finds out you¡¯re carrying his child.¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t force me,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°You wanna keep it?¡± His words were hesitant.


    ¡°Yes. This is my child.¡± I pointed at my still t tummy. ¡°You said that I¡¯m a strong woman-¡±


    ¡°You are, Adley. If you wanna do this, you have to tell him. I know you can do this alone. You never depend on anybody but yourself since from the start, especially on a man. But do you really wanna raise your child alone? You can co-parent if you want to divorce Mykel. But why don¡¯t you hear him out? Single parenting always affects the child¡¯s growth. Eventually, your baby peanut will ask for the father.¡±


    ¡°He lied to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s his intention. You can¡¯t hate him. He was an arrogant son of a bitch months ago before you met him, but he¡¯s changed a lot. He took responsibility for what he did years ago. He helped that woman even if she tried to destroy his image. Who would do that if not someone who valued his principle? You can¡¯t also hate his kid if it¡¯s his-¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that-¡±


    ¡°But it feels like it to me, Adley. Imagine the mother raising her child alone. And not everyone is as privileged as you and Mykel. She raised the kid alone. Months of sleepless nights while she thought of how to buy diapers and milk, and-¡±


    ¡°I get it, ze.¡± I snapped. ¡°I told you I don¡¯t hate them. And the child is innocent. If there¡¯s someone to me, it¡¯s Mykel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s making it right. I know it¡¯s gonna hurt, knowing that he has a kid, and you¡¯re having a kid. The attention would be divided, but if you care even a little bit, start epting the possibility that you have to meet the kid one day. Start epting that Mykel has made mistakes in his past, but he still chooses to be with you and tell you about it. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t easy for him knowing he¡¯s gonna hurt the woman he loves.¡±


    ¡°It hurts.¡± My eyes filled with tears again.


    ¡°I know. Life isn¡¯t always easy. At least he told you before you learn it from someone else.¡±


    ¡°I need your help.¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to ask me. I will always be here for you. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I need to see a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Good. And no more wine.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Let me get you an appointment.¡±


    ¡°Do you even know a doctor?¡±


    ¡°Easy, peasy. Let¡¯s start with a maternity hospital.¡±


    I watched ze scroll through the inte, searching for the maternity doctor. I patiently waited while he was busy on his phone. I munched on the melting ice cream. I was stress eating, and I felt hungry as well.


    ¡°We can take tomorrow in the afternoon. Do you feel any changes?¡±


    ¡°No?¡± My answer came out unsure.


    ¡°Dizziness or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Done. We have an appointment.¡±


    ***


    I felt great when I woke up. ze must have left to work already. I had breakfast with Grandpa in the garden. I knew he had a lot of things to ask. I could see it in his eyes, but he chose to stay quiet and smile instead.


    In the afternoon, I went down to find Romare waiting for me downstairs. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Doing my job, Mrs. C. I¡¯m driving you wherever you want. So, where to?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your service anymore, Romare.¡± I passed by him.


    He still followed me even if I had already dismissed him. ¡°Let me drive you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    I turned around, ring. ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just fire me, ma¡¯am. Mr. Creed is paying for my services. Unless he says so, then my job is done.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to ruin my mood. I felt good today, and I may need him in the future, but I knew he would report back to Mykel. So I made a n.


    I sighed deeply. ¡°Fine. Drive me to K&B.¡±


    He opened the door for me. I willingly climbed into the car.


    We arrivedter on. I thanked Romare and told him to stay at the reception. I literally ran toward ze¡¯s office as soon as Romare was out of my sight.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re not gonna show up.¡± ze buttoned his suit and walked toward me.


    ¡°You look good in that chair.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Shut up. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I held his arm. ¡°We can¡¯t go to the reception without Romare noticing us. We have to use the back door. I don¡¯t want him to tell Mykel that we¡¯re visiting a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡± He nodded. ¡°We may have to hire a cab.¡±


    ¡°Cab is fine.¡± We went to the exit door in a hurry. Thankfully, we were able to hire a cab as soon as we got to the street.


    I suddenly felt uneasy. My palms were sweating, and my pulse was so fast.


    ¡°Rx.¡±


    ¡°Maybe this is how I¡¯m supposed to feel.¡± My brows furrowed.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay.¡± He squeezed my hand.


    We almost didn¡¯t make our appointment on time.


    ¡°Adley Kross?¡± I could barely catch my breath when the nurse called my name.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Kindly fill up this form, please?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I wrote down the necessary information when I thought twice if I should cross the marital status or not.


    ¡°Just do it. You¡¯re overthinking again. Remember, you can¡¯t lie in your file.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I crossed married and wrote down the husband¡¯s name.


    I was done when the nurse came back. ¡°I will call you in a few minutes.¡±


    Again, the waiting was making me anxious until ze squeezed my knee.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one pregnant, but you¡¯re making me wanna puke. Take a deep breath.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say-¡±


    ¡°Adley, please follow me.¡±


    ¡°Can hee with me?¡± I asked the nurse.


    ¡°Of course. The baby daddy-¡±


    ¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m not the father!¡± zeughed out loud. ¡°Her husband is on a business trip out of town, and this is supposed to be a surprise when he returns tomorrow. I¡¯m just the overly excited uncle.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great. Come on in.¡± The nurse smiled gleefully.


    I took a couple of deep breaths before Iy down on the bed in a hospital gown because looking at the machine around me was already terrifying.


    ¡°Your first baby?¡± Doctor Chesca smiled brightly at me.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always terrifying. You keep asking yourself if the baby is gonna have ten fingers. It¡¯s normal, dear.¡±


    When the nurse raised my gown, I held my breath.


    ¡°Breath, dear.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I held ze¡¯s hand, squeezing it. When the probe was ced on my lower tummy, I almost jerked. It was cold with that clear jelly.


    I focused on the screen as she began moving the probe. It didn¡¯t take a moment until a small round thingy appeared on the monitor.


    ¡°That¡¯s your baby, Adley. Congrattions!¡±

 Chapter 61

    MYKEL


    Jade was ring at me and then at Sax and Kye before she stepped aside.


    The apartment was awfully small, but the furniture was pretty clean and sturdy. There were toys on the coffee table, on the floor, and the small bookshelf, reminding me that my son did exist and I had been a father for almost four years.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    ¡°These are my-¡±


    ¡°Bodyguards?¡± she replied vilely.


    ¡°Also, my friends. Sax the bald and the blond is Kye.¡±


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am.¡± My guys took a seat.


    I went to look at the photos on the walls and shelves.


    ¡°Why are you here, Mykel?¡±


    I turned to face her. ¡°What¡¯s my son¡¯s name?¡±


    She wallowed. ¡°Zhaer Jax with E. He likes to be called Jax. Zhaer is a mouthful.¡±


    Unknowingly, I was smiling. ¡°Beautiful name.¡±


    ¡°You still did not answer my question.¡±


    ¡°I wanna know him. I wanna meet him. Of course, with your permission.¡±


    Before Jade could say something, the boy walked in with a superhero action figure in his hand.


    ¡°Mommy?¡±


    Jade stiffened next to me, and so did I. My breath held in my chest. I even forgot to blink. The moment Iid my eyes on him, I felt like crying. A wave of strong emotions hit me so hard that I had spent years wasting my time and money on my selflessness while ignoring my responsibility as a father to this kid.


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him for a millisecond as if I saw a kid version of myself. Jax was a little bit small but taller for his age, but he looked healthy and happy.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I could barely hear his voice as I was emotionally impacted by this boy-my son.


    ¡°Hi. My name is Mykel. And you are?¡± Jesus Christ, I couldn¡¯t contain my smile.


    ¡°Jax. Are you mommy¡¯s friend?¡±


    ¡°Yes, honey. And we already talked about when adults are talking. Kids shouldn¡¯t join.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Bye, Mykel.¡±


    I blinked away the tears and breathed my emotions back. ¡°He¡¯s a good kid.¡±


    ¡°Someone has to raise him to be a good kid.¡±


    ¡°I wanna be a part of his life.¡±


    Jade narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°That¡¯s not gonna happen, Mykel. You have a wife. She looks nice than those women you slept with, by the way. I didn¡¯t expect you to be interested in knowing your kid after you gave me twenty thousand dors, which I haven¡¯t used that money. I keep it for Jax. As you know, I don¡¯t have anything to provide for him, but I did my best.¡±


    ¡°Then let me help you.¡± Even if she raised her voice, I remained calm. I had to earn her trust. She was the mother of my kid, after all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. You should have done that a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°I know, Jade. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, fixing my mistake. I know my words mean nothing to you, but I will do everything to prove to you that I¡¯m not the man you met four years ago.¡± I drew a breath before I spoke again. ¡°Look, since I married Adley, things have changed. I know you don¡¯t believe me and probably won¡¯t ever. But I¡¯m still working on bing a good husband and a good person. I know it will take time, but I¡¯m doing my best. Please, I wanna help. I wanna get to know my son. I just wanna be in his life. You can¡¯t take that away from him. He will eventually ask when he starts to understand and looks for his father.¡±


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t take him away from me.¡±


    ¡°I would never take my kid away from his mother,¡± I reassured her.


    ¡°Does your wife know you¡¯re here?¡±


    I sat on the chair. My knees weakened to her question. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Are you gonna tell her?¡±


    ¡°She knows.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess.¡± She upied the seat to my right. ¡°She wasn¡¯t happy about it.¡±


    ¡°Boss, Miss Scout, we leave you two alone to talk.¡±


    I nodded at them before I focused back on Jade. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I did. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what you¡¯ve been through for the past years, and nothing I¡¯m gonna do would make what I did right. But as the father of Jax, I want us to be friends.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This must be hard for her knowing you two don¡¯t have kids yet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We only married for almost four months, but I¡¯ve learned a lot of things. I¡¯ve learned to forgive my father and wee my half-brother into the family. I learned to love what I thought I was not capable of. All of that because I met Adley.¡±


    ¡°I know even if you were not in our lives, things would not work out between us. Maybe it¡¯s a good thing. But you have to make things right between you and Adley before I introduce you to Jax and before you cane and see him again.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± I nodded in understanding.


    ¡°You really change a lot. I watched you on tv and social media months ago, and it seemed that I¡¯m seeing a different person right now.¡±


    I smiled at her. ¡°Yeah. Love teaches you to be the best version of yourself. So does your love for Jax.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my everything, Mykel.¡± She didn¡¯t have to say it out loud. I could see it in her eyes.


    ¡°How long have you been staying here?¡± I almost didn¡¯t even manage to finish my question when someone was yelling outside.


    When I looked at Jade, she said, ¡°My neighbor when he¡¯s fighting with his wife.¡±


    ¡°So it happened more often?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She seemed shy to reply.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving this apartment, Jade. It¡¯s is not safe here.¡±


    She stood up, offended as she red at me. ¡°Where? You can¡¯t juste here and order me to leave my apartment.¡±


    I stood before her. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna fight with you. In a court ofw, if I ask for custody of my kid, they will be in favor of me. One, I have money. Two, I have a wife who can take care of Jax. Three, your neighbor is unsafe. The first thing they consider is the safety of the child. But I¡¯m not that guy anymore. I told you earlier. And right now, I¡¯m proving it to you. I¡¯m gonna help you with everything I can, including giving my son a safe home.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t take him away from me.¡±

 Chapter 62

    MYKEL


    Jade¡¯s eyes filled with tears.


    I held her arms, giving her assurance that I would never do such horrible things to her. ¡°I swear that no one can take Jax away from you. I know you don¡¯t trust me, but you eventually have to work on that.¡±


    She rxed as she drew a deep breath. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ve been saving money to get a good apartment near the school, but my job as a clerk-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you another job.¡±


    She looked as if she wanted to burst outughing. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a billionaire, Jade.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I sometimes forgot you¡¯re a dick billionaire, and you just waltzed in with two bodyguards. But I¡¯m doing it for my son.¡±


    ¡°Pack up, and you¡¯re staying at the hotel tonight.¡±


    She was about to disagree with a loud crash erupted from her neighbor.


    I had no idea how long she endured with this kind of neighborhood, but it had to end tonight.


    She waltzed away, calling our son. ¡°Jax, honey, wear your shoes, and we¡¯re going for a ride and stay in a nice room for the night.¡±


    I texted Kye toe up.


    A few minutester, he knocked on the door. ¡°Is her neighbor fighting?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why I asked you toe. How long does it take for you to search for an apartment?¡±


    ¡°Everything is on the inte, boss. Give me an hour.¡±


    ¡°I told them to pack. They¡¯re staying at the hotel starting tonight.¡±


    ¡°Good idea. Your kid-¡±


    ¡°Zhaer Jax. He prefers Jax.¡± I smiled proudly.


    Kye smiled too. ¡°Cute. I was just saying that he¡¯s not safe in here.¡±


    Jade picked up two bags. I took them from her so that she could have our son. Outside the apartment, she walked into her beat-up car.


    ¡°Jade, give your car key to Kye. He will drive you to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She was hesitant.


    ¡°Yes, Miss Scout.¡±


    The King Hotel was just fifteen minutes from their neighborhood. I rented three rooms for us.


    ¡°You¡¯re staying here.¡± I opened the door for them.


    When she saw the room, she was still surprised at what I was capable of. ¡°We can stay in a cheaper room.¡±


    Jax was already in the bed before she could protest. ¡°I like it, Mommy.¡±


    I genuinely smiled as I walked to the bed. ¡°You¡¯ll get a room just like this, buddy.¡±


    ¡°Really? I want a car bed.¡±


    ¡°Honey, we talked about it.¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡± We did a fist bump.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Jade came to me.


    ¡°Get some rest.¡±


    I walked to my room, sad and lost. I had found my kid, but I was on the verge of losing my wife if I would not make it right.


    Iy in bed. My mind went back to my father¡¯s words that I should not turn my back on the people I loved.


    A knock interrupted my thoughts. When I opened the door, it was Jade.


    ¡°Sorry to disturb you. I don¡¯t have your number,¡± she said shyly. ¡°Jax is hungry.¡±


    ¡°Order room service, anything you both like.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Jade, give me your phone. Let me save my number.¡±


    She gave me an old iPhone model. Life was really tough on her, but she seemed strong and capable that she raised our kid well by herself.


    I typed my number and saved it. ¡°Do you have a man in your life? I mean, it¡¯s none of my business, but I wanna make sure my kid is safe.¡±


    Color flushed on her cheeks. ¡°I haven¡¯t started dating until my office mate asked me, but there¡¯s a guy. He¡¯s kind to me. He¡¯s living a few blocks from the apartment. His name is Aiden.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s okay with you having a kid?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°I only went out with him twice.¡±


    ¡°Where did you leave Jax?¡±


    ¡°Jax was with us. It was a dry pic in the park, and Jax enjoyed it a lot.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Aiden?¡±


    ¡°Mies. Aiden Mies. Are you nning on something?¡±


    I shook my head, smiling. ¡°I just wanna make sure he has a clean track record.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? He¡¯s a good guy.¡±


    ¡°Then you have nothing to worry about it. Anyway, order room service. Jax is waiting.¡± When she turned around, I called her.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ***


    I woke up to an empty bed and a hollow heart. I missed my wife, but I knew she was safe with Lex. I wanted to get Jax a good apartment before I nned on going home, then tell Adley that I found my son.


    We started apartment hunting after breakfast.


    The first apartment we found was okay, but the room was too small. The next we checked out, the entrance didn¡¯t look secure.


    ¡°This looks way out of my reach. Two rooms are okay, and this-¡±


    ¡°Has three rooms, three baths, kitchen, spacious living room, and there¡¯s a pool for kids, and a yground at the back,¡± the tenant said.


    ¡°Jax, how do you like this apartment?¡±


    Jax was seemingly asking for his mother¡¯s approval.


    ¡°You can y outside, and if you want to learn how to swim, you and your mom can practice at the swimming pool.¡±


    ¡°I like it.¡± I could barely hear his words.


    ¡°Do you like it here? You can stay here, you know. You can bring your action figures here and have your own room with a car bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fun, right?¡±


    He nodded excitedly. His eyes were sparkling.


    ¡°You got it, buddy.¡± I raised my hand for a high five. He did a fist bump instead.


    ¡°I wanna settle the papers today so they can transfer immediately,¡± I told the tenant.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Jade asked me.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I had dinner with them at the local restaurant near the apartment.


    ¡°I fully paid the apartment, so you don¡¯t have to worry about the rent. I¡¯m gonna transfer to Jax¡¯s name once I get back to New York. I¡¯m also opening an ount in his name for my monthly financial support.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± She was hesitant, but I would do anything topensate for something I missed, even if it would never suffice.


    ¡°You both have been okay for the past years, but I want you and Jax¡¯s life to be better. I¡¯m not doing this by bribing you in to your approval-¡±


    She looked at our son¡¯s stabbing pasta. Apparently, he loved it.


    ¡°I gave you my word. I won¡¯t do anything without your permission.¡±


    ¡°Just give me time to let it all sink in.¡±


    ¡°Take all the time you need. I already ordered a custom-made bed for him. It will be delivered to your apartment in a week. Will you call me if you need anything?¡±


    She nodded in hesitation.


    ¡°I mean anything, Jade. Can I count on you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for allowing me to do this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s April 27.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°His birthday.¡±

 Chapter 63

    ADLEY


    ¡°Mykel?¡± I woke up at two in the morning to his call. I found missed calls and messages from him. I thought I was dreaming, hearing the constant ying of a song. I realized it was my ringtone.


    After two days, it finally got into his freaking mind that he had a wife he left in New York.


    ¡°Baby, I wasn¡¯t sure you would answer.¡± Really? That was the best excuse he could think of. There was also a hesitation in his voice.


    ¡°After two days, then you are about to drain my batteries. Why are you calling, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Baby, I¡¯m sorry, okay? I¡¯ming home. My jet is taking off in thirty. I¡¯m picking you up as soon as Ind-¡±


    ¡°Mykel, do you realize it¡¯s early morning when yound? Don¡¯t waste your time. I¡¯m noting with you.¡±


    ¡°Baby-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡±


    ¡°Adley, I gave you two days to think. I know you¡¯re still angry with me, but we need to talk, and this split-up, you staying in the other house, doesn¡¯t do any good in our marriage. You and I need to sit down and settle this issue.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready.¡±


    ¡°Adley, there¡¯s a lot of things happened in two days, and I wanna tell you everything,¡± he just confirmed my greatest fear. ¡°I need you right now, baby. I want you.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. You already found what you¡¯ve been looking for.¡± I was already shaking in bed. My tears fell down my pillow. I tried hard to keep my voice firm, but my heart was bleeding. ¡°Therees the part that you don¡¯t need me anymore. And I¡¯m not ready to talk about this. I need some time.¡±


    ¡°Baby, you are my wife. I needed you before. I need you even more right now. Please, don¡¯t do this to me. Things or misunderstandings, mimunications, or rifts between us would not solve themselves. From the start, I told you I would never leave you. I would stay by your side no matter what. I¡¯m not giving up on us. We just got through a difficult time and can do it again as long as we do this together. Don¡¯t leave me hanging, Adley.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    I shut my eyes close. ¡°I can¡¯t talk or be with you right now. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    There was a second of silence. My guess was he was thinking about this. On my part, I was scared. I was terrified to hear the truth that I wasn¡¯t prepared enough. In fact, I wished what was hurting me and making it so heavy in my chest was not true.


    I was selfish, maybe. Was I ready to give up our rtionship? No. But I didn¡¯t think I could live like this. I had a baby with him. I wanted him to focus on us. I needed him for us-for my child. I needed his undivided attention; in my mind, this would not happen. His time and attention would always be divided between his child and mine.¡±


    ¡°Baby, how much time do you need?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, Adley. Don¡¯t do this to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dothis to me,¡± I pointed it out. I started sobbing.


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry. Look, I was a terrible person back then, but since I met you, I realized I¡¯d done things I was not proud of. To be able to make our marriage work, I need to be honest with you. I need a clean te. After what happenedst week, I wanted us to start over. I wanted this marriage so bad that I wanted to live in peace. And it won¡¯t happen until I fix the mistake I made years ago.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Mykel. You don¡¯t have to exin. All I¡¯m asking is to give me more time. What just happened shocked me. I¡¯m still wrapping my head around it. If you care for me and this marriage, don¡¯t force things the way you want. Don¡¯t push it into me. I care about you. You know that by now. That¡¯s why I am still talking to you. I wanna make this marriage work, too. I¡¯m still not giving up. Despite what happened, I¡¯m still here, hoping for the better of our rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± He drew a deep breath from the other line. ¡°I missed you, baby. It¡¯s been an eye-opening, confounding, and petrifying week.¡±You have no idea.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Adley, I love you so much it hurts. That¡¯s one thing that¡¯s not gonna change.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Grandpa asked me for the second time as if I was going for my first recital.


    ¡°You¡¯re making me edgier.¡± I licked my dry lips. My stomach rolled.


    ¡°This won¡¯t take long. Congrattions are in order, honey.¡±


    I smiled a little before we entered the conference room at the Kross Corp. ¡°I¡¯ll thank youter once I have the documents in my hand, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°You deserve this. Your sacrifices didn¡¯t go to waste.¡± He gripped my shoulder. ¡°Take this as a win.¡±


    ¡°I hope Mom and Dad think so too.¡±


    After our short pleasantries with ourwyers, we settled on the long table.


    ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Our witness.¡± The door flew open simultaneously.


    I was startled in my chair. So much for the grand entrance. My throat clogged. My lips went dry as I watched who had just waltzed in. How did it slip my mind? This was our idea in the first ce.


    ¡°d you could join us, Mykel,¡± My grandfather addressed his royal presence while I seemed rooted to my seat.


    ¡°Sorry, I was fashionablyte by three minutes. But I won¡¯t miss the big day.¡± He sauntered toward us, particrly the empty seat intended for him next to me. He always looked at his best, even without shaving. His suit always fit perfectly on him, and themanding and authoritative aura made people give him a second look. ¡°Morning, baby.¡± He kissed the side of my head, his hand on my thigh, squeezing a little, causing me to almost jolt in front of everyone. ¡°I missed you so fucking bad.¡±

 Chapter 64

    ADLEY


    Gripping his hand off my thigh under the table, I gave him an I-wish-I-could-say-the-same-thing-look. ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Everette Kross and Mrs. Amelie Kross have two residences, a beach house, four personal vehicles, a yacht, thirty-seven million dor cash in the joint bank ount, and an eighteen percentbined share at the Kross Corp.¡± That made me the twenty-eight percent shareholder of the corporation.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°A trust fund that was already transferred to their beneficiary only daughter, Adley Kross, when she turned neen. The remaining assets mentioned and written on this writing will be transferred upon signing the document by the beneficiary.¡±


    I listened to my parents¡¯wyer as he continually exined other points in the document. So this was all the sacrifices all about?


    ¡°As witnessed by Mr. Mykel Creed, the spouse of the beneficiary. Any question?¡±


    I remained tight-lipped. So, this is it. This was what we went to all this trouble for?


    ¡°No further question. How about you, Adley?¡± My grandfather asked.


    I met his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I feel this isn¡¯t right.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is, Adley. This your parents¡¯ assets,¡± Mykel remarked.


    ¡°Honey, this has been a long wait. Unless you want to pass it to your kid.¡±


    For a moment, I froze.


    Mentioning a kid while Mykel was beside me terrified me the most. The fact that we were in this situation because of a kid, I was also keeping the truth from him that would change the course of our lives in a blink of an eye.


    ¡°Baby, if you need some time alone, you can have it. I know this is a lot to take in. No rush, but I know your parents were also waiting for this moment.¡±


    I lifted my gaze from the document on the table, meeting his. ¡°I hope so.¡±


    I swallowed hard as I picked up the documents. Then I picked up the pen offered by my parents¡¯wyer. My fingers were shaking.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Mykel whispered to me. ¡°Take your time.¡±


    I let go another breath before I scribbled my signature on the documents. ¡°Done.¡±


    Mykel signed next as the witness.


    ¡°This journal is strict with specific instructions to be handed to you personally. It¡¯s your mom¡¯s.¡± The attorney pushed the worn-out old brown leather journal in front of me.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I looked at it and wondered what was so special about it other than maybe it was Mom¡¯s diary.


    Everyone just congratted me while my mind was still in chaos. I literally dragged Mykel and myself into this situation. Now I had it; it did not make me feel any better. It didn¡¯t make me any less greedy. I became that person-a selfish woman I started to despise. I felt I had betrayed my parents and used Mykel to get here.


    The Champagne bottle popped, startling me. The cheers erupted. I sipped the Champagne just to make sure my secret was safe with me. I remained seated in silence, blocking off the noises around me.


    As everyone celebrated my win, it became too much. I rose to my feet, rushed out of the room, and ran toward the nearest restroom. My stomach coiled. Bile rose in my throat. I managed to find an empty toilet before I threw up everything I ate into the bowl.


    I did again until there was nothing left.


    ¡°Adley, are you in there?¡± It was Mykel. He must have followed me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I cleaned up before I got out. I went to the sink to gargle my mouth.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He touched my back.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I know this is overwhelming-¡±


    I looked him in the eye. ¡°I used you. I got what I wanted. Why do you think I would still want you?¡±


    He looked taken aback. His face contorted with pain. ¡°I wish you did not just say that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our deal, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He shook his head. I watched him swallow hard. Then a grimace lingered. ¡°Our marriage is not about getting what you want anymore. It became more real to me since I started to care about you and eventually fell for you. I did not regret my decision, Adley. I will always be here for you, even if this is over. You are still my wife, and I still love you no matter how much pain I endure, no matter how hatred you throw at me. I know you are hurting, but so do I. I know you are a good and wonderful person, and you are the same woman I met months ago. If you are doing this to me to hurt me-¡± He shrugged. ¡°You seeded, baby.¡±


    ¡°You are wrong. You¡¯ve changed. I¡¯ve changed. I hate to tell you this, but I¡¯m not the same woman you once knew.¡± I turned to walk away.


