Lahat ng Kabanata ng Fake Fiancée, Real Boss: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Eden’s POVNeither of us moved.The silence between us felt different now. Not awkward. Not tense in the usual way we had somehow perfected over the last few months.This was worse.Softer.The kind of silence that made you aware of breathing, eye contact, and the dangerously small amount of space separating two people who absolutely should not be standing this close to each other in a Paris hotel suite at midnight.Asia was still looking at me.And that was the problem.Because every time she looked at me like that, guard lowered just enough to expose the exhaustion underneath it. It makes me forget all the reasons I’d been trying to keep a professional distance between us.My gaze dropped to her lips again before I could stop it. I swallowed hard.Mistake.A serious one, this shouldn't be the right time for this.Because the moment it happened, I saw the exact second Asia noticed.Her breathing changed first. Small shift. Barely visible. But enough.Then her fingers tightened slight

Eden’s POV“Who the hell are these people?”Asia went completely still in my arms.Not tense.Not defensive.Still.Like the question had reached somewhere deeper than panic and hit something raw.For a moment, the only sound in the suite was the rain against the windows and her uneven breathing against my chest.I felt her swallow hard.Then she looked away.That alone told me enough.My grip around her tightened slightly, not enough to trap her, just enough to steady her when another tremor moved through her body. She still hadn’t let go of my shirt. Her fingers remained twisted tightly in the fabric like she needed something solid to hold onto.The realization did something dangerous to my chest.“Asia.”Her lashes lowered briefly before she finally spoke.“They’re not supposed to be involving my mother.”The words came out barely above a whisper.Fear sat underneath every syllable.Real fear.Not stress.Not anxiety.Fear.I looked down at her carefully. “Who?”She shook her head

Asia’s POV“You actually paid them?” I asked again, because I couldn't believe he would actually do that.My voice came out thinner than I intended.Eden didn’t answer immediately, which somehow irritated me even more.The suite suddenly felt too small, too warm, too full of him. Him standing there calm while my entire life actively collapsed around us like this was a normal Tuesday.I stared at him in disbelief.“You cannot just transfer money to kidnappers like you’re paying an overdue invoice.”His expression barely changed. “Apparently I can.”I almost laughed.Not because it was funny.Because the man sounded genuinely unbothered by the fact that he had just inserted himself into a criminal situation for me without hesitation.Psychotic behavior.Deeply attractive.Horrible combination.“You don’t even know if they’ll release her,” I snapped.“They will.”“You don’t know that.”“No,” he agreed calmly. “But I know sitting around doing nothing wasn’t an option either.”That shut me

Asia’s POV‘Bring him and we kill your mother.’The words burned into my skull so violently my knees almost gave out.For a second, the site disappeared.No rain.No Paris.No Eden standing in front of me.Just those words replaying over and over in my head like a death sentence.My mother, they want to kill herOh my God.I snatched the phone from Eden so fast my hands nearly slipped against the screen.Another message came immediately after.‘You have one hour to respond.’Panic exploded through my chest.“They know,” I whispered.Eden’s expression hardened instantly. “Asia..”“They know about you.”“No shit.”“You don’t understand.” My breathing turned sharp again. “This changes everything.”He stepped closer immediately. “Look at me.”I couldn’t.Because all I could see was my mother tied to that chair.All I could hear was the threat.And suddenly every horrible possibility started crashing into me at once.What if they hurt her because of him?What if they already had?What if..

Asia's POVBy the time I arrived at the location, my heart felt like it was trying to hammer its way through my ribs. Each beat was a brutal reminder that I was alone.Truly alone. In the belly of whatever nightmare waited for me.The abandoned warehouse crouched near the river like a dying beast, half-swallowed by shadows and flanked by rusted shipping containers that leaned against each other like drunks. Graffiti scarred the corrugated walls in faded, angry slashes. Broken glass glittered faintly under the weak security lights that still somehow worked. This was the kind of place people avoided even in daylight. The kind of place chosen on purpose because screams here would drown in the wind and the rush of the Seine.The sky had already surrendered to night. Heavy, low hanging clouds pressed down on Paris, pregnant with rain that hadn’t yet decided to fall. A cold wind whipped across the empty lot, carrying the metallic tang of rust, river rot, and distant diesel. I pulled my coat