/Zane's POV/
I knew things were rocky between Richard and Aya, but I didn't know why. While I've known Aya forever, Richard and I became friends at school, and through me the two met and got married — which was surprising, since Aya eventually left the UK to study fashion in Paris.
I didn't think the two could make their relationship work since Richard's family is still in the UK, but they did, and I couldn't be happier for them. And because we've known each other for a very long time, it's usually easy for them to tell me stuff.
Yet Aya couldn't bring herself to tell me what the problem was — and honestly, I thought Richard would also keep mum about it while I was pestering him to talk after getting his ass off my lawn and inside the house, where I poured him a few drinks.
The house was still cool with the early-morning chill, and the faint echo of our footsteps travelled across the quiet living room. Even the clink of the ice in the glass sounded too loud for the hour.
Despite how early it was, he immediately emptied two tumbler glasses of heavy liquor. The sharp scent of alcohol cut through the air, burning faintly at the back of my nose, but even as he drank, I noticed he kept evading my eyes — and then he finally said it.
"I cheated on her, Zane." His voice cracked, raw enough to make my stomach twist. He didn't just say that did he?
His head fell to his palm like his world was crashing down, and the room suddenly felt too small, too close. I still couldn't wrap my head around his confession.
"I'm sorry, what?" The words shot through me like a punch, leaving a tight, hot ache in my chest.
"I didn't mean to, I swear. It's just… she came to me and said Aya cheated first, that I should get back at her. It all got very confusing—"
"And did she cheat on you?" My tone was low, but my fingers slowly clenched into a fist. My knuckles tingled with heat, tightening with every word he spoke.
"That's the worst part… it was a misunderstanding, and like a fool, I fell for that—"
The rush of anger hit me so fast it felt like my ears rang. I landed my fist on his face before he had the chance to finish. Skin against skin made a sharp, ugly sound that echoed off the walls.
"You cheated on her for nothing!" I hurled my fists again, each impact sending a jarring vibration up my arm as my anger exploded.
Aya had always been devoted to him. She sacrificed so much to be with him, and this… this fucker—
My vision blurred a bit at the edges from how hard my pulse was pounding.
"It was an accident. I swear I never meant to hurt her." Richard struggled to speak, his breathing ragged through a bloody nose. His pathetic sight didn't rouse the slightest sympathy from me.
"But you did!" I snapped, heat flaring through my voice.
"You fucking did. How could you… how dare you!"
I slammed him hard against the pole separating the bar from the stairs, the dull thud vibrating through the floorboards—and when I looked up, Madison and Aya were standing on the stairs. The embodiment of my fucking hypocricy.
The cold shock of reality sank into my bones. Is what I'm doing any different? The thought slithered in, heavy and suffocating.
Aya hurried over and pushed me back, her touch trembling with fury.
"What the hell's wrong with you?"
Her voice cut through the room like a blade as she knelt by Richard, her hands shaking slightly as they cradled his bruised face.
"He cheated on you, Aya. I needed to teach the fucker a lesson."
My breath still came unevenly, chest rising and falling too fast, irritation burning under my skin. Fuck… I thought I'd gotten control over this part of myself.
"Wait… did you beat him like that because he cheated on Aya, not because you know with who?"
Madison's voice was jarringly calm, her tone steady against the tension strangling the room.
Richard's head snapped toward her—and he went pale.
"Does that matter? Aya's like a sister to me. How could he… how could you fucking hurt her like that?"
My voice raw, my fists still throbbing.
"D'you even remember what I told you at your wedding?"
I took a step forward.
"Did you think I was joking when I said I'd kill you if you ever hurt her?"
"I'm not sure Aya would like you to do that. Can you get him out of here, please… before you really kill him?"
Maddy shot a quick look toward Aya, who looked pale and shaken.
"Where d'you think you're going, you son of a bitch—"
I moved again, but Madison slid in front of me, her presence a firm wall.
"Now, Aya."
Her voice was steady but cold. Aya helped Richard up, and I only grew more irritated when he couldn't tear his eyes off Madison as they left.
My jaw tightened so hard it hurt.
"Aya." She stopped mid-step. "Whatever you wanna do about that bastard… just let me know, okay?"
I thought she'd appreciate it, but her face tightened with guilt that flickered across her expression like a shadow.
"Your knuckles are bruised." She pointed at my hand, gently lifting it. My skin burned faintly under her touch.
I snatched my hand back and walked off, heat spreading through my chest — not just anger, but guilt.
Because deep down, I knew…I wasn't any different from that idiot. A fucking animal, enslaved by his desires.
The faint sound of approaching footsteps drew my attention — Madison walked into my room with a first aid kit.
"What are you doing? I'm fine." My voice came out lower than intended, still tinged with adrenaline.
She ignored me, took my hand, and began applying ointment. Her touch was cool at first, then warm, the sting easing under her careful pressure. The room smelled faintly of antiseptic and her perfume.
She was ridiculously quiet. Wait, is she mad at me?
I couldn't even show Allison this part of me. She always seemed too soft for it — too fragile.
Maddy didn't flinch once.
"Use a damn rag over your knuckles next time." She muttered. "You could've used a handkerchief or the towel next to the bar table. Now your skin is all battered up."
Her blunt practicality pulled a laugh out of me.
"What's funny?" She finally looked up — and something about the way she frowned made me act without thinking.
I met her mouth with a kiss, pulling her onto my lap. Her breath hitched softly against my lips, her warmth sinking into me like a slow rush of heat.
For a second, I reconsidered everything between us — but she wiped all of it from my head with just the taste of her. Maybe just for now… At least until the investigation was over.
But before I deepened the kiss, she put her palm over my mouth gently.
"Sorry, I still haven't brushed yet." Her voice was soft—almost shy. She slipped off my lap.
"I'm gonna use the bathroom real quick." She said, walking away with small, controlled steps… until she thought she was out of sight.
Then I heard her run. 'She's cute.' I blinked, startled by my own thoughts. I've hard some damn crazy thoughts in the past but nothing like this. "I think I'm starting to lose it," I muttered to myself
My phone blared, vibrating on the bedside table. "Noah." I answered, raising the phone to my ear.
"Yes sir, you said you'd be resuming work late today, sir. Should I bring the repaired phone to the office or to the house?" Right — the phone. My mind had been everywhere but work.
"Just bring it over."
"Yes sir. I'm at your door."
I blinked. "What?"
"Well, you said you didn't want me barging in without calling ahead, but I forgot to call… so I figured calling from your doorstep counts?"
I exhaled sharply and went downstairs, cold floor tiles grounding me with each step. Noah stood at the entrance, fidgeting like a kid caught stealing cookies.
"The phone?" He handed it over quickly, his briefcase smelling faintly like polished leather and cologne.
"And the password?"
"Successfully removed, sir."
"Good work." He straightened a little at the praise.
"And the reports?"
"Here, sir. Also, I've set meetings with all the directors involved in Actress Allison's project. Individually, as requested."
He rambled a bit while I opened the phone, scrolling through Allison's messages — each tap of my thumb making dread coil tighter in my chest.
"Sir, I'm not sure any of them will agree to the contract changes—"
"They won't have a choice." My voice was flat.
Then it hit me.
The message that froze me in the middle of the room—the words sharpening like glass. My expression twisted as I scrolled, bile rising like acid in my throat.
"You've gotta be kidding me." The words tasted bitter as they left my mouth.
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