    Mykel had my arm in his grip. ¡°Adley, your pain is my pain. Your suffering is my suffering. I feel that you struggle and feel abandoned at your most vulnerable, but trust me. I never wished this to happen between us. I¡¯m doing my best to fix this, but I can¡¯t do this alone. Marriage and rtionships won¡¯t triumph if I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s willing to make it work.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this. I don¡¯t think I can be with you anymore.¡± I blocked my emotions and trapped the bleeding in my chest. I suppressed the intensity of the pain inside me, at least before I was out of his sight.


    ¡°I know, I should have done that a long time ago, but I can¡¯t go back. It¡¯s happening. I¡¯m a father, Adley-¡±


    I forced back the tears forming in my eyes. I didn¡¯t want to cry. I couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t cry again.


    ¡°I¡¯m a father to a three-year-old boy. I was supposed to be there for him. You have no idea how hard life he endured over the years. I¡¯ve wasted money and time while my son could not even sleep in a good bed. I can¡¯t abandon him now. He doesn¡¯t even know me, and it fucking hurts. I want you to understand me, and I know you do. I need you so bad right now. I need you as my strength because I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m doing anymore, but I don¡¯t want to fail again. I feel like I¡¯m grasping for something untouchable. I¡¯m lost. All I need is for him to know me as his father. And I need your help for that.¡±


    I snapped my head and looked right into his eyes. ¡°You need me for that?¡±


    ¡°His mother won¡¯t introduce me to our son until you¡¯re okay with this. I know it¡¯s selfish and too much to ask, but please, I¡¯ve had enough hate and suffering for my father for twenty years. I don¡¯t want to endure that for the next twenty years of my life.¡±


    I stared at him in shock. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 65

    MYKEL


    There was so much pain in her eyes. She had withdrawn to somewhere she didn¡¯t want to be reached. It fucking hurt knowing I was the one who put it there that I made her that way. I wished I could take those pain away. I didn¡¯t care how excruciating it was for me-I just wanted to see the sparks in her eyes and hear her richugh again.


    For a second, I didn¡¯t buy that tough girl bullshit. I¡¯d known my wife for months, and she¡¯d never turned her back on me. I knew she didn¡¯t mean those words-those words wereing from a woman who was hurting and carrying the world over her shoulder.


    I fucking missed her-my wife-the woman I fell in love with.


    Now was not the right time to give up on someone I loved. Now was not the time to have some doubts.


    Days had passed, and I had not heard from Adley again. Romare was keeping me updated-that put me in bed and made me sleep at night, even if not peacefully.


    I was giving her the time and space she needed. What I didn¡¯t expect was that she needed this much, but I knew she was okay. The only thing that bothered me was that she didn¡¯t have the light on her face anymore-ording to Romare, and I trusted his judgment. But that guy couldn¡¯t even find a good word to say-he needed to learn a few vocabries.


    ¡°Hi. How¡¯s the transfer going?¡±


    ¡°I still have a few boxes to unbox, but this is the closest I can call home. Thank you, Mykel.¡± Jade had been an orphan since high school. I had to admit-she was a strong woman, finished college, and raised a kid alone. Somehow, she reminded me of Adley.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I¡¯m grateful you allowed me to help you. How¡¯s Jax?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s enjoying the space and the peace without our loud neighbors. He¡¯s been ying and running in the apartment the whole morning.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Have you opened up to your wife?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. To be honest, she¡¯s having a hard time epting it. She¡¯s living with her grandfather. I¡¯m giving her enough time she needs since she asked for it. But I want to see my son, Jade. I want him to know me as his father.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Mykel, but that¡¯s my condition. I know you love your wife and want to be a part of Jax¡¯s life, but I want to make sure your wife is okay with our arrangement. I wanna make sure she¡¯s okay with my son. I know one day, you wanna take him to your home, and it¡¯s okay with me, but I also want to trust Adley that she won¡¯t hurt Jax.¡±


    ¡°Jade, you don¡¯t have to worry about Adley. She¡¯s kind, and she won¡¯t ever hurt Jax-¡±


    ¡°Mykel, I really want to help you. I don¡¯t want Jax will me me one day for not letting him meet his father, but I also care and need a guarantee that he will grow up in a safe environment, in a good home, and that is where you and your wifee in, I don¡¯t want him to see you fighting because of our arrangement.¡±


    ¡°I get it, Jade.¡± I nodded in agreement, pinching the bridge of my nose, even if she could not see me. ¡°That¡¯s what I want for him, too. I want to help you raise him with the people who care about him.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s a good woman, Mykel, she will understand your situation and why I want this for Jax.¡±


    When the line went dead, I was left with only a few difficult choices, and those were not in my favor at this moment.


    The house was not the same without Adley. It felt lifeless, soulless, and haunting.


    I decided to meet Dash and Knox in the evening at the Night Stalker. As much as I wanted another heart-to-heart talk with my father, he was out of town on a business trip.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are a father.¡± I was expecting this reactioning from Knox. He studied me for a moment before he sipped the blue drink he ordered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Knowing your brother back then, it¡¯s only a matter of time before kidse running at him, iming he¡¯s the sperm donor. Congrattions, by the way.¡± Dash pped my back. It sounded enthralling, and I couldn¡¯t wait for Jax to call me daddy, but that wouldn¡¯t be happening anytime soon.


    ¡°Bro, we¡¯re here, you know.¡± Knox nudged me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be happy that you¡¯re a father, and I¡¯m just an instant uncle?¡±


    With my knuckles tucked under my jaw, I raised my gaze at him. ¡°I¡¯m thrilled-¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°The mother, Jade. She has a condition I should meet before introducing me to our son as his father. His name is Jax. Zhaer Jax.¡± I showed them the picture on my phone. I also sent it to Mom and Dru. They were terrific to meet him.


    ¡°He¡¯s really your son. He got the hair and the eyes,¡± Dash affirmed.


    ¡°Agreed. So, I¡¯m Uncle Knox, huh?¡±


    ¡°You are now, bro,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the condition?¡±


    ¡°I understand her doubts. I just showed up and asked for something that needed a hugemitment, and she had to make a big decision. I was even lucky she talked to me. But Adley should agree with the arrangement. Jade wants to make sure Adley is on board before she introduces me to Jax.¡±


    ¡°Did Adley know about this?¡± Dash asked.


    ¡°Yes, before I traveled. I wanted to be certain the kid is mine.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. The reason why we¡¯re here is Adley.¡±


    I nodded at Knox.


    He hummed. ¡°I also understand Adley. She must be so hurt. She¡¯s a good woman, Mykel, but she¡¯s still shocked that she just found out you¡¯re a father. It¡¯s just the two of you for a couple of months, and now you¡¯re nning to raise and take your son from another woman¡¯s home. Whether she likes it or not, she¡¯s gonna y a stepmom role to your son. It¡¯s like you¡¯re forcing her into a situation she¡¯s not ready for it.¡±


    Dash agreed with Knox, ¡°If this happens before you two get married, maybe this doesn¡¯t hurt her so much. I bet she¡¯s not ready to be a mother, let alone trying to fit in to be in a stepmom¡¯s shoe to your son.¡± He sighed deeply and didn¡¯t even try to hide his disappointment and distress. ¡°I also understand the mother of your son. She raised him for three years, and not only that. She¡¯s pregnant for nine months without someone to depend on. I¡¯m impressed that she weed you without punching your face.¡±


    ¡°I might have said something that made Jade reconsider.¡±


    Knox and Dash shared a look before they shook their heads in unison.


    ¡°Why am I not even surprised?¡± Dash snorted.


    ¡°Look, I was desperate. All I wanted was to make things right. I wanted to start over with Adley with a clean te. I don¡¯t want secrets between us anymore. Look what got me when I hid who¡¯s Knox to me?¡± I could barely shrug. This whole situation was far harder than any challenges I¡¯d ever encountered, especially since I didn¡¯t have my wife as my anchor.


    ¡°You are also desperate to be a father,¡± Dash added.


    ¡°And you¡¯re failing it spectacrly, bro. How will you convince Adley to be okay with this if she¡¯s just moved out of your home?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to punch you so often, Dash. You¡¯re here because you have words of shits you can tell me.¡± I threw him a re before I downed the dirty whiskey till empty.


    ¡°Did you try exining?¡± Knox asked.


    ¡°The first thing I did. You¡¯re useless, yourself.¡± I growled in annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re not listening. I told you I don¡¯t keep secrets from her anymore. I told her about Jade¡¯s term, but she turned me down. t.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Take it easy.¡± Knox raised a hand. ¡°That¡¯s the alcohol talking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk, asshole.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the Adley I know. I know this might hurt your feelings, but she used you to get what she wanted, and then you were asking for help desperately, and she turned you down. I mean, you gave up and sacrificed everything, and went beyond to any length for the sham marriage-for the sake of her inheritance, and now you need her help. She doesn¡¯t want to return the favor? Wow! That¡¯s low, man.¡±


    As soon as Dash finished his sentence, I just snapped. I found my fist against his jaw. He stumbled down the chair.


    Knox was on his feet as he yelped in shock at what just came over me. I was not this violent. I may be overprotective over my wife, and I didn¡¯t like any of the words he said, but it didn¡¯t give me the right to punch my best friend for years.


    ¡°What the fuck, Creed?¡± He narrowed his eyes to slits as he touched his jaw, which started to swell. He rose from his fall. ¡°Did you just punch me? If you¡¯re still dreaming, wake up and open your eyes to reality because that¡¯s the truth. You were used to using women and got what you wanted. I think karma is instant nowadays. It backfires pretty quick.¡±


    ¡°You just disrespected my wife, Chandler!¡± I spat back.


    ¡°If your fucking feelings still blind you, time to see the truth, Mykel, because not all the time we are here to grab you back on your feet. Suck it up, man! You might have misread your wife being too good to be true after all.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Rage against Dash consumed me as Iunched into him. Before I could punch Dash again, his fist had already reached my eye, and it hurt as fuck. But when you were overpowered with your anger, you tended to forget the pain you endured, and all you wanted was to crush your opponent¡¯s face.


    An hourter, I found myself in a holding cell police station. I realized I was too drunk and let my rage and denial devour me. Dash did not press charges. I just volunteered to get myself locked for the time being until I cooled down.


    ¡°Do you still wanna stay here, asshole?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I couldn¡¯t even look at him. I was ashamed of my action. I acted like a raging teenager. And for fuck¡¯s sake, I was twenty-eight years old and ran a billion-dor empire, and here I was with my ass locked up. I shook my head in disappointment.


    ¡°Pull yourself together, Mykel. I¡¯m sorry, too. I¡¯ve said something terrible about Adley. I know you love her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault anyway. I chose this life and took full responsibility for my action. I¡¯m under a lot of stress, and I threw that on you. I¡¯m staying here until morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Call me if you need anything, but not punch me. You hit like a girl, by the way.¡±


    I chuckled as I pressed the cold water onto my left eye.


    He left, and Knox walked in.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Can we go home now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± He looked at me as if I had lost my damn mind. Maybe I just did.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m calling your bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯ll call a cab or let the officer send me home.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re losing your shits, bro. Your son won¡¯t be so impressed to hear this.¡± He was right. This should be thest thing I should be doing, but here I was, acting like a lunatic.


    ¡°Go home. I¡¯ll call you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    Once Knox left, Iid back on the bench. Things I did came back to me like shes. I shut my eyes close, hoping to block those images. What if Dash was right? But that couldn¡¯t be. I felt how she cared for me. What we had was real.


    ¡°Mr. Creed, do you realize this isn¡¯t a hotel room?¡± The officer who brought me here looked more amused than ever. I volunteered myself that if Dash would press an assault charge, then so be it. I would pay for it.


    ¡°This is actually better than my empty bedroom.¡± I looked around at these arrested individuals. ¡°At least I have angry mates here to piss off.¡±


    The officer tsked before he walked away. I got up when my world started spinning. My head was hammering. I closed my eyes and pressed my head against the cell to suppress the ache.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Mykel?¡±

 Chapter 66

    ADLEY


    This wake-up call in the middle of the night was stressing me out. I grunted as I picked up my phone on the nightstand.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I snapped as I answered the call.


    ¡°Oh, wow. You¡¯re scary. I¡¯m sorry to call you thiste-¡± I instantly recognized that voice.


    ¡°Knox?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, but Mykel is in trouble.¡±


    I was already sitting in bed when I asked, ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on, Knox?¡±


    ¡°We were having drinks, and suddenly, Mykel punched Dash in the face. Things lead to another.¡±


    ¡°Has he been drinking?¡± I shook it off. He just mentioned they were having drinks. I guessed I was not fully awake.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t drunk, Adley. Not really, but, you know. Since you two are not okay, he¡¯s been having difficulty dealing with it.¡±


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s locked up.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s what?¡±


    ¡°I know. This isn¡¯t him. I¡¯m worried about Mykel. He¡¯s been under a lot of stress, and it¡¯s not something like his finance, or his boards can help him settle this out. He needs us, Adley. I know it¡¯s too much to ask, but if you care even a little, I need your help. And I wouldn¡¯t have reached out to you if you¡¯re not his wife, but you¡¯re the only person who can talk him out of this.¡±


    ¡°You know I care about Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Can you just set aside the anger for an hour and take him out of the police station. He said I should go home, and he wanted to spend the night at the station. He told me not to call his bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    After he told me the address where Mykel was, I went to the bathroom to freshen up. I changed to jeans and a shirt, grabbed my coat and bag, and texted Romare to meet me downstairs.


    Romare and I were on our way to the police station. He was looking at me through the rearview with a question literally popping on his forehead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even ask.¡±


    He did this with his head instead of saying okay.


    I called Knox when the station came to view. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°See me?¡± He just got out of his car and waved at us.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I hung up the call.


    I climbed out of the car as soon as Romare was done parking. We hugged each other, and I didn¡¯t know howforting it was until I met a familiar face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him I called you. All he needs to know is I already left.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I smiled at him. Knox seemed well aware of what was happening between Mykel and me and the recent events in his brother¡¯s life.


    ¡°I called you because I knew you were the only one who could persuade him. He can¡¯t stay there. For fuck¡¯s sake, he¡¯s a hot mess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going in. I¡¯ll handle this, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait here outside.¡±


    Romare followed me inside.


    ¡°You must be the lovely wife of our distinguish guest.¡± The officer offered his hand for a handshake.


    I gripped it and smiled. ¡°Is he giving you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°Not more than he wanted on himself. Look, I¡¯ve been working here for almost fifteen years, ma¡¯am, and anyone who walked in wanted to run back. Your husband, on the other hand, was another story. His friend left an hour ago and refused to press any charge, and his brother left half an hourter. And he said he wanted to stay.¡± He shrugged off. ¡°He must be having some bad days.¡±


    ¡°Is he drunk?¡±


    ¡°He might have been drinking, but he¡¯s aware of what¡¯s happening. Whatever is going on with him, I can¡¯t keep him here. He¡¯s a good man and donates a lot to the Police Welfare Fund.¡±


    ¡°He had so much fun. I¡¯m taking him home.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡± The cop took the keys and gestured to me. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    I followed him. That was how I saw Mykel for the first time in days, his head pressed against the cell.


    I walked past the cop. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Mykel?¡±


    He stiffened as he recognized my voice. He then opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at me. The shock was evident in his eyes.


    Mykel looked miserable but still terribly handsome. Dash must have punched him back as I noticed redness surrounding his left eye.


    ¡°Baby?¡± He searched outside the cell. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Are you really nning to stay here?¡±


    ¡°Get a room!¡± A man from the other holding scouted at us.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Mykel scolded the other man.


    ¡°Stop it. You¡¯re not staying here,¡± I said firmly. ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± I turned to the officer. ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°Sure, ma¡¯am.¡± He unlocked the cell.


    Once the door was opened, Mykel sighed deeply and walked out. He closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll talk about this once we¡¯re out of here.¡±


    The officer gave him his belongings. ¡°Don¡¯te back, Mr. Creed.¡±


    ¡°Not nning soon, officer. If you need anything, you know where to find me. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir. Stay out of trouble.¡±


    Knox drove off as soon as he saw his brother walking out of the station.


    The ride home felt awfully silent. Mykel had not said a word, but he never let go of my hand. It was in his grip the whole time.


    I was still hurting. The clearer the truth became as the days passed and the wound cut deeper. It hadn¡¯t changed since I found out he was a father.


    The elevator ride was excruciatingly slow and awkward. The truth became more painful to bear each second as the door swung in front of us. The silence was deafening.


    When the door shut behind us, Mykel let go a shaky sigh while I stood there rooted to the ground. I felt like I didn¡¯t know what to do to let this awkward silence go.


    He turned around and held my hand back. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I don¡¯t wanna ask how did you find out I was there. Dash or Knox probably called you in the middle of the night. You and I arecking sleep.¡±


    I opened my mouth to say something.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go back.¡±


    I swallowed and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± I climbed up with him toward our room. This was just the two of us now. Unexpected things were likely to happen behind closed doors.


    He stripped from his clothes and walked to the shower only in his boxers. I went to the closet, changed into PJs, and went to bed.


    A few minutester, he joined me in bed, and I was on my side. ¡°Night, baby.¡±


    ***


    I found him in the kitchen with his fist tucked on his jaw, seemingly in deep thoughts. He noticed me before I got even closer.


    ¡°Coffee?¡±


    I shook my head, not meeting his burning and scrutinizing stare. Every day, I avoided things I loved to drink and eat. The reality that I was carrying a child was striking me in the face.


    ¡°I¡¯m having heartburntely. I stick to tea and fresh juice for a while.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen a doctor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. She did not even rmend antacid. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I joined him for breakfast. I picked a piece of croissant from the basket and shoved a half-full in my mouth.


    ¡°Did you miss your dinner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starving, Mykel.¡± I red at him.


    He poured fresh orange juice into the ss and smiled. ¡°Eat anything you want, baby. Don¡¯t ever starve yourself.¡±


    I grabbed the ss and drank half of it. ¡°I¡¯m not nning on starving myself to death. I¡¯m gonna be like a hippo soon anyway.¡± I blinked at my own words.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± He checked me out from head down to my abdomen.


    I felt conscious instantly. Though my stomach was still t, for how long could I keep this up? ¡°I eat a lot. That¡¯s all.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Then I can¡¯t wait to see the most beautiful hippo on the.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the elephant in the room,¡± I started in a serious tone.


    ¡°I want you back home, baby. I need my wife.¡± The way he looked at me shredded my heart into pieces.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna help you with your son. That¡¯s all.¡±


    He must not have anticipated my words. His lips parted as he stared at me in utter shock.


    ¡°I will help you because you¡¯ve been there for me when I needed you. I¡¯m returning back the favor, Mykel. Once you get introduced, I¡¯m done. Beyond that, I can¡¯t help you anymore.¡±


    ¡°I wanna spend time with my son for a day or two, and I can¡¯t bring him if Jade doesn¡¯t trust us.¡±


    ¡°Jade.¡± I swallowed hard. My eyes started to sting. My emotions had been in chaos since this kid issue and finding out I was with a child.


    ¡°I swear nothing is going on with Jade and me. I haven¡¯t forgotten that I have you. I have a wife that I love, Adley.¡± He reached out for my hand, but I managed to pull back before he could touch me.


    His touch did not change. I still felt the warmth and the tingles when he kept my hand in his gripst night. I still saw the warmth and longing in his eyes. The desire and smile I wanted to see were still there, intact, but my trust wasn¡¯t there anymore. I couldn¡¯t trust him. I couldn¡¯t trust myself either. This was what pulled me back.


    ¡°Take it or leave it.¡±


    His nod had ced me more in vain.

 Chapter 67

    ADLEY


    On myst visit to my OB, she prescribed something for my morning sickness. I was also now on prenatal vitamins.


    My baby was healthy. My little peanut had grown so fast. I felt like I had not been able to breathe freely until my OB announced my baby had ten fingers and ten toes.


    I knew this trip would be a little bumpier than thest one-this time, I had to protect this little human inside me. I also had to keep my hormones at bay and ensure I would not throw up in front of Mykel.


    ¡°Baby, breathe.¡± Mykel looked me in the eye as he held my hand tight. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be fine, just like thest time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± I nodded. We¡¯re gonna be okay.¡±I¡¯d rather sleep the entire trip.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He smiled. ¡°Thank you for doing this.¡±


    ¡°The least that I could do.¡± I closed my eyes. Thest time I remembered was Mykel whispering sweet words into my ear while he brushed my hair with his fingers.


    We finallynded. I used to be okay with the weather in LA, but this time, I felt like I needed a soak in the tub with ice cubes.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he kept asking me as we headed to the hotel.


    ¡°Yeah. I need cold water. I feel like I¡¯m about to have heat stroke.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He squeezed the bottle lid open before giving it to me with a smile. ¡°There you go, baby.¡± He was making fun of me because he didn¡¯t know what I had been through for thest couple of weeks. He was protective of me. I wondered if he would even take me to travel with him without consulting doctors if he figured out I was carrying his child.


    I was halfway to emptying the bottle when he called my name.


    ¡°Take it easy. Do you want me to adjust the air conditioner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not gonna break.¡±


    Sax and Kye exchanged a look.


    ¡°Do you two have something to say?¡±


    Mykel chuckled beside me.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am,¡± they chorused.


    ¡°Well, feel free to share it with the ss,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°No one is stopping you.¡±


    We arrived at the King Hotel. I didn¡¯t appreciate the hotel room amodation. There were rose petals on the bed, champagne on the table, beautiful flower arrangements, and choctes and strawberries.


    ¡°Did someone tell the hotel manager that we were newlyweds?¡±


    ¡°We are technically newlyweds. We didn¡¯t have another honeymoon, but you can ignore these.¡± He went to uncork the Champagne bottle.


    ¡°I pass the Champagne,¡± I said quickly.


    Mykel snapped his head at me. ¡°Really? Not even a sip?¡±


    ¡°Unless you want me to throw up.¡± Iy down in bed. My excuse seemed valid but until when? ¡°I still feel queasy.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I know I¡¯ve hurt you so much that wouldst a lifetime, but I want you to give me another chance.¡± He joined me in bed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it, Mykel. I¡¯m gonna be a good wife for two days. I will act as you like, but we¡¯re not sleeping together.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to act, Adley because you¡¯re a good wife. I want you to be you. Jade would understand if you are hesitant. Who wouldn¡¯t?¡± He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up on us. Once my son knows who I am to him, I¡¯m gonna make up to you every day. Giving up is not an option here, and being a quitter is not my nature. You know me better than anyone. Hate me, that¡¯s okay. But I¡¯m gonna prove that you didn¡¯t marry the wrong man. I made many mistakes, and marrying you and making you happy was not one of them.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Jade was renting a small apartment. When I first met them, their neighbors were fighting. I had to buy a three-bedroom apartment to ensure my son would live in a safer environment.¡±


    We rode in the elevator to their apartment floor.


    ¡°This looks decent and safe,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°Yeah. His name is Zhaer Jax.¡±


    I pressed my lips together as I felt the pain inside my chest. My gut twisted painfully that he got to call a son when it was supposed to be with me.


    I felt Mykel link his hand with mine as we walked out of the elevator. In a few steps more, I was going to meet the woman he impregnated and had a son with.


    He pressed the doorbell. My heart kept hammering in my chest.


    Mykel felt my uneasiness in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay, baby.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I feel like I¡¯m gonna pass out,¡± I admitted. It felt the same as I was stepping into the airstairs alone.


    Mykel wrapped his arms around me tightly and kissed me on my head. ¡°You got this.¡±


    The door swung open, causing us to pull apart. I felt a knife twisted in my chest as I stared at her, smiling at Mykel. The woman he had a son with was beautiful and looked kind and friendly.


    I was not a jealous person. Or maybe I had no reason to be jealous, not until this moment. It had proven that I didn¡¯t hate Mykel. I was just resentful and envious.


    ¡°Baby, this is jade, Jax¡¯s mom.¡±


    She held her hand out, and I was just there staring at her and down at her hand. She was about to retreat when finally, I found my voice to say hi.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± she said thoughtfully.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, too.¡± I shook her hand.


    ¡°Please,e in.¡± She stepped aside.


    Mykel still had his arm around me. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I looked around the apartment, and it looked fully furnished. I guessed that Mykel made this possible. There were photos of her and her son and toys on the floor that only proved Jax¡¯s existence.


    ¡°Can I get you both something to drink?¡±


    ¡°Just cold water for her,¡± Mykel replied. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Have a seat, please?¡± She then walked to the hallway, probably the kitchen.


    ¡°Fly, batman!¡± Then the little boy just came out of the hallway, running toward the living room. He had a batman action figure in his hand as he let batman fly.


    I wasn¡¯t aware I was holding my breath until I had my hand on my chest. I wasn¡¯t aware I had been staring at him until he stared back at me. I should not be shocked how he looked so handsome considering who the father was-he got his father¡¯s eyes, hair, and even the cleft chin-the kid would not be mistaken for someone else¡¯s. He was definitely Mykel¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡¯re mommy friend?¡± His voice was so soft and innocent.


    ¡°Hi.¡± I blinked back the tears. ¡°Yes, I guess you could say that.¡±


    ¡°You have Superman?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have right now.¡± I found myself holding the little arm of the boy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too cute? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Jax,¡± he answered shyly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Adley.¡± I was ying with his tiny fingers.


