LOGINZayden’s POV"Zayden," Nico said gently.I didn't respond."Zayden, what is it?" He asked me. "You look like you've seen a ghost."I looked up from the file in my hand. "Lock the villa down.""What?" Tomás said."I said lock the fucking villa down. No one leaves. No one comes in." I ordered."Okay, okay." Tomás raised his hand. "But can you at least tell us what's going on?"I threw the file to him."Giovanni Russo. Does he look familiar?"Tomás and Nico looked at the image at the same time.Tomás shook his head. But Nico hesitated for a bit, then looked up at me."This is Marco. The new security who went through Enzo." Nico said."Exactly." I breathed. "How did one of Hiram's men waltz his way into my home and no one even checked twice to see where he came from?"Neither of them could answer me."And now he's parading the environment. Talking to my wife. Who knows what else he's done?"They remained silent.I looked at Tomás again."I said lock down the villa. Why the hell are you st
Zayden’s POVI waited for my wife.The night stretched on, long and empty. I sat in my study, staring at the door, listening for footsteps that never came.She didn't show up.I told myself I didn't care. That it was better this way. I told myself I had made my point — she needed to learn that she couldn't come to me only when it suited her.But the truth was simpler. I was disappointed.I stood and walked to the window. The garden was dark below, the fountain still and silent. I could see her bedroom window from here. It was dark. She was alone, probably crying, probably hating me.I had sent her away. I had humiliated her. And deep down I knew she meant it when she said she wanted me.I ran a hand through my hair. I stood up, restless. I needed to see her even if it was just to remind myself why I was doing all of this.I left the study and made my way through the house and stopped in front of her door.I knocked once. No answer.I knocked again—still nothing.I opened the door slo
Bella’s POVI closed the bedroom door behind me and stepped into the hallway.For the first time since marrying Zayden, I knew exactly where I was going.Every step toward his study felt impossibly heavy, yet somehow lighter than carrying the weight of everything I’d left unsaid.I was done pretending.Done lying to myself.Done convincing myself that every look, every touch, every gentle moment between us meant nothing.I was going to tell him the truth.I barely made it halfway down the corridor before a calm voice stopped me.“Isabella.”I turned.Emerald Romano stood at the end of the hall, elegant as ever in a cream silk dress. Not a strand of her silver-blonde hair was out of place. She regarded me with the same unreadable expression she always wore.“Going somewhere?” she asked.I swallowed. I didn’t want to tell her I was going to see her son. “I was… just taking a walk.”She tilted her head like she could tell I was lying. “Perfect.” She said, “I was about to do the same. Wal
Zayden’s POVMy office was quiet now. I had told Noemi she could help me with Hiram, but apparently that wasn’t enough for her to leave.I had my face buried in between some documents. But I could feel her eyes boring into me. And I knew there was something she was itching to say. “You can say what you want, you know?” I said, without looking up at her.She exhaled as if finally letting something off her chest. “What’s your relationship with Bella like?”The question caught me off guard. I paused before finally answering. “It’s…cordial.”She raised a brow. “That’s one way to put it.”“Well, what would you have me say, Noemi?”“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I just didn’t expect you to be just cordial with your wife.”I leaned back in my chair. “Bella and I weren’t exactly a love match.”“But that doesn’t mean you’re not in love with her now,” Noemi said. That made me pause. “Noemi please.”"I'm serious." She leaned forward. "I saw the way you looked at her at dinner. And I saw the pa
Zayden’s POV I closed the door and stood there. The silence pressed in around me, heavy and suffocating. I could still hear her footsteps fading down the hallway — slow, unsteady, broken. Each one felt like a defeat. I leaned my forehead against the wood and closed my eyes. I could still taste her on my tongue. Sweet. Salt. Something darker underneath. She had been so wet, so ready, so desperate. The way she had pushed back against my face, the way she had sobbed my name— It was everything I had wanted. Everything I had been waiting for. And yet, I had sent her away. I pushed off the door and walked to the window, my body still aching, my dick still hard and straining against my sweatpants. The city sprawled below me, dark and indifferent. It never slept and right now — neither could I. Because all I could think about was her. She had looked at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. Her voice had cracked on her pleading words. Her body had trembled beneath my ha
Bella’s POVZayden stared at me for a second, then grabbed my wrist and dragged me inside, slamming the door shut behind us.“What do you mean by that?” he asked, backing me against the wall, his body caging me in.I opened my mouth to speak. My heart was pounding so loud I could barely hear myself think."I—" I swallowed. "I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about—" I stopped. Shook my head. "Never mind. This was a mistake."I tried to move past him but he didn't let me."Bella." His voice was low and patient. But I could hear the edge underneath. "It's 3 a.m. You banged on my door like the house was on fire. Now you're standing here in nothing but silk, shaking like a leaf, telling me you couldn't sleep." He tilted his head. "What exactly do you want?"I looked away. "I don't know.""Try again.""I—" My voice cracked. "I don't know how to say it.""Yes, you do." He stepped closer, his chest almost brushing mine. "You know exactly what you want. You just don't want to admit it."My thr
Zayden’s POV I should have been working. There were reports on my desk. Calls I needed to make. Men waiting for instructions. Instead, I was sitting in my study thinking about my wife. Annoying woman. I stared at the small object on my bed. Bella had practically thrown it back at me this
Bella’s POVI stood in the middle of my room, staring at the closed door.My heart was still racing. My face was still hot. And that stupid vibrator was still in his hand."Nasty girl."I groaned and pressed my palms against my eyes.I needed to calm down. I needed to think about something else. An
Zayden’s POVThe drive back home was quiet.Mainly because I was the only one in the car.I had left Nico back at the warehouse to clean up the mess and handle whatever still needed handling.I have to admit, tonight came as a shock to me.Everything I thought I knew — I didn’t.Alejandro had been
Zayden’s POVI was preparing to meet with Nico when a firm, heavy knock came at my door. I didn’t need to open it to know who it was. “Come in darling,” I said with a smirk.Bella barged in as always, her eyes blazing.Her hands firm by her side, her knuckles curled into a fist.“What is it now?”