    ¡°You friend Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± My hand voluntarily wiped the tears that I didn¡¯t know were there. I looked at Mykel. It broke my heart, but seeing the look on his face as he smiled at his son-it was worth more than his billions.


    ¡°He gave me toys.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡±


    He smiled at his father and me.


    ¡°You have no idea how it takes for me toe to see you.¡± I cupped his face. I didn¡¯t know why, but I just did-it came so naturally. I felt like there was an angel that touched my heart, and all I could do was protect this innocent child.


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡± Jade walked in, carrying bottled water and a ss. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. He was usually shy to people he just met.¡±


    Mykel took the water the ss from her. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I lifted my gaze. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s nothing but adorable.¡±


    ¡°Can we y?¡± Jax went to his father and asked.


    Mykel looked at Jade, silently asking for permission. When Jade nodded, he rose from the sofa and looked at me.


    I smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Jade poured water into the ss. ¡°This must be so hard for you.¡± She surprised me. Her words were immensely genuine.


    I watched them go to the hallway, probably to Jax¡¯s room. ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°I assure you, Mykel is here because he wants to get to know his child.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± A tear dropped from my eye that I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± She held my arm. ¡°Please, don¡¯t be. He loves you. When he went to my old apartment, convincing me that he wanted to be a part of my son¡¯s life, I wanted to hit him in the head. But when he talked about you, how you changed him, I realized that he wasn¡¯t the man I met years ago.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s changed a lot,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°It was a one-time thing that I regretted. The only thing I never regretted was keeping my child. Mykel truly wants to let his son know he¡¯s the father. I know how hard it is for you. When I first saw you, I instantly knew that look in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been hard since he left to see Jax. We haven¡¯t been on good terms since then. A part of me that I can¡¯t be selfish, even if it breaks my heart. The kid needs his father, his parents. I can¡¯t take that away from them.¡±


    ¡°I guarantee you the reason why I made that condition with Mykel is to protect my son. I can¡¯t watch Jax getting hurt. He¡¯s everything to me, and I know you understand what I mean. And I want to make sure that his wife will never hurt my child.¡±


    I smiled even if I could barely see her face. ¡°I could never do that.¡± Somehow, I felt my chest lighten up a little. ¡°He¡¯s Mykel¡¯s son. I can see that now.¡±


    ¡°How far are you? First trimester?¡±


    My smile faded as I watched her in horror. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Jade looked at the hallway before she faced me. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know yet?¡±


    I swallowed hard.


    ¡°Oh, Adley. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    I burst into crying. I realized that Jade and I might have an instant connection. Maybe because we were both mothers, if someone saw us right now, no one would have thought we just met less than an hour ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I pulled facial tissue from my bag.


    ¡°I understand. Hormones were my worse enemy. I was alone at that time. I was still in college, working at the studio. I puked a lot, I didn¡¯t have enough sleep, but I still got up every morning because I had to finish college and think of the unborn child inside me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had to go through that alone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m happy right now. My kid is healthy, and I couldn¡¯t be more proud of him. You have to tell him, Adley. Pregnancy will eventually grow each week, you know,¡± she whispered thest sentence.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t n this. I was on the pill.¡±


    ¡°I hate to be a buzzkill, but he was using a condom.¡± She saw me wince.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready. Please, don¡¯t tell him.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s my secret to tell. But your secret is safe with me.¡±


    ¡°Appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read a lot of books while I was pregnant. Guys will know if they¡¯re sleeping with pregnant women. Mykel ignored the signs, or you haven¡¯t slept with him.¡±


    I looked down at my fingers.


    ¡°Look, Adley. Somehow, my son is the reason why you two are not on good terms right now. Please, don¡¯t hate Jax.¡±


    My eyes flew to her as I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t and would never hate him. I admit I was jealous, but looking at him, melts my heart. Honestly, knowing what I have right now, I¡¯m also protective of my own even if I still have months before I can have my baby in my arms.¡±

 Chapter 68

    MYKEL


    Jax was always hyperactive, as if he just received his sugar rush-he never ran out of energy. After we yed in his room, I felt like running miles while he was still zestful. Hisugh was so rich, and how he looked at me with so much innocence warmed my heart.


    He was full of life. Deep in my heart, I loved this kid and wanted to protect him from this cruel world as he explored and learned about life.


    ¡°Let me check on your new friend and mommy, okay?¡±


    ¡°Adley.¡± he nodded, still beaming. The mind of kids still fascinated me. They remembered almost everything, even their first encounter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I dragged myself out of bed.


    I found Adley and Jade still talking. Adley looked like she had been crying. I knew this situation I put her in was immensely difficult.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    They turned to look at me.


    ¡°We were just talking about her pregnancy and college days,¡± my wife replied.


    ¡°And how Jax instantly likes her,¡± Jade added.


    ¡°Yeah, I noticed that.¡± I smiled. ¡°And he remembers her name.¡±


    Jade stood up. ¡°Can I talk to him first?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    She drew a deep breath before she went to my kid¡¯s room.


    I sat beside Adley. Something was bothering her, andtely, she had changed. She was more secretive and distant.


    I couldn¡¯t me her. I med myself for what I put her through over a short time. Once this was over, I intended to do everything to earn back her trust. There was nothing I would do for my wife.


    I squeezed her hand. ¡°Forgive me, baby.¡±


    Her gaze flew at me. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± She rose from the chair. Jade came back and gave us a go.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if Ie?¡± Adley asked.


    ¡°Of course, I want him to know he can trust you.¡±


    We entered the room. Jax was sitting on the bed, ying with his car. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw us.


    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°I will alwayse back, Jax.¡±


    ¡°Honey.¡± Jade sat in front of her son. ¡°Remember your friend downstairs. His name is-¡±


    ¡°Matt,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Yes. Matt. You remember when you met his mommy and the other guy.¡±


    ¡°Um-hum.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s his daddy.¡±


    He lifted his gaze from his toys to his mother and me. My heart nearly stopped. Somehow, he might feel our connection.


    ¡°Well, Mykel over there is like Matt¡¯s daddy.¡±


    Jax stared at me for a couple of seconds before he smiled at his mother.


    ¡°And he wants to talk to you. Is that okay?¡±


    I let go of a shuddering breath.


    Jax nodded.


    ¡°You can also talk to Adley. She can be your friend.¡±


    Jax looked at Adley and beamed. It was hard to exin the connection between them. It puzzled me-it was like they had a bond together. They just maized.


    Adley and I joined him in bed. Jade went to the chair as she tried to hide her tears. I knew she was scared of Jax getting hurt and introducing strangers to her son.


    ¡°Just a sec, baby,¡± I excused myself. ¡°Let me just talk to your mommy,¡± I told Jax.


    I went to Jade. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, but you don¡¯t have to. I will never hurt him. He¡¯s my son, too, Jade. I know you¡¯d been alone raising him, and I owed you everything. But you¡¯re not alone anymore. If you are going to give me a chance to spend some time with Jax, I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s gonna be safe with me, and I will protect him with my life-¡±


    A richugh erupted from the bed, causing us to look at my wife and Jax ying.


    ¡°You like Wonder Woman, huh? She¡¯s quite a bad-strong and bold. She¡¯s strong like your mom.¡±


    ¡°And you.¡± Jax pointed at her.


    ¡°He really likes Adley.¡± I felt the uneasiness in her voice.


    ¡°You will always be his mother. I¡¯ll make sure of that. Nothing can rece you in his heart, even Adley. You don¡¯t have to be worried.¡±


    I enjoined Jax and Adley in bed.


    ¡°Mykel.¡± Jaxunched into me. I caught him quickly and wrapped him in my arms securely.


    ¡°If you are always this excited to see, buddy. I have toe very often.¡±


    ***


    We had to leave even if I felt like I had left half of my heart in LA. All I could do was promise to visit sooner. I had to trust Jade as well.


    I gave her a bank ount for my child support. I wanted to provide my son with a good life the way he deserved. I may not always be present in his life every day, but I made sure to give him enough love and support.


    Wended back in New York. Adley was back as withdrawn.


    I longed for my wife. I missed her in my arms, her kiss, her touch, the feeling of being with her, in her, and I missed the warmth of her voice, herugh. I missed Adley.


    Then I just received a call from Lex¡¯s doctor.


    ¡°Baby.¡± I looked at her next to me as she was staring outside the window in the car.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± She didn¡¯t even bother looking in my direction.


    ¡°Lex just underwent the transnt.¡±


    She gasped in shock. Her head snapped in my direction with her eyes wide in shock.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna be okay.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re telling me just right now?¡±


    ¡°I just found out in that call. His doctor was calling you, but you did not answer.¡±


    She went on checking her bag, searching for her phone. Her hands were shaking, and tears were pouring down her face.


    ¡°Baby, Lex is gonna be okay. He¡¯s in good hands.¡±


    ¡°You kept telling me that, but nothing¡¯s okay, Mykel. My life is in aplete mess!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± I utched my seatbelt and went closer to her. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her head. ¡°I promise you. You¡¯re gonna be okay, your grandpa, and us. I will see the smile I missed. I will hear yourugh again because I know you¡¯re not a quitter. You¡¯re stronger, and you¡¯re my Wonder Woman, baby. Just hang tight for a little while.¡±


    Adley was running inside the hospital to see her grandfather. That old man knew how to put his grandchild in fear.


    ¡°Baby, just calm down.¡± I managed to hold her hand.


    We met the doctors who had juste out of the recovery room.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my grandfather?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s recovering right now.¡±


    ¡°Is he okay? Can I talk to him?¡±


    ¡°He just came out of the operating room. He¡¯s still groggy, but he¡¯ll be up in a few hours. You can see him, but let him rest. You can talk to him once the drugs go off.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡±


    Adley went to his grandfather¡¯s side, holding the old man¡¯s hand. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    There you go again. I had never seen her this emotional. It fucking split my heart in two just watching her burst into crying, and I was helpless right here at this moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside, Grandpa. I love you.¡± She kissed the old man¡¯s forehead before she left.


    Once we were outside the recovery room, she stared at me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he did this on his own without telling me. Did you know about this?¡±


    ¡°I would never take you with me if I knew he underwent a transnt today. I was shocked too.¡±


    She sighed deeply.


    ¡°Are you okay, baby?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re under too much stresstely. You¡¯re not yourself. You¡¯re emotional, moody, fickle. Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yay, thanks. As you said, I¡¯m under a lot of stress. But I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Will you tell me if something is going on?¡± I knew she was hiding something; I just didn¡¯t know what it was all about.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to see a shrink. So, yeah. I¡¯d rather share it with you.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Come here.¡± This time she did not resist. I hugged her tight.


    She let go a long sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I needed this much.¡±


    ¡°I can give you more than this.¡±


    ¡°Not happening.¡± She quickly pulled away.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking,¡± I smirked. ¡°I was talking about giving you a bath and shoulder massage.¡±


    ¡°Do I stink?¡± She wrinkled her nose.


    ¡°No. I just wanted you to rx, soak in a bubble bath with wine. But you¡¯re not drinking wely. May I know why?¡±


    ¡°It gives me palpitation. Lately, alcohol and I are not on good terms.¡± Her answer was a little defensive, but I epted it.


    We went to see the man who donated his kidney to Lex. Apparently, Lex pulled some strings and used his connection to help the man¡¯s family. He gave them a resident visa, a home, jobs, and money.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t thank you enough for doing this to my grandfather.¡±


    The wife spoke English but not fluently. ¡°He gave us more than enough. Mr. Kross is a good man.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to reach out if you need anything,¡± Adley said to the wife.


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    After thirty minutes in the waiting area, Adley yawned. She looked exhausted.


    ¡°Baby, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going home. You go. I¡¯ll wait until Grandpa wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Look, baby. You can¡¯t do anything if you can barely keep your eyes open. You need to sleep. I promise I will wake you up once I receive a call from his doctor. You need your strength if you wanna visit your grandfather. He would appreciate it if you look fresh.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ***


    I also joined Adley in bed. She instantly fell asleep after her hot shower. Then I woke up after a few hours and called Elise to free my schedule for today.


    Adley slept like a baby. Her tits were barely covered, her tummy exposed. I wondered what it felt like to have a baby with her, but she may not appreciate having a kid right now. I did, however, like the idea. I always wanted to have kids with her. She would be a great mom.


    I wiped the hair away from her face. I felt terrible that all I could give her was nothing more than heartache. I knew in my heart that she still cared about me despite all she showed me hatred.


    ¡°I love you, Adley. More than you ever know.¡± I kissed her on the nose, her chin, down to the swell of her tits. I nted kisses on her tummy.


    ¡°No!¡±


    I stumbled back, shocked at what had just happened. She just screamed the hell out.


    ¡°Baby? Adley, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. She might be dreaming.


    ¡°You just screamed.¡±


    She sat on the bed, rubbing her face with the palm of her hands.


    ¡°Were you dreaming?¡±


    ¡°What were you doing when that happened?¡±


    ¡°I was kissing you.¡±


    ¡°You were kissing me?¡± She seemed offended as she asked back.


    ¡°Yeah. I was kissing you.¡± I smooched. ¡°Like that.¡±


    She flinched. ¡°Why were you kissing me?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Jesus Christ! Can¡¯t I also kiss you? You didn¡¯t mind it before.¡± Now I was the one offended. ¡°You are my wife, and I can¡¯t even touch you? What the fuck is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kissing me in my sleep, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with kissing you while you¡¯re asleep. We did that a thousand times. It¡¯s not that I raped you.¡±


    She red at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t mean it like that.¡± I raised my hand to surrender. This conversation would only lead to another argument, and I was tired of it.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Where did you exactly kiss me?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? You hate me.¡± I threw my hands in the air.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, jerk!¡± She spat.


    ¡°You clearly do. I can¡¯t talk to you, I can¡¯t touch you, and now I can¡¯t kiss you. How did we get here, Adley? Yes, I made terrible mistakes. I was an awful ambitious man. But I¡¯m trying hard to be a better person to everyone, to be a good father and a husband to you, but you kept pushing me away. I¡¯m done.¡±

 Chapter 69

    ADLEY


    I decided to work on my emotions. I thought women could agree that not all pregnant had experienced what I was going through right now-maybe it was all in my head.


    I started yoga ten minutes ago, but my mind was somewhere, and I couldn¡¯t push every thought out of my head.


    I took a few deep breaths and started with seated poses. I was just about to begin stretching when Mykel sat in front of me, ring.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you nning on leaving me?¡± I was taken aback by his question. Judging by the nts of his eyebrows and eyes, he was not joking.


    I should make things clear between us that no one should ask this kind of question to me early in the morning.


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡±


    ¡°A valid one. It¡¯s in your itinerary.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re going through my stuff now?¡±


    ¡°I was pissed off with your phone. Who are those people who kept calling you early in the morning? And you always kept your phone silent when you¡¯re at home.¡±


    ¡°Actually, not on silent mode, but I kept the volume low. I just turned off the vibration. I was waiting for the call from Grandpa. Why am I exining this to you?¡±


    ¡°Because I am your husband. So you¡¯re hunting for an apartment?¡± He looked hurt. Well, that was the n before I went with him to meet his son. That kid was nothing but adorable and deserved the best in the world.


    I nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving me because I have a son? You really never cared about me, huh? About my feelings, our life together, what we shared, our ns, our fucking marriage! It¡¯s all but terms and getting things done to you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Your voice, please?¡± I blew a deep breath because I could feel my anger rising. If he kept talking, I might have to punch him to shut him up.


    ¡°You¡¯re giving up on us. That giving you some time you asked is actually months or worse, years? Or maybe, the next thing I receive from you is a fucking divorce papers.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°That was the n. Except for thest part.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    I looked at him. He badly needed my answer. I could see and feel him falling apart. I did believe him that he loved me. Every night since I came back with him, he never left my side. He cuddled me to sleep.


    ¡°Adley?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank God.¡± His eyes turned red as he blinked off his tears. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving our home.¡±


    I shook my head. I broke my pose and sat down with him. ¡°I know I¡¯d been terrible to you. It started when I found out that you have a son. It hurt. I couldn¡¯t even put it in words. I get it, and I understand that you want to do the right thing. You made a terrible mistake by abandoning him. A part of me is tearing apart with so much pain that I could barely endure it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, baby.¡± He held my hands. ¡°It was never my intention. Things I put you through are unforgivable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just doing what¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not fair on your side. You¡¯re hurting, and I keep hurting you.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s part of being in a rtionship. We share love, happiness, pain, everything. I was about to leave. That¡¯s true. I know I was being irrationally jealous.¡±


    His brows knitted together. ¡°Oh, baby. I have no idea. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll I get used to being the center of your attention. When we n together, we should do it together. The thought of you having a kid, and not my own, broke me to pieces. That¡¯s, to say the least, how I felt. I know that in my heart, I was being selfish. Your world doesn¡¯t revolve around me alone-¡±


    ¡°Adley, you are still my wife, my life, and my whole world. Nothing¡¯s changed. I love you more. I also love my son. My love for you is different, baby. My love for him is different, and if we¡¯re gonna have babies on our own. I will love them the way I love Jax. I will love them fairly, but there¡¯s always one wife in my heart, the love of my life. It¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I looked up as I tried to push back the tears.


    When I looked back at him, he was smiling, and there were tears of joy in his eyes. ¡°I would never love someone the way I love you, Adley. Please, you don¡¯t have to be jealous because you are the only one I want and need. You¡¯re stuck with me through eternity. Jax is my blood and will always be my son. Our babies will always be my children. I would neverpare my love for you to them. You would know that when we¡¯re gonna have kids on our own. You would understand what I mean.¡±


    I actually do now.


    ¡°When I saw Jax, I felt stupid. I was so stupid-¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re not stupid, baby. It was just a normal reaction.¡±


    I wiped the tears on his face. ¡°You¡¯re a good father, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re gonna be a good mother, Adley. Come here.¡±


    I did not resist. I badly needed a hug, and I sighed in his arms. I wished I could just blurt out that I was pregnant with his child.


    Maybe another time.


    ***


    This would be my first time officially a part of board members. It was a new experience and somewhat intimidating. But I was here not to be intimidated because I was the only woman and young in the group. I just became the major shareholder, and if they said something I wouldn¡¯t like, I would p the reality right into their faces.


    After they asked about my grandfather¡¯s condition, we returned to the matters at hand. My grandfather was already at home, getting his full recovery.


    The screen shed on. The face of my grandfather appeared on the screen. And here I thought he was resting. I took that back.


    ¡°Good morning, everyone,¡± my grandfather started.


    The board chorused to greet him back.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Lex?¡± one of the boards asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Considering my abdomen just cracked open, I¡¯m grateful for all your prayers. Let¡¯s cut the chase. I¡¯m nominating my granddaughter Adley for my position as the next CEO.¡± When my name was called, I thought my heart had just stopped.


    Everyone went remarkably silent.


    Mr. Jean, three-seat apart from my left cleared his throat. ¡°With all due respect, I¡¯m nominating myself. I¡¯m also a shareholder. I have enough experience. I can make this corporation even more prosperous.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Anyone?¡±


    The room fell silent.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all. Our decision will be finalized next week.¡± Mr. Adams, the tout and baldy, said. The newly appointed COO. ¡°Thanks foring, Mrs. Creed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for having me, Mr. Adams.¡±


    ¡°No one calls me Mr. Adams anymore, Adley. We¡¯re on a first-name basis here. Call me Allen.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Allen.¡±


    Mr. Jean came over. ¡°I¡¯m just making the voting more fun. Call me Carter. You just became the major shareholder and the only heiress and young Kross. Make a big difference in the corp, Adley. Wee aboard.¡± He held his hand out.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I met Mykel in the lobby. He¡¯s grinning ear to ear. ¡°How did it go?¡±


    I pursed my lips as I stopped in the middle. ¡°Grandpa and I nned this out that you¡¯d be the CEO of Kross Corp. I¡¯m still wondering how did I end up here. I¡¯m just nominated-¡± I yelped in surprise to find Mykel lifted me and spun me. ¡°Put me down this instant!¡±


    Everyone stopped from whatever they were doing and stared at us.


    When he finally put me down, he kissed me on the lips. It was sweet and quick.


    ¡°Never seen someone kissing his wife?¡± He stared at everyone one by one until they got back to whatever pleased them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go before I¡¯m gonna spank your butt.¡±


    He put his arm around me. ¡°You missed it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll eat. What do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°Something juicy.¡±


    ¡°Steak?¡±


    ¡°Anything wet.¡±


    He pinched me on my side, causing me to jerk. ¡°Don¡¯t say something like that again.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong-¡±


    ¡°Baby, I¡¯m warning you-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just dirty-minded. I was actually thinking of something with tomatoes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, baby.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about sex, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Never off my mind.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s order and eat at home.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ***


    He pumped his length inside me, and I felt like falling apart. I missed the feeling of pleasure, of flying. I rocked my hips into him. He met me in the middle, and my world shook every time he hit deep. Pulses of waves flew through me, so intense that my muscles were cramped.


    ¡°Babe, I¡¯m close.¡± I moaned so loud and long.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡± He held my hips steady. Each stroke, each thrust was heavy and powerful.


    I pressed my palms against his broad chest when I couldn¡¯t hold my orgasm anymore. I knew this would be hard, intense, and shattering.


    ¡°Let go, baby.¡± As he held me in ce for a moment, he rocked his hips upward, hitting and pressing that sensitive bundle of nerves.


    I felt my clit engorging, pulsing. Mykel watched me all the time as I got lost in the world of ecstasy I was no longer in control of.


    ¡°Mykel!¡± My orgasm hit me so hard that I fell on top of him as it kept rolling and rolling, and I shuddered and shuddered as an endless pleasure shocked through me. I growled raw like a feral animal. I was desperate to breathe, but I was also satisfied with my needs.


    Mykel wrapped his arms around me and rolled over, and I was on my back. He didn¡¯t wait another second. He plunged and thrust into me like a wild animal in heat. In less than a minute, I felt the pleasure building back. My entire body was melting again.


    As he pressed his thumb on my sensitive clit, he fucked me like he never did before, and I was moaning, whining, and writhing with pleasure.


    Desperate groans erupted from his chest, and he shook and shuddered. I watch his perfect body carved by Renaissance. His muscles were constricting, and sweat shone on his skin as he showed the full extent of his hunger, how viciously strong he was.


    I found myself grinding against him, desperately seeking pleasure. And he gave me. I cried out, abandoning all my restraint.

 Chapter 70

    MYKEL


    Last night reminded me of how I had a great life with Adley. For the first time in weeks, I slept like a baby with my wife curling, clinging to me. I forgot how good sex was.


    I poured out my feelings yesterday, and it paid off. I got my wife back, and I was back on track. As much as I loved to cuddle her, I couldn¡¯t fall back to sleep.


    I did a few lifting and setups. I was in the middle of my push-ups when I felt I wasn¡¯t alone anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to see you butt naked while doing that.¡±


    My lips curved into a wicked grin. ¡°If you¡¯re naked beneath me, I¡¯d love to do a hundred more.¡± I rose to my feet. ¡°Morning, beautiful.¡± I kissed her on her lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡±


    ¡°I was nning to take you from behind and then sleep again, but you were clinging to me, and I couldn¡¯t do that unless I woke you up.¡±


    ¡°Silly.¡± She rolled her eyes, turning on her heels. ¡°We¡¯re Facetiming with Jaxter, and then we¡¯re visiting Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°What did I say about being spontaneous?¡±


    ¡°Last night wasn¡¯t spontaneous enough to you?¡± I knew she was smiling. Even in her voice, I could hear it.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± I followed her out of the mini-gym. Before we reached the kitchen, I grabbed her and pressed her against the wall, her hands up, wrists pinned over her head. I was sweaty, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I pressed my cock into her pussy. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want me to eat youst night?¡± I watched her pupils dte. Flush blossomed on her already rosy cheeks.


    She licked her lips before she spoke. ¡°Because I was too excited. I missed you, and I wanted you so badly. Is my reason enough?¡±


    ¡°I still wanna eat you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so lewd.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind in bed, though,¡± I smirked.


    ¡°As much as it is charming, I¡¯m hungry for food, Mykel. Feed me, and then we can negotiate.¡±


    I let her hands loose. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡±


    ¡°Get a shower. You¡¯re sticky, big guy.¡±


    I hit the shower and had breakfastter. Then we were about to Facetime with Jax, but they were already calling.


    ¡°Baby,e on down here!¡±


    Adley rushed to the living room. ¡°Answer it.¡±


    Jade first appeared on the iPad screen. Then my son. ¡°Hey, guys!¡±


    ¡°Hi!¡± Jax was waving his hand.


    ¡°Hi, Jade. Hi, Jax!¡± Adley did the same. ¡°How are you, guys?¡±


    I was just blown away to see my son on the screen. I smiled as my heart melted with joy.


    ¡°We went out yesterday. I took him to the newly open park. He had so much fun. How are you doing, Adley? Everything is doing well over there?¡±


    ¡°Just the look on his face, I can tell he had so much fun. I¡¯m doing great, and someone here next to me seems speechless.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°It seems so.¡±


    Jadeughed on the screen. ¡°Honey, before Facetime, you said you want to say something to Adley?¡±


    Jax nodded, smiling timidly.


    ¡°Go on. Tell Adley what you wanna say.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the toys.¡± I wasn¡¯t even aware Adley sent some toys to my son. She already won the kid¡¯s hearts with or without toys.


    ¡°Aw, honey. You¡¯re wee. Do you like them?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He wasn¡¯t looking at the camera anymore.


    ¡°Well, then. I¡¯m happy, Jax. Do you wanna talk to your daddy?¡±


    He then looked at the screen. ¡°I missed you.¡±


    I thought I just gasped. I blinked away the emotions impending to let out. ¡°I missed you too, buddy. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m seeing you soon.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen New York?¡± Adley asked.


    ¡°He heard of it. I told him his daddy¡¯s home, and work is in New York.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. How would you like to visit New York, Jax?¡±


    He just smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Your mommy and I are gonna talk about this, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he replied.


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay with your mommy, then you cane and visit and see amazing cars. Remember when I told you I have cars?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then I will show you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He then ran away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to rush things, but if you¡¯re interested, just let me know. I can book tickets for both of you. Has he traveled outside LA?¡±


    ¡°No. He literally just been around here. I¡¯d love to take him there, though. Let me just arrange my schedule with my boss. I¡¯ll let you know soon.¡±


    ¡°Let me call your head. I¡¯ll make arrangements.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t. I¡¯m already hired because of your connections. I don¡¯t wanna abuse it. Besides, I¡¯m still new.¡±


    ¡°Can you call Jax, please? I wanna see him before we hang up,¡± Adley said.


    ¡°Honey,e here and say bye to Daddy and Adley.¡±


    Jax appeared back and did some flying kisses.


    ¡°I love you, buddy. See you soon.¡± I waved bye.


    ¡°Thank you, Jade. See you both soon.¡± My wife did the same.


    When the screen went nk, I squeezed Adley into a hug. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you sent toys to Jax.¡±


    She pressed her lips into mine. ¡°The least I could do to keep you for myself and be terribly jealous over a child.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°I bought a limited edition of Star Wars. You remind me of Anakin, and Grandpa is the Obi-wan.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m the bad guy?¡±


    ¡°Padawan, silly. I watched how your eyes sparkled when you looked at your son. Your billions can¡¯t buy that kind of happiness, Mykel. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, baby.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not trusting-¡±


    I pressed my finger to her lips. ¡°No more apology, okay?¡±


    ¡°No more apology.¡±


    ***


    The old man was in his favorite spot, on the patio, in front of a vast manicuredwn.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°How many times have you asked me this morning?¡± Lex turned his head to Adley.


    ¡°That¡¯s not even funny. I¡¯m still upset you did not tell me before you went to OR.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hate to break it to you, honey. But a lot of things I did that I didn¡¯t tell you. Sit.¡±


    Adley sat beside him. ¡°You¡¯re meaner. Is that the side effect of having a new kidney?¡±


    Lex snorted. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Better than you, I guess.¡±


    He then turned to me. ¡°You are awfully quiet, Mykel.¡±

 Chapter 71

    MYKEL


    ¡°It¡¯s more fun to watch you two banter.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°How¡¯s your son?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s good. Thanks for being okay with this.¡± Mentioning my son always put a smile on my face. Maybe that was the father¡¯s love or being a proud dad. Anyhow, I felt good to open up about him.


    ¡°You did the right thing, son. Adley sent me Jax¡¯s picture. Good kid. He got the look from you.¡±


    ¡°I got that a lot.¡±


    ¡°How about you and Adley?¡±


    ¡°What about us? We¡¯re doing great.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I wanna hear.¡± He slightly nodded and looked at Adley, and there was something in that look that I wished I could read his mind.


    We spent a few more minutes discussing Adley¡¯s seat at the Kross Corp.


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna work now, honey? I can still extend my seat for a few months.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust Adley that she can handle the job?¡±


    He leaned back so that he could look directly at me. ¡°Why do you think I forced Adley to leave her old job? I trust my granddaughter more than anyone.¡±


    ¡°Then what it is that bothering you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s the side effect of having a new kidney,¡± Adley joked.


    I wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. I felt like they were conniving behind my back. Something was going on, but I would figure it out anyway.


    ¡°You both can stay.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going home. I want fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there enough fresh air in here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God, Grandpa. I¡¯m so d your sarcasm and irksomeness are back.¡± Adleyughed out loud. I couldn¡¯t help butugh as well. Finally, I heard her rich voice so freely for the first time in weeks.


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s like possessed by some naughty evil.¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡± Adley hit me in the arm.


    ¡°He was like this years ago. If not barking, he was throwing sarcasm at me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re staying.¡± Adley turned to me.


    ¡°Anything for you, baby.¡±


    After dinner, I soaked Adley in the tub with some essential oils.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want wine?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking care of my liver. I¡¯m still young, and I go easy on alcohol.¡± She barely opened her eyes.


    ¡°Sure. No alcohol, then. Since when did you turn down red wine?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t press it, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall asleep. Call me when you¡¯re done. I¡¯m in the room.¡± I walked out of the bathroom.


    I looked for her robe when her annoying ringtone sted into the room again. ¡°Baby, someone is calling.¡±


    ¡°Can you check who, please?¡±


    I grabbed her bag and fished out her phone. It was ze.


    ¡°What do you want, Burns?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yay. Cranky much? Where¡¯s Adley?¡±


    ¡°In the tub.¡±


    ¡°Still alive?¡±


    ¡°What kind of fucking question is that?¡±


    ze barked outughing. ¡°Jeez. What got your boxers in a twist?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I wanna remind her of something.¡±


    ¡°Something what?¡±


    ¡°She knows it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t, and my wife doesn¡¯t keep something from me. Tell me, or I won¡¯t tell her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting her in a cafe tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°And you have to remind her because you¡¯re going to meet her tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s wrong with reminding my best friend? She¡¯s a busy person, and she¡¯s not working here anymore, so I don¡¯t get to see her often. What¡¯s so terrible about it, Creed?¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell her. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, new daddy.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Bye, ze.¡±


    I threw her phone on the bed and thoughtfully mused. ¡°What is she hiding from me?¡±


    I knew it was the dumbest and most terrible way to find out. And here I was, going through my wife¡¯s bag. Well-organized. Nothing out of the ordinary.


    But it was always hiding in in sight, right?


    ¡°Babe, I think I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Need my help?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good. Thanks.¡±


    I sat on the edge of the bed. I remembered she always kept something in her drawer. I pulled it out. My heart seized in my chest. I was crushed with dread that my fingers shook as I grabbed the pill organizer. Since when did she need one other than her birth control pills?


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She came in, tying her robe.


    ¡°Why do you need all these? Are-are you okay, baby?¡± I showed her the organizer in my hand, holding my breath.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Why do I feel that you¡¯re hiding something from me? Earlier with your grandpa, I had this feeling that something was going on that I didn¡¯t know about. I need to know if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡±


    ¡°I promise I¡¯m okay.¡± Her reassurance should have made me feel better, but something she was not telling me.


    ¡°Well, considering my mom just had cancer, and weeks ago, I just figured out Lex was suffering from ESRD, forgive me for being so careful. I have already trauma, Adley. I can¡¯t take another bad news.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sick. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Why do you need this? What are these? What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± I arched an inquisitive brow as I looked down at the sets of tablets ording to date.


    ¡°I take those daily. The small one if I feel dizzy or about to puke. The others are just vitamins.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± I looked at her and studied her meticulously. ¡°Are you sure are these just vitamins?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Why would I lie to you? Go ahead, bring them to ab, or try those tabs yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I trust you.¡± I looked down and stared at her for seconds until it all made sense. Then I burst intoughter before I shook my head, feeling so stupid. Myugh turned breathless.


    ¡°What so funny with what I said?¡± Now, she was pissed off, narrowing her eyes at me.


    So, these mood swings, alcohol free-diet, and vitamins had something to do with what we were having. The only question that remained unanswered was why she hadn¡¯t told me?


    ¡°Man, could I be any more so fucking dumb? Come here, baby. Sit on myp.¡± I let go of a shaky satisfied breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m still not wearing underwear.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even better.¡± I couldn¡¯t contain my happiness anymore. I held her hand, allowing her to sit on myp. I hugged her so tight and let her smell fill my lungs. Then I slipped my hand and ced it just below her belly button. She went rigid, which only confirmed my suspicion. ¡°I love you more than you ever know. I love you more each day. You are everything to me, and I can¡¯t imagine my life without you. How far are we, baby?¡±

 Chapter 72

    ADLEY


    I tried to wrap my head around the fact that he figured out just like that. Well, he was smart and managed to put two and two together. And couldn¡¯t I be any more obvious? I froze in hisp.


    My mind was puzzled. Iy t in the bed, staring at the ceiling while Mykel was asking me too many questions at a time. I got it, and he was curious and excited while I was dizzy and confused.


    I was still in my robe, naked beneath. His hand was on my tummy, dreaming of my little peanut¡¯s future.


    ¡°When can we find out our baby¡¯s gender?¡± Thest question made me groan.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. ¡°Stop. Stop. I¡¯m gonna throw up if you keep asking.¡±


    He was on his elbows, stiffened all of a sudden. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just terribly happy. We¡¯re gonna be parents, baby. And I promise to be with you every step of the way. We can do this.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t even n for this.¡±


    He let go a long sigh. ¡°Here you go again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about spontaneity. That put me in a lot of trouble, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Who cares about ns? It¡¯s blessings, Adley Xael. We didn¡¯t n this one, but this is it. It¡¯s happening.¡± He stopped.


    I looked at him when he seemed to have figured out something else. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Fuck. Fuck.¡± He shook his head. His face contorted in terrible pain. ¡°That makes sense now.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Hey closer to me, wrapped his arms around me, letting me rest on his arm. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that you found out the same time I told you that I could be a possibly father.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fine to me, baby. I wouldn¡¯t wonder why you hate me and wanna move out. That was supposed to be our moment together, finding out we were pregnant.¡± He breathed out in shuddered. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can forgive me, but I¡¯m still asking.¡±


    ¡°Will you please stop? I don¡¯t hate you. I was hurt, but judging your decision and not trusting you was also a mistake.¡±


    ¡°I still wish I could have been there for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here now. That¡¯s what matters. Are you sure you¡¯re okay knocking up your wife even if I was on a pill?¡±


    He looked at me for a couple of seconds before he smiled. ¡°Deep in my soul, I wished you missed your dose.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re terrifying me sometimes.¡±


    ¡°I will always be here for you. I made a terrible mistake for not being involved with Jax growing up. I¡¯m not gonna let that happen again.¡±


    This time I let go a long sigh. ¡°What gave it away?¡±


    I red at him when he shook against me. His eyes sparkled with wickedness. ¡°For the love of God. It has nothing to do with pregnancy.¡±


    He pressed his lips together to contain hisughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s just. I don¡¯t know. I feel dirty, and my body is overly sensitive. I¡¯m emotionally raw and fragile. These hormone craps are driving me insane.¡±


    ¡°I noticed that too. Now that I know you¡¯re not going to deal with that alone. We¡¯re gonna celebrate.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I was quick in my seat.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°No celebration until I¡¯m ready to tell everyone. I wanna protect my child.¡±


    ¡°You mean our child.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Sorry. Hours ago, I was still figuring things out alone. Our baby.¡±


    ¡°Okay, baby. Come back here.¡± He held my hand. ¡°Let me guess that¡¯s what the call is all about? We have an appointment?¡±


    I admitted I was surprised that he was taking it all well than I had anticipated. Mykel really changed.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yeah. You figured out because I avoided alcohol?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Among other things.¡±


    ¡°Just so you know, I never missed my pills. We should have used the condoms you bought.¡±


    ¡°I thank God we didn¡¯t. And I¡¯m not ming you, baby. I already told you that I wanna have kids with you. You nned to have a baby after a few years. You know, when boy meets girls and fuck each other-¡±


    ¡°You better stop cursing.¡± I elbowed him.


    ¡°Sorry. Do you always feel nauseated in the morning?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not ying twenty questions.¡± I got up from bed. I put on the clothes he had prepared for me.


    ¡°Your body hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not an observant after all.¡±


    ¡°Aside from your hips and maybe your tits, I can barely notice your baby bump. You¡¯re still far from turning into a hippo.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°You remember, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Who else knows?¡±


    ¡°ze. I didn¡¯t tell Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°He figured out himself.¡±


    I joined him in bed and tucked myself into the nket.


    ¡°I think so. Jade. The first time she looked at me, she knew. I was so terrified that she might tell you. I begged her not to.¡±


    ¡°Jade is a good person, and I almost destroyed her life.¡±


    ¡°She also chose her own path to be a good mother. Jax is adorable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you think so.¡±


    ¡°I could never hate your kid, Mykel. Keep that in mind. And if I did not think about you, I could have just left you and lived somewhere with our child. Somehow, I still thought of your feelings for me, and I couldn¡¯t let our baby grow up without a father. However, I considered it the night I found out. But if I did that, that was on me, and they would me me for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that you consider my feelings.¡±


    I faced him. ¡°It¡¯s not about us anymore, babe. If you¡¯re still on board, we¡¯ll raise our little human inside me together.¡±


    He kissed my lips. ¡°Always on board.¡±


    I yawned. ¡°I¡¯m getting some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Is yoga okay for pregnant women?¡±


    I rolled my eyes and turned away from him. He still wrapped his arm around me securely. ¡°Do you think I would do something to harm myself? Or yeah, maybe sex isn¡¯t safe for preggy, too.¡±


    ¡°Good question.¡± He pinched my arm. ¡°I was just asking, baby. So you¡¯re about three?¡±


    I groaned. ¡°Babe, please?¡±


    ¡°Hush now. Good night, baby, and to you, sport.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call him that.¡±


    ¡°Or her.¡±


    ***


    I watched Mykel in awe as he never left his focus on the monitor.


    ¡°Is that heartbeat normal?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Creed. You start to get worried if the heartbeat slows down.¡±


    He was so curious about everything. ¡°Is it safe for her to travel or sit longer?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She can still travel until early in thest trimester. I advise you for a quick check-up before you travel, Adley.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t mention if our baby is a girl or a boy.¡±


    My doctor gave me a look before she replied, ¡°It depends on both of you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna know just yet.¡± I rushed out my words.


    ¡°Okay, baby.¡± He kissed my forehead. ¡°I¡¯m still investing in the motion-sensor security system.¡±


    My doctor smiled. ¡°Not everyone can afford to protect their child. So, why not? Are you still experiencing morning sickness?¡±


    I sat down after the nurse cleaned my tummy. ¡°I think my morning sickness is stress-rted. As long as I got enough sleep, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Your wife is lucky, Mr. Creed. Her pregnancy is going through smoothly.¡±


    ¡°She deserves it. If I could take all her pain and suffering, I would.¡±


    ¡°You two have discussed your delivery n?¡±


    Mykel and I looked at each other. I tried to say something, but my mind went nk.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Take your time to talk over.¡± She grabbed a leaflet and gave it to me. ¡°Since finances is not an issue, you both decide which one is suited for you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I suddenly felt queasy. ¡°Now I feel suddenly nervous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal.¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, baby.¡± He squeezed my hand. ¡°We¡¯ll take your advice into consideration. Thank you.¡±


    I drew a deep breath as soon as we left the maternity hospital. I did a breathing exercise to calm my nerves. I had not thought of going on a delivery. Now my doctor had mentioned it-I felt terrified.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Give me a minute,¡± I told Mykel.


    ¡°Take the time you need.¡±


    I chuckled at my stupidity. ¡°And here I nned of going through my pregnancy alone. I missed considering to huge fact, the reality of being in longbor pain for hours.¡±


    ¡°Baby, take it easy. As much as I love to talk aboutbor, I don¡¯t want to see you in pain. We have a lot of options, but we¡¯re not talking about this in the parking lot, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. Just give me a moment. I need some air.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be in the car.¡± He walked to the car.


    All of a sudden, I watched and grimaced at the heavily pregnant woman, whining in pain as she was transferred into a wheelchair. Her hair was messy, and she was profusely sweating. And that was going to be me in less than six months.


    ¡°Bitch!¡±


    I jumped in my ce as someone just bumped my shoulder. With my heart still in my throat, I turned to the voice next to me. I froze and felt like turning into a stone to find Gary standing right in front of me with red eyes. His face was flushed in so much anger.


    ¡°W-what-¡±


    ¡°You ruined my life!¡±


    I was just staring at him. My feet weighed tons, even if my brain told me to run. I was still stiffed as a corpse and shocked to react and even protect myself until I found myself on the ground, whining in pain.


    Gary just pushed me.

 Chapter 73

    MYKEL


    I was still over the moon celebrating being a father again. The feeling of watching the monitor with the image of my child growing inside my wife was fucking extraordinaire-we made this baby, and I couldn¡¯t wait to hold my child in my arms.


    Then it was only a matter of a split second that my triumph and delirious bliss were gone in an instant.


    My world stopped and faded around me. I was quick to rush toward my wife to drag her away from the motherfucker, shielding her and my child from the perilous exploit, but I wasn¡¯t fast enough.


    I was supposed to be there to protect her, yet I failed her as a husband. Again.


    It sickened me. It fucking pissed me off.


    ¡°Babe.¡± She wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face in my chest.


    ¡°Get that motherfucker out of my face before I fucking break his skull!¡± I ordered Sax and Kye.


    If I let my rage consume me, and if I was that man before I met Adley, I would have done what made me feel better. I would have punched that son of bitch until his skull cracked open. But I was not that person anymore. I was going to be a father again.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. He can¡¯t hurt you again. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I carried her bridal style. ¡°Let the doctor check you up.¡±


    She was shaking. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I know, baby. But I wanna make sure you and our baby are okay.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine. I just wanna go home,¡± she refused.


    ¡°We will. I promise.¡± I was also terrified for her and our child. And what made me shudder in anger was that I had to keep it in my system.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± That was what I wanted to hear, telling me what she truly felt. I wanted her to voice out her feelings instead of pretending to be okay.


    ¡°I know, baby. So do I.¡± I sprinted toward the ER. ¡°Can someone check her, please?¡±


    ¡°Tell us what happened?¡± The doctor came rushing to us. ¡°Put her on this bed.¡±


    Iy Adley on a clean bed. ¡°We just came out from a prenatal check-up, and that fucking asshole pushed her to the ground. I just wanna make sure she¡¯s not endured, and our baby is safe.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir. Let me check up on your-¡±


    ¡°My wife. Adley Creed.¡±


    Thete forties doctor stared at me. ¡°Mykel Creed, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Mykel Creed.¡± As much as I would be delighted if someone recognized me in the hospital, I wanted her to focus on checking on my wife.


    ¡°Give us a moment, Mykel. Since your wife is conscious, I have to ask her directly. Just wait outside, okay?¡±


    I was not definitely liking this arrangement, but Adley would be in good hands. ¡°Of course.¡±


    When the curtain shut on my face, I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t focus. I couldn¡¯t think straight.


    I walked out with jumbled thoughts.


    ¡°Boss?¡± Kye sprinted in my direction. ¡°I was supposed to be by her side. I was supposed to protect her.¡±


    I red at him. ¡°I¡¯m her husband, Wilder. That¡¯s my job. This one is on me.¡±


    ¡°I still feel terrible, boss.¡±


    ¡°I just hope she and our baby are fine. Where¡¯s that motherfucker? I will make sure he rots in jail for what he did to Adley.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in police custody now. Sax will be here in a minute.¡±


    When my knees gave up, I sat on the bench. My mind went back to the incident.


    ¡°It happened so fucking fast. One time I talked to her, the next she was on the ground.¡± I breathed out shakily. ¡°I was fucking terrified of what he would do next if I didn¡¯t get there quickly.¡±


    ¡°Is she gonna be okay?¡±


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. I barely heard what the doctor said, but Adley looked okay.¡±


    ¡°Can I help you with anything?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much you can do. Just bring me water. I¡¯m fucking shaking. I couldn¡¯t even stand long.¡±


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡±


    When Kye left, I wanted to punch the wall. I tried to get the anger out of my system before bursting into mes. I hated this feeling, and I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    I have never been violent, but when the people I loved were in danger, it made me see things differently.


    Kye came back, giving me cold bottled water. ¡°What took them so long?¡±


    ¡°You are not helping.¡± I groaned loudly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but me myself, boss.¡±


    ¡°Then you understand how I feel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I emptied half of the water. At the same time, the doctor walked out of Adley¡¯s bed.


    Kye and I ran to the doctor.


    ¡°How¡¯s she?¡± we chorused.


    Kye muttered an apology beside me.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bleeding-¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I instantly felt the goosebumps erupting all over my skin. I felt someone just throwing a bucket of ice over my head. I shivered.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for a pregnant woman to experience spotting, but your wife said she never experienced it before. I¡¯m calling her OB for different opinions.¡±


    As soon as the word normal came out of the doctor¡¯s mouth, I sighed in relief. Then she followed by what rmed me next.


    ¡°I want to keep her overnight for observation. Her doctor might do another ultrasound to make sure the baby is okay. As for your wife, she¡¯s gonna be fine. She might feel pain from the fall, but she can take a painkiller.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Thank you, doctor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    ¡°Can I see her?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes. When you are done,e to the station to fill up some forms.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    I took a deep breath before I slipped into the curtain. She was lying in bed, attached to some cables for monitoring.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Her word was a whisper. She seemed to have calmed a little.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re thest one to ask me that.¡±


    ¡°That might not be possible.¡± I just looked at her and didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re ming yourself. Again.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°It was my fault. The idea of being inbor scared me. We should have just gone home, and none of this would happen.¡±


    ¡°Now, who¡¯s ming herself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so scared. All I could think at that moment was to cover myself and protect our baby.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how I felt finding you on the ground. Next time you want to catch some air, I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    She smiled a little. ¡°You¡¯re gonna use this to not leave by my side, are you?¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡± I kissed her hand and kissed her lips. ¡°I love you, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I know, babe.¡±


    I heard whispers and hissed behind the curtain. ¡°Let me check them.¡±


    It was Kye and Sax.


    ¡°Boss, how¡¯s Mrs. C?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the hush hush?¡± Then I noticed two police officers walking in.


    ¡°Mr. Creed?¡±


    ¡°Yes, can I help you, officers?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d like to ask your wife a few questions regarding the incident at the parking lot?¡±


    ¡°Is it really necessary to question her right now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mykel.¡±


    I groaned in annoyance. ¡°Just make it quick, please. She needs to rest.


    ¡°We understand, sir.¡±


    The officer came to Adley and started asking questions. I turned to Sax and Kye.


    I stopped Sax before he could blurt the word sorry or any kind of apology. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear it. She¡¯s my wife, and it¡¯s my responsibility to protect her.¡±


    ¡°We could still avoid it.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t. It happened. Let it go, but not that fucking asshole. Call Romare toe. I needed him to be here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Kye volunteered.


    ¡°I need to call Mom when Adley is transferred to the room. Stay here. I needed to fill out some forms.¡±


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡±


    I went to the nurse station.


    The nurse gave me stacks of papers. ¡°You can choose which room she¡¯ll be admitted to or-¡±


    I looked at her. ¡°Safe. And don¡¯t tell me every room here is safe.¡±


    ¡°Got it, sir. Once you¡¯re done with the form, you can settle the-¡±


    ¡°He can afford to buy the entire hospital, Maddie.¡± The doctor who checked Adley walked in.


    ¡°Oh.¡± The nurse looked surprised as she nced at me.


    ¡°Put his wife in Room 615.¡± She then turned to me. ¡°Her doctor will be here in ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The nurse had not been over yet. She read my name on the form. ¡°You¡¯re the-¡±


    ¡°Reformed yboy, capitalist, phnthropist, entrepreneur, and proud soon a father. Yes. That¡¯s me.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°You still have to learn how to warm the milk and change diapers. But congrattions, sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to add that to the long list. Thank you, nurse.¡±


    A few minutester, Adley was transferred to the room. Her OB came inter. She did another ultrasound.


    Let me say I knew numbers and made billions, but when it came to maternity and medical stuff, I knew nothing about it. I only discovered that a baby¡¯s heartbeat is faster than an adult¡¯s. But that was a good start.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal, right? Say something, doctor?¡±


    ¡°First-time father is always the nervous one.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my second, actually.¡±


    She looked at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    ¡°Your baby is fine. But I¡¯m still putting this device to monitor your baby¡¯s heartbeats. It¡¯s nothing to worry about. If you won¡¯t hear anything, just call the nurse or check it, and it might be detached. You can purchase and use this at home. It¡¯s pretty handy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, don¡¯t give him an idea.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You just give me the brightest idea, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I take it back.¡± Her doctorughed. ¡°You¡¯re stressing the mother.¡±


    ¡°Thanks foring so quick, Doctor Chesca.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d your wife and the baby are okay. Adley has my contact. If in case of emergency, give me a call.¡±


    ¡°Appreciate it.¡±


    I sat on the chair beside her bed when the doctor left. All I could do was looked at the beautiful woman in bed, the love of my life, and the mother of my unborn child.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°I wanna marry you again.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Do you realize I am pregnant right now?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stress out. Money can make everything possible. Just tell when and where.¡±


    ¡°I will marry you after I give birth.¡±


    I linked our hands. ¡°Is that a promise?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will marry you again.¡±


    I raised from my seat and kissed her lips. ¡°I love you, Adley, and I love you too, munchkin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Not that name.¡±

 Chapter 74

    ADLEY


    I woke up in an unfamiliar room. Then it registered to me that I was still in the hospital.


    When I looked at the chair, it wasn¡¯t my husband sitting there. I was surprised and d to see a familiar face I longed to see. ¡°Mom, what are you doing here?¡±


    She came to me and hugged me tightly. ¡°Darling, congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I adjusted the bed so I could sit while resting my back. ¡°He called you, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t understand what he said. He was rumbling, but I decided toe. He¡¯s so happy and terrified, darling. I could see it in his eyes when he met me earlier.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here. I need your advice. I was nning on calling you after Mykel found it out.¡±


    ¡°Just two nights ago.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a kinda long story.¡±


    ¡°I know, darling. How are you handling that? I cried a river after I found out what he did.¡±


    I licked my lips nervously. ¡°Honestly, at first, it was hard. Then at the same time, I found out I¡¯m pregnant and alone. It was a difficult time, and my emotions were all over the ce. I was angry at Mykel, and he didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t know where to put my anger and myself. Then I realized I was being selfish. Mykel was doing the right thing. He was trying to rectify what he did years ago because he wanted to live in peace with me, but I was making it harder for him.¡±


    ¡°It was just normal to react that way. Give yourself a break. You are his wife. You need him for you and your child. Thinking that his attention will always be divided, I know how much that hurt.¡±


    I held her hand. ¡°And his life was crumbling because he¡¯s still learning and trying to make things work in his rtionship, and he has to take another responsibility.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re okay now?¡±


    ¡°I cried the first time I saw Jax. I thought to myself; this is what I am trying to be selfish and get jealous with? He¡¯s the cutest thing.¡±


    ¡°Mykel sent some photos.¡±


    ¡°He looks just like Mykel.¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling right now?¡± Madelynughed. ¡°For a second, I felt like a shrink asking you a question.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°I told Mykel earlier. I said I hope you are thest person to ask me that. But I¡¯m okay. The baby is okay. I¡¯m only here because my doctor is not taking any chances because of the fall and my spotting and, of course, your persuasive and overprotective son. I can¡¯t, and I don¡¯t wanna fight with him, or he will continue ming himself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d that jerk is in jail now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s kinda mentally unstable. His father worked for the Kross, and Grandpa found out he had been embezzling money from the corporation. Then his son just med me for ruining his life. Anyway, you should go home and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no-no-no.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Not until Mykeles back. He went to the office earlier and then went home to change.¡±


    ¡°And you believe him?¡± Iughed. ¡°Mykel went home to change?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Madelynughed as well. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna know. I didn¡¯t pry. But I¡¯m going home if hees back. You get some more sleep.¡±


    I might have slept longer. I stretched out, and I felt someone was holding my hand. I knew it was Mykel without even looking at him.


    ¡°Morning, beautiful.¡±


    I cracked my eyes open. I met the gorgeous man on the smiling back at me. ¡°What¡¯s the good news? You cleaned up pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Knowing you and our baby are okay, we can finally go home in an hour. It¡¯s pretty damn good news.¡± He leaned over to kiss me on my lips. He trimmed his stubble, wearing a blue shirt and jeans. His hair was still in disarray, but he still looked hot in his hairstyle.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your mom?¡±


    ¡°Home.¡±


    ¡°At least she¡¯s not stubborn as you.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Might get it from my father.¡±


    I held his hand. ¡°I wanna go home now.¡±


    ¡°We will, baby. Sax is settling the bill.¡±


    Thankfully an hourter, I was on my feet in clean clothes. It felt good to be on my feet again and not wearing a hospital gown anymore.


    We left the hospital. I noticed an SUV was tailing us. ¡°Yours?¡±


    Mykel confirmed, ¡°Romare and another guy, Omar, that your grandpa hired.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa knew what happened?¡±


    ¡°He has to, baby. He visited you while you were nodding offst night.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna stress him.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯s not gonna stop nagging me for not protecting you and doing what I was supposed to do.¡±


    I gripped his hand and looked at him. ¡°Okay. Calm down. You know I feel your muscles are tensed everywhere.¡±


    ¡°When are we gonna have a peaceful life without everyone trying to stress us? And we haven¡¯t talked about your position at the Kross.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t wait for a few more months?¡±


    ¡°Did Grandpa put you up into this?¡±


    He shook my head. ¡°No. I just thought-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, and I can¡¯t stress myself out.¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°Then I am more stressing out sitting out home, watching my belly turn into a watermelon and wait to pop out.¡±


    Sax and Kye exchanged looked from the front.


    ¡°You two have something to say?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am,¡± they said in unison.


    ¡°Good because I don¡¯t give a crap.¡±


    ¡°Will you calm down, please?¡± Mykel rubbed my shoulder. ¡°We just got out of the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I will tell you if I¡¯m in distress. I promise. My baby-¡±


    ¡°Our baby-¡±


    ¡°Our baby is my number one priority. So if the job gives me more anxiety than peace of mind and gets between us, I will quit. It¡¯s not worth it, putting myself at risk for money. I also don¡¯t wanna hear you nagging every time I go home. Your voice is sometimes annoying.¡±


    He groaned beside me. ¡°I pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. And that¡¯s we¡¯re different. I love listening to your voice in different pitches.¡±


    I hit him in the arm. ¡°You¡¯re awful.¡± I knew what he meant.


    ¡°I love you, too.¡±


    I had never been so relieved when we finally arrived home. I almost jumped. My hand in my chest as I watched the confetti pop into my face and saw smiling faces as they chorused, ¡°Wee home!¡±


    ¡°Guys, I told you no surprises.¡± Mykel groaned beside me.


    ¡°Thank you, guys.¡± I just had teary eyes. They came to hug me; thest ones to do were Sax and Kye.


    ¡°Thank you, boys.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re two, like just swallowed watermelon and an avocado,¡± Lyraughed.


    ¡°More like coconut for me. When is your due?¡±


    ¡°In three weeks. Two weeks if she¡¯s so excited.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Are you nervous?¡± I joined them in the living room.


    ¡°Hell yes. You can get through this.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I badly need that.¡± I took a seat beside Madelyn.


    I looked at the people I thought would never be a part of my life. Grandpa and Dru were in a light conversation, and ze and Elise were still going stronger. The love of my life was chatting with his brother Knox, and they just burst intoughter.


    Mykel must have felt I was looking at him. He smiled and winked at me. I suddenly felt young and in love, and I haven¡¯t told him about my feelings. My face burned that he knew exactly how I felt.


    Then Madelyn and Lyra were giggling like teenagers. Sax and Kye went out to check on their team.


    A few minutes passed, and we settled at the dining table.


    ¡°Before we start this meal, I¡¯d like to thank you guys foring here today. And I wish my son Jax would be here as well. My parents once told me-to never abandon the people you love and those who care most about you. And my father told me that I should be better than him, rectifying my past mistake. I thank you all for being there for us from the beginning. And hope you will remain our support system as Adley and I are about to have a new member in our family.¡± He raised his ss and mouthed I love you. ¡°To family.¡±


    I raised my ss and drank my non-alcoholic wine.


    After our delightful lunch, we settled on the patio. Grandpa had to leave early to rest.


    ¡°Is it okay with you that I will book tickets for Jade and Jax?¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°I do. I wanna tell you everything about my ns for Jax. I don¡¯t wanna keep you in the dark again. This is our life now.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mykel wrapped his arms around me securely and whispered, ¡°I was about to tell them that we¡¯re nning to get married again, but I¡¯m not sure how you feel about that.¡±


    ¡°I want to keep that to ourselves first. Anyway, I opened Mom¡¯s journal and found a Proid photo of a one-year-old me and a kid kissing me on the cheek.¡±


    ¡°Should I be afraid that that kid is a grown-up adult now?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. If he only knew. ¡°So I read that page where she slipped the photo. She wrote there that she took me to the park when I got fussy. There came a boy around four or something and stared at my baby. He has such thick hair and an eye of a hot choco. Then he smiled and left. Minutester, he came and kissed Adley out of the blue. The boy¡¯s mother came, apologized, and joked that when her son was old enough, she would let her son take responsibility for his action and arranged a marriage to my daughter.¡± I picked up the photo from my pocket. I showed it to Mykel. ¡°This was taken by my dad twenty-three years ago. I think we¡¯re bound to be together ever since, babe.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He quickly took the picture from my hand. He inspected the proid meticulously.


    ¡°Unless Mom was making that up.¡±


    He chuckled. Judging by the look on his face, he remembered something. ¡°I think I saw a picture like this at Mom¡¯s house.¡± He looked at me, amazed. ¡°I remembered asking her who was in that picture. She smiled at me and said, it¡¯s for you to find out.¡±


    A smile curled up against my lips. ¡°I showed that to your mom. She said the same thing. Check the back.¡±


    He turned the photo. ¡°Holy shit.¡± Mom wrote my name and Mykel¡¯s on the back with the photo¡¯s date. ¡°Yet Mom never even mentioned this to me again.¡±


    ¡°She told me about that too.¡±


    ¡°God, I love you, baby.¡± He kissed me.


    ¡°I love you, Mykel Creed.¡±

 Chapter 75

    MYKEL


    Life had seemed back to normal. Adley and I talked a lot about kids-Jax and our little peanut, as she called it. Peanut didn¡¯t seem fit to call our kid, but who was to fight about it if she found peanut cute.


    I still had her spread wide in bed and ate her without mercy. She tasted amazing, the sweetest thing I¡¯d ever put my mouth on. Her body became oversensitive against my touch, and I just loved to watch her as she desperately and helplessly asked for her orgasm.


    God, I didn¡¯t know how I loved someone so much I couldn¡¯t breathe. Adley became the center of my life-she became my world-my everything.


    Since I found out she was pregnant with our first child, I took pictures of her every day, and sometimes, I had stolen shots of her even in her sleep. I was grinning as I scrolled through our photos on my phone. She was going to hate me for doing this, but she would thank meter.


    A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.


    I lifted my gaze from my phone. I was surprised to see Lyra at my office door.


    ¡°Hey. Come in.¡± I stood up and helped her to the chair. ¡°What a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for dropping by.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Really. I¡¯m just d I¡¯m in the office when youe.¡±


    She smiled as she saw books on my desk. ¡°You¡¯re reading.¡±


    ¡°I just found out the size of your baby is about the size of a cantaloupe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be a good father, Mykel. Your dad is proud of you, you know. He talked about you and Knox all the time.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°He told me to be a better father because he felt he failed us. That¡¯s not actually true. I still owed him even if our pasts were not something I¡¯d like to remember, but I became who I am today because of his decisions, what pushed me to work hard to have this life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you both getting along well.¡±


    ¡°Me too. It feels good that I don¡¯t have to carry burden and anger in my chest. Anyway, you came here alone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡± She looked down at her hands.


    ¡°Are you guys okay?¡±


    She looked at me. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re great.¡±


    ¡°You guys are romantically involved now? Sorry to ask. I just thought you two were happy thest time I saw you.¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± I nodded with a smile. ¡°Take care of my father, Lyra. He hasn¡¯t had a good rtionship in a long time.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She took a deep breath. ¡°I wanna ask a favor.¡±


    I sat across her. ¡°Sure. Anything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about my ex.¡± She swallowed hard. She seemed ufortable talking about her asshole ex.


    ¡°Is he bothering you?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I can¡¯t talk to your dad about this. I don¡¯t want him to worry. I know this is a lot to ask, but I thought you and my ex were about the same age.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can tell me everything, Lyra. You can trust me.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I know. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s bothering you?¡±


    ¡°Two weeks ago, I bumped into him, and he already moved on. He was with another woman. Then he dragged me to the corner, asking me if this was his and why I didn¡¯t get rid of the baby.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s that asshole, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She felt ashamed, though she shouldn¡¯t. Her ex should be.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Dad about this?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Can you talk to him to not approach me again?¡±


    I clenched my jaw hard in anger. ¡°I can do better than that. What¡¯s his name? Where does he work?¡±


    After she gave me his name and workce, I assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure he can¡¯t get near you and your baby again.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Have you talked to your family?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to talk to them about my situation like this. Soon, maybe.¡±


    ¡°You should try, Lyra, even more than once. They are still your family.¡±


    ***


    Sax quickly found the douchebag sperm donor of Lyra¡¯s baby. Lyra could find a better guy than that asshole, and there was nothing attractive about the guy who was an opportunist, dating his manager to climb up for a better position.


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna do this?¡± Sax asked.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not capable of punching that guy¡¯s face?¡±


    Kye looked at Sax before he turned to me. ¡°We do the dirty work. That¡¯s what he was trying to say.¡±


    ¡°No dirty work. I¡¯m doing this the right way.¡± I slipped the envelope into my jacket pocket before I climbed out of the car.


    Sax walked toward the cafe while Kye and I were behind him. Sax gave me a signal that the asshat was with must be his new toy sitting at the corner.


    ¡°You two order something, or wait here.¡±


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡± Sax and Kye upied the stools.


    I walked to the asshat¡¯s table and cleared my throat. ¡°Do you happen to be Liam Mads?¡±


    The asshat answered, ¡°Yes. Can I help you?¡±


    I could ask you the same thing, asshole.


    His girlfriend lifted her gaze at me and somewhat recognized me. Her eyes literally lit up. ¡°Oh, my God. You¡¯re Mykel Creed.¡±


    ¡°Thest time I checked, yes. Would you mind if I talk to your boyfriend alone?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She rose from her chair, fixed her dress, tucked her hair behind her ear, and smiled.


    I tried hard not to shake my head. Even if you wore a wedding band, some women didn¡¯t care. They still flirted because I was the Mykel fucking Creed.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Mykel Creed? The billionaire.¡±


    ¡°As of this moment, yes. I¡¯m still a billionaire.¡± I sat across him. ¡°I have an offer.¡±


    ¡°What kind of offer?¡± he replied instantly. Excitement was all over his ugly face.


    ¡°Wait. Let me ask you first, do you know a woman named Lyra Marquez?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°What did that bitch do this time? Can you believe she said I knocked her up? I mean, yeah, I was her first, but because she was into me, so I fucked her.¡±


    I pped him. It felt good to feel my palm against his little shitty fucking face. I was just waiting for him to finish whatever he wanted to say, but I was already vibrating in anger.


    ¡°What the fuck, man?¡± He narrowed his eyes at me as he touched the mark on my hand.


    ¡°Ever heard of a condom?¡± Said the guy who knocked up his wife on a pill. But that was not my point. Somehow, I saw my younger and arrogant self in this dick. To be honest, that was what I exactly did to Jade when she came to me. And the reason why I was here. I did not think twice when Lyra came asking for my help.


    He just abandoned a pregnant woman because he was ambitious as fuck. It sickened me to realize that this was precisely my life years ago.


    ¡°So? This is not your damn business.¡±


    ¡°It is now.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±

 Chapter 76

    MYKEL


    ¡°You should have protected your dick if you don¡¯t want to deal with the consequences. She just lost her family because of your dick, asshole. Say something like that again to anyone, I swear to you. You won¡¯t only get a p. I will make sure you won¡¯t be able to talk again.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your deal with-¡±


    ¡°Lyra. Her name is Lyra, dickhead. Let me tell you, Lyra is under Hartford and Creed¡¯s protection now. From today onward, you and your face won¡¯t ever look or talk to her ever again. The kid she¡¯s carrying is hers alone. If I ever hear or even hear a rumor that you want to im the kid as yours, I will make sure to tie you in any heinous crime in the city. Do you fucking understand me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He cowered down.


    ¡°Good.¡± I pulled the envelope from my jacket. I took the folded paper and gave it to him. ¡°I want you to sign this agreement that you understand anything in this paper and don¡¯t want anything to do with Lyra¡¯s baby.¡±


    ¡°What if I change my mind that I wanna see the kid?¡±


    ¡°I will make sure you won¡¯t get another job anywhere in the US. Right now, I can spread your name on social media that you have STDs. How about that?¡±


    ¡°Okay. I will sign.¡± He was shaking as he took his pen and signed the document. That served him right for being a jerk.


    ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡± I stood from the chair.


    ¡°Mr. Creed, you¡¯re not gonna spread that I have STD, right?¡±


    I shook in disbelief. I went to Sax and Kye, and I found the woman Liam was dating flirting with Sax.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Creed.¡±


    ¡°You should be careful with guys you¡¯re dating. You know Liam over there? He has Cmydia.¡±


    ¡°Ew! Really?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, ask yourself.¡±


    Sax and Kye tried hard not tough their asses out loud.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, gents.¡±


    My next stop was not a part of the n. I looked at the townhouse outside the car window. It was decent, much better than the apartment while I was growing up.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go alone with this one.¡± I stopped Sax about to open his mouth to object. ¡°I¡¯m going alone.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, boss.¡± Kye had to agree as if I would give him a choice.


    Lyra would hate me for doing this, and so as my father. After a doorbell, it swung open.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± the man in sses, a little older than my father, asked before he inspected me from head to toe.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Elonzo Marquez.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m Elonzo Marquez. May I know what this is all about?¡± He stayed behind the door, his hand on the doorknob.


    I understand his skepticism. I would feel the same if a stranger knocked on his door asking for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I held out my hand. ¡°I¡¯m Mykel Creed. I happen to know your daughter, Lyra.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he monotonically said as he shook my hand.


    ¡°May I talk to you and your wife, please?¡± If I had been rude to the sperm donor earlier, I would beg if I could do it just for Lyra to get her peace. Mom had struggled for a long time. It was unfair. I couldn¡¯t watch Lyra suffer the consequences of her actions if there was something I could do.


    He opened the door wide, stepping aside. ¡°Is she okay?¡± This deep sorrow in his tone made me feel like I could get into him.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± He weed me to his humble home. ¡°Are you her employer?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡± I sat on his colorful sofa. I noticed a handwoven rug on the floor.


    ¡°Let me call my wife.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    I let my eyes wander around as I waited for them toe back. My phone vibrated in my suit pocket. It was a message from Sax, asking if I was okay.


    MYKEL: I¡¯m fine.


    SAX: You know the drill, boss.


    MYKEL: I know. Now stop texting me.


    I slipped my phone back. Lyra¡¯s parents walked in. I rose from my seat to greet Lyra¡¯s mother, reaching out for a handshake. ¡°Mrs. Marquez.¡±


    They were polite people. After our pleasantries, they sat across mine.


    ¡°I apologize for this visit. Your daughter doesn¡¯t have any idea why I am here. Her employer is my father, Dru Hartford.¡±


    ¡°Is my daughter okay, Mr. Creed?¡± the wife, Pa, asked.


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Marquez. Please call me, Mykel. I¡¯m here on behalf of Lyra and my father.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your father have to do with this?¡± Elonzo¡¯s voice raised a little.


    ¡°Look, I came here in peace. I¡¯ve hated my father for a long time. He abandoned my mother and me when I was just a boy. Walking down memoryne is not something I often do because it¡¯s unpleasant for me. But it¡¯s been years. I can hate him for the rest of his remaining life, but he did something that made me consider giving him a chance. He helped your pregnant daughter when Lyra was struggling from losing her main source of support.¡±


    ¡°Is that why she chose your old man?¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve heard?¡±


    They shared a look.


    ¡°You may not like it, but my father cared so much for your daughter. He made a lot of mistakes, but I can feel that this time is genuine. My father can, I¡¯m sorry to bring this up, but he has money and can choose a single young woman if he likes, but he helps your daughter, gives her shelter, and is about to raise another man¡¯s son. Lyra is a wonderful woman, and I am here to ask you to give her another chance.¡±


    Elonzo cleared his throat. ¡°What we said was out of anger.¡±


    ¡°Your pride, Elonzo. We¡¯re not in Colombia anymore. She made mistakes, and so as a lot of young women out there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s gonna be thrilled to see both of you. She didn¡¯te here because she didn¡¯t wanna hurt her parents. I know what¡¯s like to be a disappointment.¡± Okay, thest part? I made that up, but Lyra would thank meter.


    ¡°The man who-¡±


    ¡°Oh, I made sure he won¡¯t bother Lyra again, or else he will see the wrath of Hartford, Kross, and Creed.¡±


    They shared that look again before Elonzo spoke. ¡°Are you married, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Happily.¡±


    ¡°We just wanted what¡¯s best for our daughter.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, your daughter and soon-to-be your granddaughter are in good hands. My father will do everything he can to protect and give them the best in life.¡±


    ¡°A granddaughter?¡± Tears filled Pa¡¯s eyes, her hands covering her mouth as she tried to hold her cry.


    ¡°Yes, Pa.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mykel. Your wife is lucky to have you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually the other way around.¡±


    ***


    Adley and I decided to have dinner at my father¡¯s house. The food was delicious. After dinner, we spent four together in the living room. It was a pleasant evening.


    ¡°You two should get married.¡±


    Adley gave me that look that I should mind my own business.


    ¡°Actually, we are getting married,¡± my father announced.


    ¡°What? Really?¡± Adley¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Lyra finally fished her ring from her pocket and showed it to us.


    ¡°Oh, my God! Congrattions!¡± Adley was already on her feet, crossing toward Lyra.


    ¡°Dad, congrattions!¡± I hugged my father. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, son.¡±


    I went to Lyra to congratte her. ¡°Wee to the family, Lyra. We need to tell my father.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I pulled Adley beside me and kissed her. ¡°I love you, Mrs. Creed.¡±


    The way she smiled at me, she didn¡¯t have to say it back. ¡°I can¡¯t still believe how I fell for your looks and charm.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Just the looks, huh? How about my talent, the size-¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± She pressed a finger to my lips.


    ¡°Um, Dru, I have to tell you something,¡± Lyra started as she held my father¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Of course. Anything.¡±


    ¡°I went to see-¡±


    ¡°Dad.¡± I pulled the envelope from my suit and raised my hand. ¡°I went to shut up her ex. Sorry, but I¡¯m not sorry for pping him. That guy is an ass-¡±


    ¡°Mykel,¡± my father chided me.


    ¡°You what did now?¡± my wife asked.


    ¡°He deserved it.¡± I gave my father the signed papers. ¡°He can¡¯t get to your daughter even if he buys his ownwyers.¡±


    My father read the document.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you both to live with worries of himing after your daughter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He then turned to his fiancee. ¡°Why you didn¡¯te to me?¡±


    ¡°I feel like Mykel can intimidate him more.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I look intimidating?¡±


    ¡°Dad, hell no.¡±


    Adley and Lyra shook tough.


    ¡°You both stopughing. Lyra will be inbor in no time.¡±

 Chapter 77

    ADLEY


    ¡°Babe, are you sure Lyra is giving birth already? I thought her due is in a week.¡± I was still wearing a white floor-length evening gown for my party thrown to me as the new CEO.


    Yes, finally, I was the new CEO of Kross Corp., and of course, Grandpa was there as he introduced me to board members, representatives from the corporation worldwide, employees, and our guests.


    ¡°Yes, baby. Dad just left. He wasn¡¯t able to say goodbye. You were busy with the guests.¡± My husband was just jaw-dropping in a ck tux. He finally shaved clean, making his jaw line more prominent.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    ¡°This is your party. You can¡¯t leave.¡± He shook his head.


    I knew he would disagree, but I could be persistent if I wanted to get something I wanted. ¡°Well, I¡¯m done meeting some guests. Besides, Grandpa is still here. I can reason out that they can¡¯t say no to me. Watch me.¡± I walked away from Mykel.


    ¡°Baby, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Hi. Do you mind if I borrow my grandfather for a minute?¡± I held Grandpa in his arm while chatting with the South-East Asia representatives.


    ¡°Please,¡± Mr. Xing agreed.


    ¡°Excuse me, Grandpa. I need to sit down. My back is killing me.¡± I pretended to rub my back. ¡°I think maybe because I¡¯ve been standing for too long.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you two are nning, go ahead. Get out of here. I¡¯ll take care of the guests.¡± Deep inside, I just celebrated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stay long. You also need to rest.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Get the hell out before I change my mind.¡±


    I grinned like a school girl. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa. Love you.¡±


    As soon as we got out of the door, I pulled up my gown so I could walk faster.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you have that in you, baby?¡± Mykel was carrying my clutch.


    ¡°What? Sometimes I can be a brat, a rebel, and a good girl, a wild woman if I want to be.¡±


    ¡°I will carry you if you¡¯re having back pain.¡±


    I smiled as we reached the car. ¡°Just give me a back rubter.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Sax was already in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°To the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    In less than thirty minutes, we arrived at the hospital. I bumped into Knox with a minister.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Now that you both are here let¡¯s go. Lyra is not giving birth now. The doctor said it¡¯s a false rm or something.¡±


    ¡°Braxton Hicks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I looked at my husband, amazed. He¡¯d been reading a lottely. Two nights ago, when I went to the study room, he was cringing as he watched a video on the tv screen. He suddenly shut it off, so I couldn¡¯t watch it myself. He was scared I would be traumatized after watching the woman in naturalbor.


    We followed Knox to the room.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Dad, they¡¯re here,¡± he announced.


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡± My hands were on my mouth as I watched them both waiting for the minister.


    ¡°Son, can you stand next to Knox?¡± Dru asked Mykel.


    ¡°Adley, please?¡± Lyra asked with a bouquet in her hands.


    ¡°Of course, It would be my honor.¡± I stood beside her. Then the ceremony started. I had the bridal flowers and was instantly brought back to how Mykel and I got married in Las Vegas.


    They exchanged vows. They seemed prepared for the wedding. My guess was they were nning to marry sooner after Lyra gave birth. I thought this was romantic. Extravagant weddings were overrated. What was important was that you valued your vows and remained loyal to your spouses.


    ¡°By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Dru, you may now kiss your bride.¡±


    They shared their first kiss as man and wife. I wiped my tear that I didn¡¯t know I was there.


    I congratted both of them. ¡°I¡¯m happy for both of you. And you look lovely.¡± I kissed Lyra on her cheek.


    ¡°Sorry, I missed your party.¡±


    ¡°This is the best night, Lyra. I attended my own party, and I witnessed your wedding.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for rushing over here, Adley.¡±


    I hugged Dru. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss this.¡±


    ¡°Why did you two rush your wedding?¡± Mykel asked his father in amusement.


    ¡°Her family is old-fashion, and it was my idea to deliver the baby with wedlock. Her parents can¡¯t say anything anymore.¡±


    ¡°Good idea. Well, I will send some wine to the room, but I have to take my wife home, and you two can celebrate your wedding night.¡± Mykel smiled at his father and stepmother.


    ¡°We¡¯lle back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going home, too. Call me if you need anything,¡± Knox bid goodbye to the newlyweds.


    When we were in the elevator, I reminded Mykel. ¡°Do you remember when we first met?¡±


    ¡°You hated my guts. How could I forget the best night of my life? Now she¡¯s standing right next to me, my wife, and the mother of my little pea.¡±


    ¡°Little pea?¡±


    ¡°Better than a peanut.¡±


    Iughed out loud.


    ¡°How¡¯re your legs?¡±


    ¡°You should really stop reading books, babe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ***


    I was exhausted when we got home. I let Mykel carry me inside the house to our room. I had leg cramps in the middle of my sleep likest week. Mykel exined that it was expected, but I wasn¡¯t even yet in the second trimester. Then we had a disagreement because he called my doctor.


    He helped me out on my gown. Then Iy down only in my underwear. He raised my leg and massaged the other. He was fulfilling his promise. He would never miss this moment in his life, as he said to me. He enjoyed being a hands-on husband. Sometimes, I got annoyed, but most of the time, I enjoyed this treatment like a simple massage, foot rub, or bringing some healthy snacks. I was easy to please.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I ran my fingers through his hair.


    ¡°No need to thank me.¡±


    ¡°I do. Did you read something about hair fall during pregnancy?¡±


    He also looked tired. He¡¯d been busytely at the office, then he went to my office and took me to lunch. When he got home, he still took care of me. I was lucky to have such a thoughtful husband who never got tired of pleasing me.


    ¡°After pregnancy, but it will stop a few months after the baby is born. Are you experiencing hair fall?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re taking this seriously. You also have to take care of yourself if I am terrible at taking care of you, Mykel.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°No. We take care of each other. Take off your clothes ande to bed-no more midnight reading and watching videos, Mykel. I¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯ll be the first to know if I feel something ufortable.¡±


    He didn¡¯t resist anymore. I thought he felt his exhaustion consuming his body. He yawned after stripping off his clothes. He joined me in bed and pulled me into his arm. He fell asleep before me.


    In the morning, I woke ahead of him. After I did yoga, I went to the kitchen. I called Dru about Lyra. She was not yet inbor.


    I prepared breakfast. I was just done with a protein shake when I felt arms snaking around my waist.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t wake me up.¡± His voice was still groggy.


    ¡°You needed that sleep. How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°I asked you, and you answered me with a question.¡±


    ¡°I slept like a baby. How¡¯s our little pea?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You should stop calling her that.¡±


    ¡°Her or his? My guess is a girl.¡±


    ¡°I love our baby, whether a girl or a boy. Hungry?¡±


    ¡°I want your shake.¡±


    I poured it into a ss and gave it to him.


    ¡°Your shake, baby.¡± He kissed my neck, then moved his lips and bit my earlobe.


    ¡°Uh-huh. That kind of shake.¡±


    ¡°I missed your taste, baby.¡± He slipped his hands into the band of my shorts and dragged them down my knees.


    ¡°Babe, we¡¯re about to have breakfast.¡± I was already shaking in anticipation. My clit ached for his touch, and I was already spreading my legs wide despite my protest.


    ¡°Lean against the ind and lift your ass.¡±


    I was already aroused, so I did as he asked.


    My hormones were out of control. Thest thing I heard was my voice crying out in pleasure as I felt the first touch of the tip of his tongue against my clit. Then heved me from my forbidden hole down to my most sensitive nub.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked me, but I didn¡¯t get the chance to answer. Mykel rubbed the tip of his length, coating and spreading my wetness before he plunged into me from behind.

 Chapter 78

    ADLEY


    ¡°Hey, babe.¡± I sat on the massage chair I purchasedst week. It felt good. I was lucky to be one of those women who got pampered during pregnancy, but the work was time-consuming for someone like me who used to be hands-on on everything.


    I was still in the process of adapting to the new environment and position, and it still felt fulfilling despite the daily demand of my work. Besides, I had the best consultant at my speed dial. Dru had been a great help.


    ¡°Busy?¡±


    I¡¯d been busy for the past weeks. I¡¯d visited some ongoing projects from my predecessor, Grandpa. I¡¯d attended meetings for coboration projects of the world¡¯s top corporations and scientists. The hopes for the future were aspiring-to be able to build amercial space station outer space. The n was incredibly ambitious for 2050.


    ¡°Not anymore. Grandpa left me tons of work, but it¡¯s over now. All I need is good cuddling.¡±


    ¡°We can cuddle all night. Besides, it¡¯s the weekend, and baby?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°No more working at home. Our home is for our family and not for the workload.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more. You, busy?¡±


    ¡°No. You want me toe over?¡±


    ¡°No, but since you were on a business trip with myst visit to the doctor, I thought-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna tell me now?¡± I could feel the excitement in his voice. I was still keeping the gender of our baby from him. That was our agreement that I would tell him when I was ready. I knew it sounded selfish, but he was also up for it.


    ¡°Over dinner?¡±


    ¡°Then let me make an arrangement.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already done.¡±


    ¡°You did on your own?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, without the help of my assistant. Consider this a date.¡±


    ¡°Now I feel awful. We really should do this more often.¡±


    ¡°Hey. We had a few dates. We can do it every weekend, even in the backyard. Now my schedule is not crammed anymore. Let me make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a date then. When is it, baby?¡±


    ¡°Tonight at seven at the Williams.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at seven.¡±


    ¡°No. See you there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there, baby. So, how¡¯s our little pea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not calling our baby that, but he¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Now, you are just confusing me with the gender reveal.¡± Heughed softly. I was also smiling the whole time.


    ¡°That¡¯s the fun of surprise, Mykel. When are we nning on visiting Lyra again?¡± Lyra had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Mykel went to see her parents and gave them time to consider whether they wanted to be a part of Lyra¡¯s life or stay away for the rest of their lives. Thankfully, they finally came to their senses and did the right thing, epting Lyra¡¯s past mistake and being a part of her new life with Dru.


    I was happy for Lyra. She finally got the peace she deserved. Dru was nothing but a good and caring husband. The second or third chance was a charm, indeed.


    ¡°I was just waiting for you. How about Sunday? Then next weekend we¡¯re going out of town. I want you to enjoy and have some fun away from the city and your demanding job.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a n. See you tonight, babe.¡±


    ***


    I wore a light pink midi dress. I applied some colors to my face. I gained weight due to pregnancy, but I was proud to show off my baby bump.


    I arrived on time at the Williams. It was hard to book a VIP room reservation for two at this restaurant, but I was the CEO of the multi-billion dor corporation, so it came in handy when you used your connections. Life was unfair, but tonight was important for Mykel and me. I had to make it a little special.


    ¡°Reservation for Creed.¡±


    ¡°This way, please, Mrs. Creed.¡± Thedy staff led me the way.


    She stepped aside after she opened the door.


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡± My hands were on my mouth. There were different kinds of pink flowers on the wall and on all corners and metallic pink balloons that said It¡¯s a girl. ¡°I love it,¡± I gushed in glee.


    ¡°Do you want some changes, Mrs. Creed?¡±


    ¡°No. This is beautiful.¡± I smiled at her with so much gratitude. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, ma¡¯am. Please, have a seat.¡±


    I took a seat at the chair pulled for me. ¡°Please, let me know if my husband has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Can I get you something to drink?¡±


    ¡°Just water, please.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but admire their handy work. This was precisely how I imagined it to be. I was confident Mykel was going to like it.


    I type a text to him.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ADLEY: Babe, where are you?¡±


    I hit send.


    A momentter, my phone rang.


    ¡°Mykel?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, baby. I¡¯m on my way. Be there in eight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m already here.¡± To be honest, I was excited, the reason why I arrived early.


    ¡°Ahh, I feel terrible.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. See you in a bit. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Being pregnant always often needed to use the bathroom. I drank a little water so that I was here when Mykel arrived.


    Two minutes had passed, and I was tapping my fingers on the table and constantly checking the time on my phone.


    Three minutester, Mykel had not arrived.


    I emptied the ss.


    Suddenly, I felt edgy. It was passed fifteen minutes, and he had not shown up. He should be calling me if he was stuck in traffic. A surge of worry knotted in the pit of my stomach. I dialed his number and was busy. I suddenly had this feeling that something was not right.


    I typed another message.


    ADLEY: Are you still up for tonight?


    A slight frown settled between my brows as I did not receive a reply or return call. I tried to shake off the possible scenario in my head. It was not Mykel to ditch our dates while he said he was on the way. Maybe they had a t tire or something.


    My chest constricted when there were no signs of my husband twenty minutester. I felt like crying in annoyance. He¡¯d never been this terriblyte.


    A wave of uncertainty and dread started growing and growing to the point that I kept pacing in the room and bit my nails when it was almost an hour.


    I dialed Sax. His phone seemed to be turned off, and so as Kye. ¡°What the hell was going on?¡±


    I sat back on the chair, staring at the empty seat across mine. My mind went back to myst call. Mykel was not busy this morning. Suddenly, he waste, which was unusual for him. He always arrived on time like clockwork. He could have just told me he couldn¡¯t make it if he was not up for a date than making me look stupid waiting for him toe.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, can I take your order now?¡±


    I swallowed hard. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s past two hours since you arrived, ma¡¯am.¡± A chill raced down my spine, realizing I had waited that long for nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking the tab, please.¡± My breathing hitched. I could barely hear my words. I felt stupid and humiliated and had wasted my time putting up for all of this surprise.


    After settling my bill, I walked out of the restaurant, hoping not to see this ce again. I was not specting anything. Mykel had changed a lot to ditch me for another woman. He was not the kind of person who would run away from hismitment no matter how difficult it was for him.


    ¡°Where to, ma¡¯am?¡± It was Romare.


    I looked outside the window of the car. The world seemed to slow down around me. I got a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror, and the pain was so deep in my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I want to be alone.¡±


    ¡°All right, ma¡¯am.¡±


    My heart was aching. I let the view outside pass like a blur. I was disappointed, hurt, and angry. I couldn¡¯t find any reason why he had to convince me that he was excited for tonight if he had other ns. It seemed like not the man I had known for the past months.


    I cleared my thoughts as I closed my eyes for a brief moment. The car slowed down, which caught my attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked Romare. There was amotion ahead.


    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s been an ident ahead, Mrs. C.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I froze in motion. My heart began racing. I stared at Romare in shock with my mouth hanging open.


    ¡°Let me ask around.¡± Romare rolled the window down. ¡°Hey, man. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°A rich kid got into an ident,¡± the passer replied.


    ¡°Stop the car,¡± I ordered.


    ¡°Mrs. C, we can¡¯t stop the car in the middle-¡±


    ¡°Pull over!¡±


    ¡°Wait for a minute until-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a freaking minute!¡± I didn¡¯t let him finish his words. I pushed the door open. Thankfully, the car wasn¡¯t running. Everyone was stuck in the traffic. I rushed down and shut the door behind me.


    ¡°Adley!¡± I ignored Romare calling out my name.


    I wasn¡¯t exactly in the right mind. I wasn¡¯t thinking at all. The only thing I could think of was about the ident. I sprinted to get out of the street. The universe seemed on my side. I managed to cross the road without causing an ident.


    I was pressed between onlookers of the ident. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    It was frustrating. These people ignored me-no one listened to me, except they were busy taking pictures and recording the horrible collision between two sedans.


    ¡°Adley! Mrs. C!¡± Romare managed to grab me on the wrist. ¡°Are you trying to harm yourself?¡±


    I stared at him through my blurry vision. I was shaking, terrified. Everything around me started to blur. ¡°I- I was supposed to meet Mykel in the restaurant tonight.¡± Iunched to him and wrapped my arms around his gigantic body. ¡°And then he didn¡¯te in eight minutes. I can¡¯t contact him nor Sax and Kye.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mrs. C¡± I felt his hand patting my back. ¡°I thought you knew.¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡± I pulled away quickly and stared at him.


    ¡°He flew to LA. Sax informed me that there¡¯s been an emergency.¡±

 Chapter 79

    MYKEL


    ¡°Jade, it¡¯s nice of you to call.¡± I FaceTimed with my son almost every day. He barely talked, but I was happy to see him so often. I knew it was not a good idea to expose a three-year-old kid to gadgets, but I was taking my chances of getting close to his heart. ¡°What is he up this time?¡±


    Jade chuckled. ¡°Oh, my God, Mykel. You put me in a difficult position. He keeps reminding me of going on an airne. So yesterday, I brought him to a toy store and bought a toy jet just to make him forget, but he did not.¡±


    Iughed out loud. My voice echoed in the office. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jade. Adley and I have already nned everything for the weekend. You and Jax wille to New York, and then we will fly to one of Adley¡¯s residences.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also sorry. I know how busy you both are. Jax just gets too excited about his first trip.¡±


    ¡°Well, we were kids once. I know how it feels. And I¡¯m also sorry that I have to move the trip. You know Adley is terrified of flying, and she¡¯s also pregnant. She had just stepped in as the new CEO, and her grandfather had left her a lot of work. Then my father¡¯s wife just gave birth. I also went on business trips. These past weeks were so crazy. Adley even purchased a massage chair and put it in her office to chill herself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t know that you both have been this busy.¡±


    ¡°Not all the time, but yeah. Especially Adley. She used to work with her employees. She¡¯s pretty hands-on.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s her pregnancy?¡± I felt lucky that the woman I had a son with still cared about my wife.


    ¡°She¡¯s doing great. She¡¯s moody.¡± I chuckled. ¡°But she¡¯s trying her best to keep her hormones at bay, and she¡¯s tough.¡±


    ¡°I can see why you two are a match made in heaven. You always appreciate her, even her mood swings, and so as Adley. Don¡¯t mess this up, Mykel. You won¡¯t be this happy with another woman.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. And how about you and the guy you¡¯re dating? Adrien.¡±


    She cracked tough. ¡°I think you know Adrien better than me.¡±


    I told her about her boyfriend. I wanted to know the guy who spent time with my kid, so I asked the firm for a background check. And since I had just invested in the firm, I quickly got what I wanted.


    ¡°It would be a red g if he has no parking tickets, Jade. Other than that, he has no history.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay with this?¡±


    ¡°If you and my son are.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You took care of our son for three years, Jade. You deserve to be happy. Anyway, tell Jax I¡¯ll be seeing him soon. Tell him Daddy loves him.¡±


    ¡°I will. Take care, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    I worked for a couple of minutes when Elise knocked and popped her head in the half-opened door. ¡°Boss, you¡¯rete for your date.¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡± I was quicker on my feet. I snatched my suit jacket and put it on. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°Six forty-five.¡±


    ¡°Fuck. Adley is gonna be so pissed at me. She¡¯s been anticipating this date, and I¡¯m ruining it for her.¡±


    ¡°Enough talking. Sax and Kye are waiting for you in the parking lot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± I headed to the elevator. ¡°And Elise, go home.¡±


    ¡°ze is workingte, so I¡¯m staying here for a while.¡±


    ¡°Tell him not to work so hard and sacrifice his rtionship. Or I¡¯m kicking his ass.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him you said that.¡± She chuckled.


    ¡°Do that. Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you. Enjoy your night.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The elevator door slid close. I checked the time on my phone. It seemed that it ran so fast if you were in a hurry. And I didn¡¯t think I would make it to the restaurant in less than twenty minutes.


    How in the fucking hell did I forget about our date?


    ¡°How fast can we get there?¡± I met the guys in the parking lot.


    ¡°Mrs. C won¡¯t mind you beingte as long as you get there safe,¡± Kye said.


    Sax backed the car up. ¡°We¡¯ll make it. Since when did you appearte?¡±


    ¡°I was on the phone with Jade. It¡¯s my son. He¡¯s too enthusiastic about his first trip.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good father, boss. Who would have thought-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I cursed under my breath when Adley just sent me a text message. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°I am really runningte. Adley just texted me.¡±


    I called her instead. After I apologized and felt terrible for beingte, she still said she loved me. Adley was the kind of woman who made you fall in love over and over again. I always asked myself how I could be so lucky, and I didn¡¯t even deserve someone as beautiful inside and out as Adley Kross.


    My phone rang again.


    Surprisingly, it was Jade.


    ¡°Jade, is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Who the fuck just dialed my number on Jade¡¯s phone, and where was she?


    ¡°Who are you? Why do you have her phone?¡± My heartbeat raced as I double-checked the caller ID. It was Jade¡¯s number, but a man called from her number.


    ¡°You¡¯re thest call she made.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am.¡± I felt my world start spinning. I had this feeling in my gut that something was terribly wrong. My mind went straight to my son. ¡°Who the fuck are you, and where¡¯s Jade?¡±


    As a billionaire, I was aware of the risks. That was why I had Sax and Kye, but my son had no one to keep him safe other than his mother.


    ¡°Are you rted to Jade Scout?¡±


    ¡°Tell me first who the fuck are you before I answer your question.¡±


    He blew a deep breath before speaking, and I felt his words could change the course tonight. ¡°I apologize for not introducing myself. I¡¯m officer Dewi. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s been a terrible ident involving Miss Jade Scout. She¡¯s been rushed to the hospital, but the damage is severe.¡±


    For a split second, my breathing was suspended. Goosebumps erupted all over my skin, and I found myself leaning back. ¡°W-was she with someone in the car?¡±

 Chapter 80

    MYKEL


    I shut my eyes close, waiting for him to reply.


    ¡°No, sir. She¡¯s alone.¡±


    ¡°Which hospital?¡± Cracking my eyes open, I let go of a shuddering breath as I sagged against the backseat. I felt terrible that somehow I was relieved that my son was not with her when it happened.


    I hung up the call after the officer gave me the hospital¡¯s name. ¡°Turn around, arrange the flight to LA.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t take my mind off Jade. I just talked to her over the phone, and now she was rushed to the hospital fighting for her life. I tried to wrap around it and rationalized, hoping this was just a nightmare, but the more I thought about it, the more I was sucked into the reality that Jade might not make it, and my son would be losing his mother.


    How was I going to tell a three-year-old kid?


    How was I going to raise him alone?


    ¡°Jesus Christ.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, boss,¡± Sax said.


    ¡°I was just talking to her. This could not be real.¡± I shook my head, voicing out my denial. ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Is your son safe, boss?¡± Kye asked.


    ¡°I feel terrible for saying this, but thankfully he was not with Jade when it happened.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just pray that Jade will pull through.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I was in deep thoughts the whole flight about how I would take care of my son. How would he take the news? How would I exin to a three-year-old kid raised by the person he just lost if Jade would not make it?


    We went directly to the apartment as soon as wended.


    ¡°Mr. Creed, what are you doing here?¡± Jax¡¯s nanny asked. They still had no idea what had happened to Jade until now.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my son?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s sleeping in his room, sir. Have you heard from Jade? She¡¯s not returning my call. She¡¯s supposed to be back hours ago.¡±


    I stared at her for a while before I dropped the bad news. ¡°She was in a car ident.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God! Is she okay?¡± She really had no idea.


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital to find out. Can you stay with my son tonight? Don¡¯t worry about money. I¡¯ll double it. Just take care of Jax.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I wanna see him before I leave.¡± I went to my son¡¯s bedroom. He was sleeping soundly without knowing what was going on around him.


    My heart broke for Jax that he could possibly lose his mother at an early age. I knew much about the loss-it was permanent, and the impact was extreme and deep.


    I swiped the hair away and kissed him on his forehead. ¡°Daddy is here now. I love you, buddy.¡±


    I forced myself to walk out of his room after I took another look at him.


    ¡°Did Jade give you my number?¡± I met Jax¡¯s nanny in the hallway.


    ¡°Yes, sir. You¡¯re on the emergency list.¡±


    ¡°Good. Call me if my son wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±


    I looked at Sax and Kye. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the hospital.¡±


    I constantly sighed in the car until I realized something. ¡°Fuck. Fuck! Jesus Christ!¡± I instantly dialed Adley¡¯s number. ¡°She¡¯s gonna fucking kill me.¡±


    ¡°You could just text me if you couldn¡¯t stomach to call me and tell me there¡¯s been a change of n, Mykel! I looked stupid and wretched waiting for you for two hours in the restaurant. You really don¡¯t give a crap, do you? I was about to tell you about our baby, but that¡¯s not something you wanna waste your precious time on, is it?¡±


    ¡°Baby, calm down. Let me exin.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to, Mykel. I¡¯m done with you. And I know you¡¯re in LA. And it is clear to me that you couldn¡¯t be in both ces at the same time. Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Baby-Adley!¡± She just hung up on me. Fucking great.


    I watched my phone screen in contempt. I hit redial. I had a terrible night, and I couldn¡¯t also lose this fight.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Baby, just give five seconds, please?¡±


    ¡°You have one second.¡±


    ¡°Jade was in a car ident.¡±


    There was a moment of silence that expanded between us for long, stretched seconds.


    ¡°Mykel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, baby.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God! That¡¯s awful. Is she okay? She¡¯s gonna be okay, right? Wait. Where¡¯s Jax?¡±


    ¡°Jax is at home, sleeping. We¡¯re on our way to the hospital, but the officer who called me said Jade might not make it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no, no. This is not happening. Oh, my God, Mykel. I¡¯m so terribly sorry. I take back everything I said. I should have thought before I opened my mouth. That was awful of me. I should have known better that you would never do such a thing to hurt me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Adley. You didn¡¯t know, and I left you alone. I was just too shocked. My mind went nk, and I just thought of one thing. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You made the right call.¡±


    ¡°Jade called me before the ident. She was telling me how Jax was excited about the trip. That¡¯s how the officer managed to call me first. I was thest person she called, Adley. And I feel terrible that she might get into an ident because she was talking to me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that. You didn¡¯t know she was driving, did you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You know how responsible she was to Jax. She would never put herself in danger talking while driving. Can you give me an update if you get to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Baby?¡±


    ¡°About what I said. I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s uncalled for.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for bailing out on you.¡±


    ¡°We have all the time, Mykel. Does Jax know?¡±


    ¡°I just came from the apartment. The nanny is still with him but was asleep when I left.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m flying to you. Let me just make an arrangement. I¡¯ll call you soon.¡±


    ¡°Baby, no. You don¡¯t have toe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Baby, you¡¯re pregnant, and you know how-¡±


    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t just wait here and do nothing. Jade is also my friend and Jax¡¯s mom. I¡¯m gonna be okay. I¡¯m safe to fly, and I can do it. I promise. I¡¯m taking the jet with me.¡±


    I scratched my brow. ¡°I can¡¯t stop you, can I?¡±


    ¡°I love you, Mykel. But this time, I¡¯m not gonna listen to you. Just go to the hospital. See you in a few hours.¡±

 Chapter 81

    ADLEYContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna do this?¡± Grandpa asked me over the phone one more time.


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake, Grandpa, I¡¯ve done this before? Are you more concerned about me, or is it because I¡¯m taking the jet?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, young woman, and you¡¯re terrified of flying.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I can do this. Now hang up the phone so that I can go.¡±


    ¡°Call me when yound, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± I hung up the call.


    I was already strapped in, and my heart started hammering. I drew deep breaths when the jet started moving the runaway, and it began to shake.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Mrs. C if you need me.¡±


    ¡°I should get used to it without help.¡± I didn¡¯t even look at Romare. I kept my eyes shut all the time. Even if I wanted some wine to calm my nerves, I couldn¡¯t drink alcohol. It sucked, but I needed to let go of this irrational fear once and for all.


    ¡°Oh, God! I¡¯m gonna bebor in no time!¡± I gripped the armrest as hard as possible when the jet started to ascend. Then another terrifying moment when it descended. It felt like the jet was falling, and my heart just jumped in my throat.


    ¡°Breath,¡± Romare said.


    I breathed and opened my eyes. I did it again, and it felt like all the worry had vanished. ¡°Oh, God. I made it.¡±


    Romare smiled. For the first time, he was not in a working mood. He was like a friend. ¡°You made it, Mrs. C.¡±


    ¡°I made it. I made it.¡± I barked tough like crazy. ¡°Oh, my God. I need a drink now.¡±


    ¡°A drink?¡±


    ¡°A detox water or something.¡± I groaned at him.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He then called a flight attendant once the seatbelt sign was off.


    ¡°Mykel would be so proud of me. Any news before we took off?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Or did he tell you not to tell me anything before wend?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that, Mrs. C.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. I just hope Jade will make it through.¡±


    I excused myself and tried to stand alone. My knees were wobbly, but I made it to the bathroom without losing my footing.


    ¡°Romare, are you sure there¡¯s no turbulence ahead?¡± I felt stupid asking him as if he knew if we would be experiencing turbulence.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Mrs. C. I suggest you do it fast.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mean.¡±


    I heard himugh outside the bathroom.


    I got back to the seat and buckled up. I found out that Linden and the team were closed, including Romare. I enjoyed a little chitchat with him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your first impression of me?¡± I looked right through his hazel eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I should answer that.¡±


    ¡°Langston, huh? You¡¯re a rich kid working as a bodyguard. Why?¡±


    He looked surprised I knew who he was.


    ¡°How did I know? Let me guess, you hate the fact that your family is powerful with money and influence in the government, and you want to take a different path. Well, the story of my life, Romare. My question is, where did you invest your millions? And why are you risking your life protecting a brat heiress?¡±


    He chuckled and had not said a word.


    ¡°So, your first impression of me is a spoiled brat and a rebel heiress married to a yboy billionaire. You wondered, what a perfect match of privilege trust funds kids.¡±


    ¡°You, maybe, but Mr. Creed is not a privileged trust fund kid. He¡¯s self-made. You two are still perfect, and I was wrong about you. First, I refused twice with this assignment. But I didn¡¯t have a choice since I was just an employee like everyone else. And yeah, I have money. I invested my money in the firm, Mykel¡¯spany, and with Cenric¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°d I proved you wrong. Tell me, are you dating anyone?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get there, Mrs. C.¡± A small smile curved up the corner of his lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s a yes, then. Who¡¯s the luckydy?¡±


    He just chuckled as he shook his head.


    ¡°Parents are a pain in the butt, right? My grandfather, too, but I love that old man to death. I was supposed to marry a psychopath because of Grandpa. My point is that you don¡¯t have to agree with their opinion all the time. A dinner with your family once in a while, even just on holiday, won¡¯t kill you, Romare. I wasn¡¯t able to do that with my parents. Take that as a win.¡±


    The jetnded on time. As I stepped into the airstair, Mykel was waiting for me with Jax.


    I ran toward them andunched myself into Mykel. ¡°Babe.¡±


    ¡°Baby, you made it.¡± He hugged me so tight as if he badly needed it.


    ¡°I told you I can do it.¡±


    He then cupped my head. ¡°I never doubted you.¡± He kissed my lips as if his next breath depended on it. At that moment, I knew I should prepare myself for the worse.


    When I looked into his eyes, I instantly knew the terrible news before he was even about to break it to me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°I know, baby.¡±


    Then I knelt to the wonderful boy who had just lost his mother. I didn¡¯t even know if he understood the meaning of loss. He was just a kid. How would he deal with it? I was only eight when I lost my parents, and I still carry the wound until now.


    ¡°Hey, honey. Can I get a hug?¡± I lifted him. He instantly wrapped his little arms around my neck, and his legs wrapped around me. I felt somehow he knew something was wrong, and I could see the sorrow in the kid¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m here for you, right, Jax?¡±


    He nodded against my shoulder. ¡°I wanna see mommy.¡±


    ***


    During the wake, Jade¡¯s old officemates and his ex-boss came to pay their respect. Then her officemates in the Firm LA HQ were here. So was her boyfriend. He was devastated. He and Mykel met at the hospital before pronouncing Jade¡¯s death.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, Adrien,¡± I said as I hugged him. He seemed to be a good guy.


    ¡°Thank you. Jade was a good woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only known her for a while, but she was one of the strongest women I¡¯d ever met.¡±


    Madelyn was there to pay her respect as well.


    Mykel gave his heartfelt eulogy to the mother of his son. It was moving and sad at the same time.


    Somehow, Mykel and I managed to exin in our own way to Jax the reason why he wouldn¡¯t be seeing his mother again. I felt terrible that we had to break that news to him. He cried in Mykel¡¯s arms; then that was all; Jax went back to ying as if nothing had happened.


    A funeral was always a tough service for me to attend, but Jade was also a friend. She was a part of Mykel¡¯s life. I decided to be there for my husband and for Jax, too.


    We went back to the apartmentter on. I had not opened the topic to Mykel about Jax, but I knew we needed to take Jax with us.


    ¡°Baby, I know this would be hard for you, especially now that we are about to have our baby, but I hope you will understand the situation.¡± He drew a deep breath. ¡°So, I¡¯ve talked to mywyers since Jax has no rtives from Jade¡¯s side. And I¡¯m not letting anyone take my son away from me. I¡¯m his father, and I¡¯m taking him with us.¡±


    ¡°I was about to say something you just said.¡±


    He sat on the chair and stared at me for a few seconds. ¡°You¡¯re okay with this?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    He squeezed my hands and let go a shaky breath. ¡°Oh, thank God.¡±


    ¡°Why? What were you expecting me to say?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to feel obligated.¡±


    ¡°I would like nothing but love and a good home for Jax.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t still believe Jade is gone.¡± He then looked at his son ying with the jet toy, thest thing his mother bought for him.


    I squeezed his hand. ¡°I know this may sound stupid, but how are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna be fine as long as Jax is okay. That matters most for me and what Jade would want for her son. How about you?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Looking at both of you, my peanut is doing great; I¡¯m all good.¡±


    Two dayster, Mykel settled the necessary documents he needed. He kept the apartment in memory of Jade. We flew back to New York. It was sad that Jax¡¯s first flight experience was without his mother.


    ¡°Do you like this?¡± Mykel asked his son on hisp.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Are you excited to see your new home?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with Adley and me. Is that okay with you?¡±


    Jax looked at me and smiled. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be fine, buddy. That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    ¡°Mommy is an angel now.¡±


    I ignored the pang in my chest as I listened to him just say those words out loud.


    ¡°Yes, buddy. Mommy will always look out for you from heaven. You don¡¯t have to be sad about that. Adley and I will take care of you from now on.¡± Mykel wrapped his arms around his son and kissed his head.


    I held his hand. ¡°How do you feel about having a baby sister?¡±


    Mykel¡¯s eyes flew to me, wide and unblinking.


    I smiled.


    He leaned over to kiss me.


    ¡°Gross.¡±


    Our lips were merely a thread away when we had to pull back andugh. My guess was not the first time Jax had seen someone kissing.


    Mykel was stillughing as he looked up, pretending to be talking to Jade. ¡°Really?¡±


    I shook my head in amusement.


    ¡°You know you¡¯re gonna be a big brother, right?¡±


    ¡°I know. Mommy told me.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± that¡¯s all I could say.


    ¡°How do you feel about that?¡±


    ¡°I wanna y with her.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s a little bit bigger, yes. You should also protect her like you¡¯re Superman if some boys will hit on your little sis, right?¡±


    ¡°I want Adley to be my mommy too, Daddy.¡± His words shocked me in a good way. How could such a little boy know what to say and what he wanted?


    ¡°I¡¯d love that, buddy.¡±


    Jax dozed off. Mykel put him on a seat securely. When he came back, he kissed me hard. His kiss caught me off guard and made me breathless.


    I was still staring at him, speechless.


    ¡°We¡¯re having a baby girl, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°God, I love you so fucking much, Adley Creed.¡±


    ¡°I hyphenate.¡±

 Chapter 82

    MYKEL


    My move was deliberate as I took off thest thing on her body. I tossed her panties over my shoulder. My fingers caressed her cor bone, tracing down to the mound of her breast. I leaned down, taking the peak of her nipple into my mouth, sucking harder.


    Her breathing became heavy. Her chest rose and fell with every deep breath. I paid attention to her tit, sucking, nipping, and pulling it between my teeth.


    ¡°Babe, I want you now.¡±


    ¡°Always impatient.¡± Raking my fingers through her hair, I brought her lips into mine, kissing her passionately and deep as my silent approval. I slipped the tip of my tongue along the seam of her lips. She moaned and granted me entry. Deepening the kiss, I pressed my body into hers, and her hips bucked against mine.


    My hand slipped along the line of her hip, down to her thigh, bringing and pulling her knees up. As if on cue, she wrapped her legs around me.


    I ground my cock into her. She was always bare and already ready for me.


    ¡°Mykel, please?¡± Her voice filled with desire, filling my veins with lust and anticipation.


    ¡°Yes, baby.¡± I sucked her lips as I dragged my tip against her clit. I was trying to be gentle, not getting my weight on her abdomen. She gasped as I glided between her folds. She was slicked, and my cock slipped between her pussy lips easily.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Gripping her thigh to hold still, I slowly thrust into her, inch by inch, until I waspletely inside her to the hilt.


    ¡°Mykel.¡± She moaned my name. I always fucking loved it.


    I groaned into her heat. Her legs snaked around me so hard as she arched her back, meeting my thrust.


    ¡°Babe, harder.¡±


    I paused. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°The doctor told us we can have sex, Mykel. Now harder, please?¡± Her answer was coherent. Even her tone was delirious, and her eyes were half-lidded with lust. She then bit her lip in anticipation. If I were weak, I¡¯d lose ande around her in a moment.


    I thrust into her deep and fast at the same time she screamed my name in pleasure. Cold sweat broke out my skin.


    ¡°Is this what you want, baby? We might need another bed.¡± I pulled out slowly, then mmed back in. ¡°Harder. Fuck you harder?¡± I pulled out again and thrust back in.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I did it over and over again.


    ¡°God, yes!¡± Her walls clenched around me.


    I kissed her deeply and hard as I stopped moving. ¡°I love you, baby. So fucking much.¡±


    ¡°I love you so.¡±


    I thrust deeper and ground into her. Her eyes grew wide as she stared up at me in shock, her lips parting. She was the most beautiful thing I wanted to see for the rest of my life. She was my wife and my world, and I could lose in that sight forever.


    I rocked into her again and again until her head threw back against the pillow. She moaned louder, biting her bottom lip as the pleasure brought her to the edge.


    ¡°You need toe, baby.¡±


    She grabbed my head, leaned up, and kissed me so desperately. Her body reacted instantly. I picked up my pace and fucked her just how she liked it. It didn¡¯t take a long time. She spasmed around my cock, clenching me so hard that I was about to fucking lose it.


    ¡°God, Mykel.¡± She came so hard, milking all around me, her legs fell boneless to my sides.


    Angling just right, I pistoned my hips and fucked her harder and deeper until I reached my orgasm.


    ¡°Damn it, Adley!¡±


    ***


    We just sent Jax to the nursery school after thorough consideration. I still felt uneasy about leaving my kid alone. I would always be overprotective of the people I loved. Even though Jax would be in good hands and make new friends, I couldn¡¯t help but worry about my son leaving in a ce unknown to him.


    I felt Adley¡¯s hand on mine. ¡°He¡¯s gonna be fine. He will make friends and enjoy his first day.¡±


    ¡°My boy just had a lot already. I want what¡¯s best for him. When our girl is born, I will need more convincing not to homeschool her.¡±


    Adley couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Oh, my God. Do you have ns to turn your child into a spinster?¡±


    ¡°She can have a boyfriend when she turns thirty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re keeping that five years more older, huh? She¡¯s gonna tell you that you¡¯re mean. But don¡¯t worry about Jax. He¡¯s gonna be fine.¡±


    ¡°I know, baby. I know.¡±


    We met Mom at the cafeter on.


    ¡°Hi, darling.¡±


    Adley kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Hey, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Honey, how¡¯s my boy?¡±


    We settled on the empty booth.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna be fine and breaks so many girls¡¯ hearts in the future.¡±


    Adley smiled beside me. ¡°Not so long ago, you wanna n to homeschool my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Our daughter, baby.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you¡¯re enthusiastic about Jax breaking many girls¡¯ hearts.¡±


    ¡°It was part joke, baby. You know it runs in my blood.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, but I¡¯ll do my best to teach and give him advice to treat girls right, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°For first-time parents, you two love birds are doing great. I know you will gonna have beautiful kids. How are feeling, darling?¡±


    ¡°I feel good, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Has she moved yet?¡±


    ¡°Kinda.¡± She thought for a while before she spoke again. ¡°I think she did while I was sleeping. I woke up in the middle of the night after that.¡±


    ¡°Really? Why didn¡¯t you tell me, baby?¡±


    ¡°Jealous that I told mom first?¡± She arched a brow, amused with my reaction.


    ¡°Now, who¡¯s mean?¡±


    She beamed at me. ¡°Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure until Mom asked me. I kinda forgot about it. But you read every pregnancy and parenting book published, you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Please, tell me if it happens again.¡± I put my hand on her growing baby bump.


    ¡°I will. I might as well record it. And I know what you¡¯ve been doing for the past months, taking pictures of me when you thought I didn¡¯t notice.¡±


    ¡°Busted.¡± I turned to Mom. ¡°Have you talked to Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I want everyone will be there this weekend.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± Adley asked. Suddenly, she remembered something. Her eyes went wide. ¡°Oh, my God! Your birthday!¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked Mom.¡±


    ¡°Happy birthday.¡± She kissed me on the cheek.


    ¡°Thank you, baby.¡±


    ¡°How old are you now?¡±


    ¡°You still love me, so I don¡¯t care if I will turn ny tomorrow.¡±


    ***


    On the weekend, we traveled to one of the homes Adley inherited. It was an 18th Century style. Instead of throwing a huge party for my birthday, I decided to donate the money to the charity that helped vehicr ident victims instead of to the party organizers.


    What could I ask for more? I was surrounded by the people I care about tonight. That was all I wanted. I was beyond happy. I had a beautiful wife who loved me. I was about to be a father again. My parents were on good terms with one another. I found good friends, my baby brother, and my newly adopted baby sister, Xiomara.


    ¡°Make a wish, big guy.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but look at my beautiful wife. I closed my eyes and made a wish in silent prayer before I blew the candle.


    ¡°Thank you, everyone, foring. My birthday wouldn¡¯t beplete without you. You¡¯re all that I want on my special day. Thank you.¡± I sat back in the chair and looked at them one by one.


    ¡°My only wish for you, babe, is endless happiness. I love you.¡± She kissed me. Then she turned to her side, my son. ¡°How about you, Jax? What¡¯s your wish for Daddy?¡±


    Jax beamed shyly.


    ¡°Come on, kiddo. Make a wish for your dad that he will buy you a new sports car,¡± Knox whispered at Jax, but everyone could hear him, making Jax giggle.


    ¡°Car for uncle,¡± Jax just gushed.


    Everyoneughed, even Dad.


    ¡°You can¡¯t bribe my son, Knox.¡±


    ¡°I did not bribe him.¡± He shrugged, pretending to look innocent. ¡°Right, Jax?¡± Knox had been great with Jax. He took him to the gallery a couple of times. When he came home, he told Adley a story about what they did in his gallery studio.


    ¡°What¡¯s a bribe?¡± Jax asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, kiddo. Ask your Daddy.¡± Knox pressed his lips together.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner. Babe, you have a sports car to buy.¡±


    ¡°You, too, baby?¡± I asked in amusement.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say no to Jax. Besides, it¡¯s your birthday.¡±


    After dinner, we settled in the living room.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Mykel.¡± My wife came with a small blue gift box wrapped in a blue ribbon.


    ¡°I thought no more gifts.¡± I pressed my lips into hers. ¡°Thank you. What¡¯s this?¡± I shook the box, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    I untied the bow and tore off the wrapper.


    ¡°Just open the box, man. The anticipation is killing me.¡±


    ¡°Knox, calm your horses. Wait until your birthday.¡±


    I opened the box. My heart just melted and took my breath away.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of anything to give you that you couldn¡¯t afford. You can literally have anything money can buy. I thought to give you a personalized bracelet.¡± Adley let out augh, and I didn¡¯t know why.


    ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡± I took her gift from the box. ¡°I love this, baby. Thank you. This is my first birthday being married-¡±


    ¡°I hope I¡¯ll be yourst wife, Mykel, or I will knee your balls to a pulp.¡±


    ¡°I have a ball, too, Daddy,¡± Jax just butted in.


    Adley mouthed her apology at me.


    Iughed out loud, and so as everyone. Even Jax joined inughing with us.


    I read what was written on the bracelet. ¡°I promise to give you with all my heart. Adley.¡± It was engraved with my birth date.

 Chapter 83

    ADLEY


    ¡°You know you can always talk to me about everything, right?¡± Mykel was talking to his son in the study. They did that a lot after Mykel read him stories.


    We spent most of our time in the backyard during weekends, and sometimes, we decided to go to the park. Last week, we visited Madelyn in her home, and the grandma was delighted to see her grandson again.


    It was hard at first having a three-year-old boy at home that I did not raise, and I didn¡¯t know what he wanted because he barely opened up. I tried to find out the food he loved, what he liked to y with, or even his favorite tv shows.


    After some time with Jax, he was not choosy. He liked blue and green, monster cookies, and blueberry smoothies. Jade did a great job raising the kid into a beautiful human being.


    Jax liked Knox a lot. His uncle allowed him to y with colors and tempera paints in his studio.


    ¡°I mean, Daddy will buy it for you if you want anything. Adley and I are always here for you, buddy. You can tell us anything, like if you made friends, what you did at school, and if you like some toys you want. Something like that.¡± Mykel turned one of the rooms in the house into Jax¡¯s yroom adjacent to his bedroom.


    I did not hear anything from Jax. He must have just given his father a nod.


    ¡°Okay, buddy. Uncle Knox will be here in a minute.¡±


    I heard hustling-they must be walking to the door. I pushed it open. Mykel and Jax were hand and hand-it was quite a sight that made me smile.


    ¡°Adley!¡± Jax ran into me and wrapped his arms around my leg.


    ¡°Oh, hey.¡± I ruffled his hair. ¡°What did you and Daddy do?¡±


    ¡°We doodle.¡±


    ¡°Baby.¡± Mykel kissed me on my cheek. He ced both hands on my growing belly. ¡°How¡¯s my little girl?¡±


    ¡°Behave today.¡± I looked at my amazing husband. Before I met him, I couldn¡¯t imagine myself being married or pregnant, let alone caring for another woman¡¯s kid. But when fate chose you, you couldn¡¯t turn around and run away from it.


    I changed a lot and was proud of myself. I became more mature, responsible, and driven. I worked hard and ran a multi-billion dor corporation on weekdays. At night, I helped take care of Jax. I also took care of my husband, and I was about to be a mother in less than three months. Who would have thought I could be this woman in a short span.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the backyard. Are you excited to see uncle?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mykel murmured at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not actually jealous with Knox over your son¡¯s attention, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡± He kissed the side of my head.


    ¡°Good. You have to be happy for him. He finds someone he can trust, and they havemon ground. Knox is actually a good uncle, and Jax foundfort in paintings. And it says painting helps develop their sensory and fine motor development. It helps kids learn to choose colors, express their emotions, exercise their creativity, and helps build their self-esteem.¡±


    ¡°I noticed that. I saved his doodles on my iPad, and he¡¯s quite good at it.¡±


    ¡°See? It¡¯s in the DNA. You could probably make millions from paints if you only developed your own.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    We went to the backyard. The weather was good. Mykel put shoes on his son and went to y football. Their richugh filled the entire backyard. I could watch them all day and wouldn¡¯t get tired of it. Mykel and Jax became the center of my world. I learned to love the kid like my own, and I couldn¡¯t wait to wee my baby girl into the family.


    The ballnded at my feet. I picked it up.


    ¡°Throw the ball to me, Mommy Adley.¡± It was Mykel waiting for me to throw the ball at him. Then there on my right was Jax, also eager to have the ball.


    ¡°Me, me, me!¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Sorry, big guy. Catch the ball, Jax!¡± I threw the ball to Jax, and itnded right at him, hugging it securely against his chest.


    ¡°Good catch, Jax!¡± Knox just arrived, apuding his nephew.


    ¡°How¡¯s your meeting?¡± I asked Knox as he sat on the chair next to me.


    ¡°We got the deal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Knox. Congrattions!¡± I pulled him into a hug.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°I always believed in you, and I know I will see your paintings in one of the biggest galleries in the city.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the deal.¡±


    I turned to face him. ¡°You seem not thrilled about it. Why?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m thrilled. It¡¯s a dreame true.¡± I believed him, but something was bothering him, too.


    ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I broke up with Day.¡± His face just fell. He had been dating Shiloh Day, but I had not met that woman.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± I was shocked to hear about it. ¡°I thought you two were doing great.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. It all started when she was hired by a firm in LA.¡±


    ¡°So, she has to move there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She wanted me toe with her, but I have my work here, my family is here, and there¡¯s no way I would do that-¡±


    ¡°Even for love?¡± I eyed him.


    ¡°Even for love.¡± He rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Hey, bro.¡± Mykel walked in, joining us. Bad timing, I was about to get more details, but now, Knox would not tell me about his heartbreak. There was no way he would spill it in front of his brother.


    ¡°Hi.¡± They fist-bumped.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Uncle!¡± Jax went quickly on Knox¡¯sp.


    ¡°Hey, kiddo. You yed well. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you be the next star in the family.¡±


    ¡°Babe, take Jax to change his shirt and shoes, please?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Come on, buddy. You¡¯re sticky and sweaty. We¡¯ll change, then we cane back.¡±


    I watched them walk inside the house. Then I turned back to Knox. ¡°You did not fall in love with Day?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± His answer was defensive, and he denied it.


    ¡°Liar. Why so grumpy if you¡¯re not in love?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Do you still chat or call each other?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Yeah. So?¡±


    ¡°Do you still have her call logs and messages? Do you still follow each other on social media?¡±


    He rolled his eyes again.


    ¡°I get it. You¡¯re heartbroken. If you think she¡¯s the one, you should sacrifice one thing, or you can visit her in LA, and if the feeling is mutual, she can do the same. Don¡¯t let the one get away, Knox.¡±


    ¡°So if you two didn¡¯t elope, just date and fall in love, you¡¯d sacrifice something for Mykel?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Mykel replied behind us. ¡°Correction. We did not elope.¡±


    ¡°Eavesdropping much?¡±


    ¡°Nah, bro. I saw the gloomy face the moment you walked in. If she¡¯s the one, you¡¯ll know it, fates collided and sh- and crap like that.¡±


    I gave Mykel a look until he mouthed an apology.


    ¡°Whatever. I don¡¯t believe in that kind of- crap.¡±


    ¡°I did sacrifice something for Adley. An hour before I met her, I was banging another woman who turned out to be my stalker. Anyway, never in my life I would have thought I would meet the woman who actually-¡±


    ¡°Mykel,¡± I scolded him.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s cut the juicy part.¡±


    Jaxughed on Knox¡¯sp.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and y, kiddo?¡± Knox asked Jax.


    ¡°I wanna stay.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Just ignore what we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You know when you say something like that, kids get more curious, right?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I had no n on getting married in ten years, let alone in a few days, but I like Adley, and it felt stu-¡± I hit him on his thigh. ¡°And it felt right at the same time. So I made a sacrifice-my own freedom. There¡¯s just something about us that defies thew of all the sh-crap. Adley knew that. She just didn¡¯t wanna admit it. I knew the first time I met her that she liked me.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I pretended to be offended.


    ¡°You know if I kissed you that night, you would kiss me back. I bet the new car in the garage?¡±


    ¡°You bought a new car?¡± Knox asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yeah. I can buy another jet, Knox.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°This is not about you, Mykel.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, my wife. My brother can¡¯t ept the fact that he¡¯s in love. And I hate it when people lie into my face.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not going anywhere. If she loves me, then she should stay and work here.¡±


    ¡°I saw someone in you, Knox.¡±


    I hit Mykel again. ¡°Really, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. You kept on denying that you didn¡¯t have feelings for me, and everything you did was just for the sake of your stupid-I¡¯m saying this and letting it out in my system-that what you were doing was just for your stupid conditions.¡±


    ¡°Do you two need marriage counseling?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± we said in unison.


    ¡°Good, because thest time I checked, we were talking about my love life.¡±


    Mykel and I barked outughing with a high-five.


    Knox stared at us, pissed off. ¡°I came to the wrong people asking for advice.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Mykel pretended to be surprised. ¡°You were asking for advice?¡± He then looked at me. ¡°My love, Knox is asking for our advice. What a surprise.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh with Mykel. ¡°Stop it, or I will tell Knox how you screwed up our rtionship.¡±


    ¡°So, there was a rtionship, huh, Denial Queen?¡±


    ¡°Of course. There was a rtionship, butthead. We are married.¡±


    Jaxughed out loud.


    ¡°Sorry, honey. Adley said bad words.¡± I ruffled Jax¡¯s hair.


    ¡°I know you fell in love with me right away.¡±


    ¡°Dream on, big guy.¡± I snorted and returned to Knox. ¡°My advice, give it a week. If she loves you, she wille back to you. Shiloh Day is not as stubborn as me, and you don¡¯t have an ego like your brother¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, baby?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut it, babe. I¡¯m just telling the truth. Anyway.¡± I picked up something from my shorts pocket. ¡°Here. Advance Happy Birthday, Knox.¡± I grabbed his hand and dropped my gift in his palm.


    ¡°Thank you?¡± It was more like a query than a statement. He picked up the key. ¡°Is this for real?¡±


    ¡°The new car we talked about? That¡¯s yours. Advance happy birthday, bro.¡± Mykel hugged his brother.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He couldn¡¯t contain his smile. ¡°Anyway, I have something for the two of you. I know it¡¯s not much, but Jax and I did it together.¡±


    Mykel was already on his feet. ¡°Show us.¡±


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    We followed him inside the house. Jax was ahead of us, running to the living room.


    Knox picked the well-wrapped. My guess by that shape alone could be one of his paintings. ¡°Hope you like it.¡±


    Mykel picked it up and tore off the wrapper. For the first time, Mykel really appreciated the framed painting, and so did I.


    It was a mix of throw paint art and Jax¡¯s fingerprints.


    ¡°This is beautiful. I love it, Knox. Thank you.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°d you like it.¡±


    ¡°Jax should spend a lot of time with you. Adley was right. My kid has a hidden talent. This is worth more than your new car. Priceless piece.¡±


    Knox couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°There¡¯s someone who came and actually wanted to buy that. I put that on disy yesterday before I wrapped it.¡±


    ¡°You actually nned on selling this?¡±


    ¡°I never have a n on selling that. I value that more than money, Mykel. That¡¯s intended for the two of you. Jax and I are teams, right, kiddo?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a team.¡±

 Chapter 84

    MYKEL


    Ten months ago, I would haveughed my fucking ass off if someone came to me and guessed my future of being married, let alone having two kids at this moment. I would have said, you¡¯re fucking insane, man. But life happened, fates collided, stars aligned, and all those shits.


    ¡°Babe, please hurry up!¡± Adley was literally screaming as I tried to scramble, picking things into my hands. ¡°Babe, rx. We practiced this a thousand times!¡±


    I dropped things down and closed my eyes for a moment so I could focus. ¡°Those are shits, Adley! When it¡¯s the time, I can¡¯t focus when you¡¯re in so much pain.¡± Just by looking at her, it hurt like fucking shit. She had contractions, sweating, and her face contorted in pain.


    She did a breathing exercise just like we practiced so I would not panic. She was the one who was so calm when she was about to pop our baby out. She was rxed despite the pain all over her tummy.


    ¡°Calm down. Give me my phone.¡± She gestured.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s not the time to call the cavalry, baby.¡±


    ¡°Just do what I said, Mykel!¡± She yelled out. I knew it was the time of her contraction, which happened every five minutes.


    ¡°Okay, baby. Calm down.¡±


    ¡°You, calm down!¡± She pointed her finger at me while her other hand was on her hip.


    I gave her the phone, and she dialed someone. ¡°Get over here in the room-the two of you. Now!¡± she just barked an order. Then she ended the phone and threw it on the bed.


    ¡°Did you just call Sax and Kye?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because you will pass out at any moment, and I better be not delivering this baby alone in bed, you jerk!¡± She pouted. Her face flushed.


    ¡°Mrs. C?¡± It was Kye.


    ¡°Come in, boys?¡±


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°No. Nothing is okay. This big guy here is panicking! We practiced everything, and now he¡¯s beyond scared than me. Please, take these things and put them in the car. I¡¯m inbor, guys.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The guys asked in unison.


    ¡°Oh, no! Not you too! Hurry up. Ugh!¡± She formed her hands into fists toward the guys.


    Sax and Kye grabbed the bags. We prepared everything as soon as Adley hit thirty-seven weeks.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you in the car.¡± I rushed to her side and was about to carry her.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m walking.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    She red at me. ¡°Yes, Mykel.¡±


    I nodded, even if I was terrified and nervous at the same time. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She rose to her feet.


    Weeks ago, she started to have swelling. Her doctor said nothing to worry about since her blood pressure was within normal range. She just asked me to watch out if her wedding ring got smaller around her finger.


    I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and helped her walk. When she had another contraction, I gave up. I couldn¡¯t wait another minute before her water broke. I carried her no matter how she tried to resist.


    ¡°I will take you to the hospital, baby. Watching you in so much pain is hard, and I can¡¯t help you take it away. That¡¯s why I panicked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Tell that to yourself.¡± I ced her in the car and buckled her up. Once we were ready, Sax drove us to the hospital.


    Adley constantly did deep breathing when the pain intensified. ¡°I think I¡¯m not gonna have another baby. It hurts a lot!¡± She gripped my fingers tightly every time the pain intensified.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say something like that. You¡¯re gonna be okay.¡±


    ¡°Not so long ago, you were panicking, butthead!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just you were screaming, and I lost focused-¡±


    ¡°Just stopped talking already!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, Mrs. C.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up, Sax. I should have followed my doctor to admit myself to the hospital yesterday.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it next time, baby.¡±


    ¡°No more next time. I told you!¡±


    ¡°Okay, just calm down. We can talk about thister.¡± I was rubbing her arm, kissing the side of her head to soothe her, even though it was not helping.


    ¡°I hate you, right- ugh!¡±


    I put her in a wheelchair as soon as we arrived at the ER.


    ¡°We¡¯ll prepare her and inform you once she¡¯s ready.¡± The doctors rushed in our direction and took care of Adley.


    There was a moment when you realized that you were not ready to let go, but you had to. I felt like I should have done something, like tell my wife how much I loved her before I let her hand go, but there was no time to wait. I knew that this was out of my control anymore.


    It terrified me watching the love of your life in that position that even myfort was not much of a help. But I knew once it was over, it would be pretty rewarding.


    I deeply sighed as I watched her fade out of my sight to the delivery room. As much as I¡¯d like to hold her, I knew she was in good hands.


    ¡°Can you two stay with me for a while?¡± I talked to Sax and Kye.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going anywhere, boss,¡± Kye said as he sat beside me.


    ¡°Mr. Creed, can we have her things, please?¡±


    Sax gave the bags to the nurse. ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. We¡¯re preparing her.¡± She then turned to me. ¡°Would you like to be with your wife?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he will,¡± Kye answered, patting my shoulder.


    The nurse smiled. ¡°Very well. I¡¯lle back for you once it¡¯s all set up.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Once the nurse left, Sax turned to me. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Terrified. I might have lost my mind. I¡¯m d Jax is with Mom and Knox. Thanks for being here with me.¡±


    ¡°Mykel, we came as soon as we found out!¡± ze and Elise came rushing to us.


    ¡°How did you find out?¡± I asked them, confused.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± He looked at us. ¡°Adley created an SOS group.¡±


    ¡°And she just activated it twenty minutes ago,¡± Elise added. ¡°Everyone knows by now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about. Who¡¯s everyone?¡±


    ¡°How is she?¡± I turned to my back. It was Dad.


    I shook my head in amusement.


    ¡°Do you really think I will miss this most significant moment of our lives? Why do you think I asked for great-grandchildren.¡± Lex arrived as well. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re preparing her, sir,¡± Sax replied.


    ¡°Fine. Whatever.¡± All I could do was rubbed my temple as they upied the waiting area.


    A few minutes had passed, and Jax just called out my name. ¡°Daddy!¡±


    ¡°Really, Mom?¡± I looked at Mom with Knox joining us.


    ¡°My sister!¡± Jax just jumped onto myp.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be a dad of two, bro.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for reminding me, Knox.¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Congrats, honey.¡± Mom came to me and kissed me on the cheek.


    ¡°Thanks, Mom. d you¡¯re here. I was like crazy, panicking, when Adley told me it was time. I stared at her for like a whole damn-dang minute.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Creed,e with us, please?¡±


    ¡°Take care of my granddaughter and my great-granddaughter, son.¡±


    ¡°Jeez, Lex. I might pass out before my wife gives birth.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± they said in unison.


    The nurse chuckled.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Forgive my annoying family. It¡¯s our first girl in the n. Well, except my wife.¡±


    We entered a room and allowed me to put a gown, a cap, and a mask on. Then we went to another door to where thebor happened.


    I froze in my ce as I watched all three doctors in gowns, and the room suddenly turned small and narrow.


    ¡°d you could join us, Mykel.¡± It was Adley¡¯s OB, Doctor Chesca.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I swallowed hard.


    ¡°Breathe. It¡¯s gonna be okay.¡± I was not aware my wife was looking up at me. ¡°You¡¯re pale, babe. You can do this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s inbor, baby.¡±


    Adley was lying t on the bed. Her body was covered with sheets.


    We agreed on an epidural during herbor. Just watching her screaming and grimacing in pain crushed my heart into pieces.


    I took a seat on her side and grabbed her hand. She squeezed mine, reassuring me that everything was going to be okay when it should be me convincing her.


    I pressed my lips into her knuckles. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest woman I¡¯ve ever met. You know that, right?¡±


    Adley nodded. ¡°We¡¯re gonna meet our baby girl.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve waited long enough, baby.¡±


    Adley and I decided to capture each moment when our baby was born. The nurse started snapping pictures of us. I knew the camera was in the bag.


    Adley and I shared a look of surprise. I could see the excitement and pure love in her eyes. I was sure she could see the reflection through mine as we heard our baby¡¯s first cry.


    My heart melted. My chest expanded. I felt tears forming in my eyes as we stared at each other. I leaned over and kissed her lips. ¡°I love you, baby. Thank you for giving a wonderful gift.¡±


    ¡°Meet the new member of the family, baby Creed.¡± Her doctor ced our baby girl wrapped in a nket on Adley¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Hey, Amelie Everette Aurelia Kross-Creed. Wee to the world, our baby girl.¡± I held her through the nket. Tears finally fell from my eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes away from the most precious girl on the. She was so tiny and pink and still covered with vernix. But one thing for sure, she got her mommy¡¯s copper brown hair.


    Adley lifted her hands and held our baby. She was also crying with joy.


    ¡°Hey, Amelie.¡±


    ¡°Your mom¡¯s name suits her perfectly.¡±


    ***


    Adley finally transferred to the room so everyone could see her and our baby.


    ¡°You all came, huh. Thank you, guys,¡± my wife said as she looked at everyone in the room, including Sax, Kye, and Romare.


    I sat beside Adley in bed. ¡°Can¡¯t make them go home.¡±


    ¡°I camete. I had to wait until Mara woke up.¡± Lyra was carrying her baby. Xiomara was growing fast, and her chubby cheeks were the cutest.


    ¡°Can we see baby Kross now?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Kross-Creed, Lex.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Kross-Creed-Hartford,¡± my father butted in.


    ¡°Really, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Fine, whatever,¡± Dad dismissed. ¡°I¡¯m d Adley and the baby are well and healthy.¡±


    ¡°Please,e over.¡± As soon as Adley allowed them, they rushed as if there were fifty percent off.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa. Easy.¡±


    Knox looked amused. ¡°You¡¯re definitely a father to a girl. Overprotective as fu-¡±


    ¡°Can I see, baby girl, Daddy?¡±


    I kissed Jax on his head. ¡°You will, buddy. Just wait until they¡¯re done, okay?¡±


    They oohed and awwed. Some said my baby girl looked like me, but Lex said she looked like Adley. Of course, he was also protective of his genes.


    ¡°Meet Amelie Everette Aurelia.¡±


    They had this aw reaction again.


    ¡°Beautiful name, darling. I¡¯m proud to have my name on your first baby. Thank you.¡± Mom kissed her forehead.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mom.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s beautiful, honey.¡± Finally, Lex agreed on something.


    ¡°Can I hold her?¡± Mom asked politely at Adley.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She held out our baby to Mom.


    Mom carefully held baby Amelie in her arms. ¡°Hey, baby Amelie.¡±


    Lex and my father couldn¡¯t help themselves. They had to see our baby again.


    ¡°Buddy, you can go and see your baby sister.¡± I didn¡¯t finish my words. Jax was already beside Mom.


    I turned to my wife. She had a smile on her face. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    She lifted her gaze at me, smiling. ¡°Like I just gave birth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking it back.¡±


    ¡°What are you taking back?¡± I was confused.


    ¡°I wanna have more babies.¡±


    I felt my lips just curve into a smile. ¡°I love you, Adley Kross-Creed.¡±

 Chapter 85

    ADLEY


    The private ind Mykel and I bought was beautiful.


    As we promised my grandfather, we got married as soon as I lost my baby weight-it was spectacr, just as the old man wanted it, with five hundred guests at my beach house. Then we had our honeymoon in Monaco, then on this same ind where we would spend a week.


    This was our second time visiting this property after our wedding. I promised Mykel to spend more time with the kids and him. I prioritized my family over my work, and he did the same.


    I lost track of time when I was in a beautiful ce like this with a white sand beach and a clear blue sky above the breathtaking ocean. I watched Jax y his castle set with the sand when my husband called me. It was our daughter¡¯s feeding time.


    Amelie was too tiny in his arms as he carried her securely. Despite our kids having nannies, Mykel was a hands-on dad. Who would have thought he would be this remarkable man?


    ¡°Time flies by so fast when you¡¯re enjoying watching someone you love lost in his own little world.¡± I wiped my breast clean in my swimsuit.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± He carefully ced wide-awake Amelie into my arms before he kissed me on my lips.


    ¡°Hey, Ame.¡± I kissed my kid on her chubby cheek. She grew up so fast. Her gray eyes were so big as she stared at me, recognizing her mommy. ¡°Did your daddy watch you while you slept?¡±


    As soon as she felt my breast, she quickly sucked and fed herself-her little fingers gripping my bra tops.


    ¡°Take it easy, sweetheart.¡± Mykel caressed his daughter¡¯s head.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She¡¯s hungry.¡± I looked at my husband, and I couldn¡¯t help but admire the look on his face. We had been married for almost two years, but he never ceased to amaze me. The way he looked at Amelie, all I could see was his love for our daughter.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± He looked amused.


    ¡°I¡¯m just admiring you.¡±


    ¡°Me too, baby.¡±


    I looked over my shoulder. Jax suddenly squeaked.


    ¡°What is it, buddy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Krabs, Daddy!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt Mr. Krabs. Okay, Jax?¡±


    ¡°I know, Mama.¡± It felt good that Jax loved his baby sister and me. He started calling me mama when Amelie was born.


    When I turned to Mykel, his gaze was on my breast.


    ¡°Are you turned off?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Why did you say that?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t exactly talk about breastfeeding Ame.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± His dark brow arched.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. My breasts sometimes leaked, and I smelled milk. My shape has changed. I have stretch marks.¡±


    He raised his hand. ¡°Okay, stop right there, Adley.¡±


    I arched a brow.


    ¡°Did Iin? No. Will Iin? Never, baby. What you¡¯re doing is for our child¡¯s benefit, which we love very much. You made the right decision, and I would not force you to breastfeed even if you chose form. You don¡¯t care about how it affects your shape. That¡¯s why I admire you. I still love every inch of you, and that includes your stretchmarks. It¡¯s not a w, my love. It¡¯s a constant reminder that I should and will always care, love, and respect you for carrying our little pea.¡±


    ¡°Peanut.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Whatever. You actually look the same in my eyes, even more beautiful. And you¡¯re a great mom.¡±


    ¡°Do you ever get jealous?¡±


    His brows knitted as he looked at Amelie and back to me. ¡°No. Never.¡±


    ¡°But you did note this morning.¡± I watched how his eyes widened a little.


    ¡°I did-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, babe. I was done, and you¡¯re about to when Ame suddenly cried.¡±


    He tried hiding his reaction from me, but he burst intoughter. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It happened. Our lives don¡¯t revolve around us anymore. We have kids now, and we can always make up. We have all the time in the world to enjoy our lives and love our family, baby.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault.¡± It had been six months since Amelie was born. I was a working mom, running Kross Corp. Sometimes, I felt guilty if I spent less time with Mykel. Time seemed not enough, but I never heard himin even once.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should-you know, as soon as she sleeps,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Or you can lower the volume a little?¡± He arched a brow.


    I felt my cheeks burning. ¡°Or that.¡±


    ¡°Baby, honestly, it¡¯s okay. We¡¯re still adjusting. And she was fussyst night. I finished it in the bathroom, anyway.¡±


    I shook as I tried not tough out when Amelie was about to doze off. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°You can say the word, baby. It¡¯s not dirty when you think it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Sleep together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wholesome.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a mother now, Mykel. I tend to be a good example. You should do that sometimes.¡±


    ¡°At least there¡¯s one of us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good dad without even trying.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I still wouldn¡¯t change a thing. This family is my life. I love our kids. I love taking care of them and taking care of you. And you are my everything. So, little interruption can¡¯t change our sex life. I still want you like the first time I saw you.¡±


    My heart melted. ¡°I love you, babe.¡±


    ¡°I love you more, Adley.¡± Mykel took Amelie from me to burp.


    I cleaned my breast and fixed my top. I wasn¡¯t ashamed to know my stretchmarks to him, even the size of my breasts. He¡¯d seen me naked a million times. I epted my ws, and even though my body wasn¡¯t the same, I had no n to go under the knife, even if I could afford it.


    ¡°Why did you marry me?¡±


    Amelie suddenly burped, interrupting us.


    ¡°Good girl, darling.¡± Mykel tapped Amelie¡¯s back. ¡°She¡¯s about to fall asleep.¡±


    When her nanny came in, Mykel gave Amelie to her. ¡°Call me when she wakes up, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    He nced over my shoulder. ¡°Buddy, go clean up. It¡¯s almost dinner time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Daddy.¡± Jax left his toys and ran in our direction. He came to kiss me on my cheek and to his father to give me a quick hug. ¡°Bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Jax.¡±


    I wanted to roll my eyes. He always did that, wanting to be a super dad. ¡°You can¡¯t keep doing that.¡±


    He sat back, and Iy down on the beach chair. ¡°I just wanna take care and watch my kids grow.¡±


    ¡°There are in good hands. It¡¯s normal for kids to fall and get hurt or Amelie to get colic.¡±


    ¡°I never knew I could learn to love other people than myself.¡± He touched the white stripes on my lower abdomen. ¡°Until I met you, and I have our kids.¡±


    ¡°So why did you marry me, Mykel?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t let this one go, will you?¡±


    ¡°Because you never tell me the truth, other than you like me. Not everyone gets married because they like each other. Why?¡±


    He looked me in the eye. There was always warmth and devotion every time our gazes met. ¡°I like you.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°I wanna fuck you.¡± It was supposed to offend me, but I smiled. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s the rational reason. Since you hated my guts-¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hate you.¡±


    ¡°You hated my manner. The first time I saw you, I told you that¡¯s what came to my mind. I wanted to fuck you, tie you to my bed forever.¡±


    I kept listening.


    ¡°I also wanted to keep you forever. When I met you for the second time, something different about you went beyond the physical, and something triggered inside me that I couldn¡¯t quite exin. Then maybe because I already kissed you when you were just an infant, our fates interlinked then.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Or maybe that¡¯s the feeling of meeting your soulmate for the first time. It mystified you in a way that seemed impossible.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were hot.¡±


    He barked outughing, throwing his head back. His eyes twinkled as he looked at me. ¡°I knew it.¡±


    God, I love this man so much that words can¡¯t express and always will.


    ¡°Despite hating your ill-mannered behavior, I liked you, and it irritated me why of all the people, I liked someone rude, and all he could think about was his-¡±


    ¡°Cock.¡± He held my hand. ¡°I knew it the first time, baby.¡±


    ¡°See? Cocky much.¡±


    ¡°When you came to me. I felt like I had just won the lottery. Regrets?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s one.¡±


    His smile suddenly faded. Those sparks were gone. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°That I didn¡¯t sleep with you on our wedding night.¡±


    He grinned wickedly. ¡°I knew it.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Did you intend to kiss me under the rain?¡± He came and sat beside me as he rested my legs on hisp.


    I shook my head in denial even though I didn¡¯t have to. Mykel saw it in my eyes. He ran the back of his finger on the swell of my breast.


    ¡°Now, who¡¯s lying?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± I traced his stubble to the bottom of his lip with my finger.


    ¡°It does. We don¡¯t lie and keep secrets, remember?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to kiss you, but my stupid conditions came between us,¡± I finally admitted. ¡°I have bruised and fragile ego myself.¡±


    He met my gaze. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t change a second of what happened in our lives. Since I decided to marry you, I knew I would keep you even though our little one-year agreement is over. I fell in love with you so quickly. For a man who feared nothing but a rtionship, that should be terrifying, but I was not. All I wanted was for you to see the real me. I wasn¡¯t faking anything since I met you, Adley.¡±


    ¡°I know, Mykel. I see you. And that makes me fall in love with you all over again.¡±

 Chapter 86 Epilogue

    MYKEL


    Four yearster


    ¡°Mykel, are you still here?¡± My wife stopped in her track when she saw me sitting on my desk with a ss of whiskey in my hand.


    ¡°Hey, baby.¡±


    She stepped closer at a sultry pace as she took off her coat. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Wearing that?¡± I emptied the ss and put down the desk.


    My skin started burning in anticipation of what could possibly happen tonight. I never fucked someone or even Adley in this office, but tonight, I would break that rule. I pressed a button on the screen-our privacy was secured.


    ¡°It depends.¡± She stopped right in front of me, looking at the huge framed cover copy of herself for the business magazine as the most influential woman of the year.


    I spread my thighs apart, slid my hands on her hips, and pulled her closer to me. ¡°What are you up to aplish tonight, baby?¡±


    She bit her bottom lip before she spoke, ¡°The kids are with their grandma, so I thought we could have fun.¡±


    ¡°And this is your way of fun, huh?¡± I stared down at the ck lingerie that barely covered what was mine. Then I ran my palm on her t stomach. Adley took her workout seriously until she got back in shape, or even if she were a size of an elephant, my love for her wouldn¡¯t change.


    ¡°It depends on what kind of fun you want.¡±


    ¡°This is what I want.¡± I squeezed her tit against her thin material and captured it with my mouth.


    She gasped in shock, letting go of broken, shuddered breaths.


    I unsped her bra, and she let the straps fall off her shoulders and dropped to the floor. Then I slipped my fingers into the tiny strings of her panties, pulling them down her thighs.


    I kept my gaze locked with hers as I dragged my fingers up between her thighs. ¡°Spread your thighs wide. I need to know how eager you are toe here tonight.¡±


    She did as I said, stepping out of her panties and spreading her legs apart. Then I stroked her pussy lips a few times before I slipped my finger into her. She bit her lip to hold back her moan, but she failed to do so.


    ¡°We talked about keeping your voice low, baby.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡±


    ¡°Try harder. But on the other thought, scream. I don¡¯t care if someone can hear us from the other building. I want you toe so hard tonight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the n since it¡¯s just the two of us in this building.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wet for me, baby. I¡¯m impressed.¡± I thrust my finger inside, slowly in and out, until she closed her eyes. ¡°Open your eyes, Adley. You know how much I loved watching you as I gave you pleasure.¡±


    She cracked her eyes open.


    ¡°Good girl. Now, what do you want why you came here, wife?¡±


    She swallowed. ¡°You know what I want, babe,¡± she said shyly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t, baby. We already talked about this. And for fuck¡¯s sake, we¡¯ve been married for years. You know what I want.¡±


    ¡°I want you to-¡±


    ¡°Hmm? We don¡¯t have all night.¡± I stopped my finger inside her to make sure she was teased enough. She was already grinding into my finger, but I could tease her and not make here.


    ¡°Babe, please?¡±


    ¡°You know I never denied you. Tell me, and you got it.¡±


    ¡°Fuck me.¡±


    ¡°Say as you mean it,¡± I smirked. She never said that word when not in bed.


    ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake, Mykel. Fuck me!¡±


    ¡°Then I will fuck you hard that you can feel it for a week. Undress me.¡± I was quick to pull off my tie and unbutton my shirt. I recklessly threw them on the floor while my wife unfastened my belt with shaky fingers. Then I lifted my ass so she could pull down my pants and boxers. My cock sprung free, pointing at where it wanted to be. I kicked my shoes off next.


    I was naked in just a few seconds, and my cock was as hard as steel. To my surprise, my wife pushed me against the desk. My cock was in her mouth in a split second, taking me all in. Her lips reached the root.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned louder. She grabbed the base of my cock as she bobbed her head up and down while sucking me with her mouth. I always loved it when she did this to me.


    ¡°Baby,¡± I gripped her hair for her to stop. ¡°I won¡¯tst long.¡±


    I could still see the glisten of her saliva around my cock as she released it with a pop.


    I helped her to her feet, grabbed the back of her head, and kissed her hard and wet. I made sure to taste myself in her mouth. It sounded wild, but she gave me everything the world could offer.


    Our mouths collided. Our tongues tangled together, then I grabbed her ass so she could wrap her legs around me. Then I swiped off everything on the desk before Iid her down.


    Our lips remained connected before I aligned my cock into her slicked pussy. In one hard push, I was all in.


    ¡°Mykel!¡±


    ¡°Yes. You wanted to be fucked, and that¡¯s what you got.¡± I pulled out and thrust it in with a groan. She felt amazing and always was for thest four years of our marriage. We fucked, we made love, we humped, we ate each other, enjoyed everything, and life was so great.


    I thrust into her harder and stilled, and she rocked her hips forward as she moaned. Over and over, I pulled out and plunged back into her heat.


    ¡°Oh, God, Mykel!¡± She pushed back, taking everything I gave her and begging for more. ¡°Faster! Deeper!¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Take me all, baby,¡± I said through gritted teeth. The sound of our sex echoed in my office. I couldn¡¯t see this desk again without thinking of Adley¡¯s naked body. That would be a good thing as I would always be excited to get home to my wife.


    ¡°Mykel, don¡¯t stop!¡± Her words were my undoing. ¡°I¡¯ming!¡±


    ¡°You have me at the first sway of your ass, baby.¡± I thrust faster and deeper, giving all my strength. ¡°Touch your clit, wife.¡± I gripped her hips as I plunged in deeper to the hilt. She did as I ordered her to-she was always a good wife in bed.


    ¡°Mykel!¡± She cried out my name as her body shook, squeezing her pussy around me as she sumbed to orgasm. I thrust one more time and held my cock in deep as the pulse of pleasure spread through me. I stilled for a moment for the rapture as I came inside her to thest drop.


    I fell on top of her, breathing heavily. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I want to change, I should have fucked you here a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so dirty.¡± She pped my ass.


    ¡°For a woman who came bearing a gift for a quick fuck.¡± I hissed as I felt her palm against my ass again. It stung, but it turned me on.


    ¡°You¡¯re so lewd.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you love this dirty mouth all over you. If you kept on pping my ass, you might get toe again.¡±


    ¡°Tempting, but we have to take the kids from Mom.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. Don¡¯t move.¡± I pulled my cock out from her as I got to my feet. I noticed her gaze drop to my still hard dick.


    I searched for my phone on the floor and found it in the corner. I texted my mother. Secondster, she replied with enjoy.


    I grinned like a kid who just got his first bike. ¡°Looks like we have all night to ourselves after all.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say the universe is in our favor tonight.¡± I held her hand and pulled her to the floor with me.


    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here.¡± Her eyes danced with amusement.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I swiped her hair away from her face, so I could kiss and make love with her all night as I nned. ¡°I owned the building. The office is locked from the inside. We are safe here to make baby number two.¡±


    I rolled over so that she could be beneath me. I kissed her lips slowly as I was taking my time.


    ¡°I loved you before we made love.¡±


    ¡°I know, baby. I know. I¡¯m yours before you even got to taste me.¡±


    ¡°I love you more than I¡¯ve ever shown you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Adley Creed.¡±


    ***


    The End


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