MasukVorian's POV I close the study door and stand there for a moment. I expected footsteps. A knock. At least the sound of him following.I exhale and drop into the chair behind the desk.“I only wanted kisses,” I mutter to the empty room. “And cuddles. That was all.”The words sound pathetic even to me. I open the laptop anyway and try to read the first page of the press brief for tomorrow. I scroll. My mind stays on the kitchen, on the lecture about microwaves, on the way he chose eggs over my mouth on his neck.I pour a small measure of whiskey and take a sip. The burn is clean. I unbutton my shirt halfway and lean back. Still nothing. No concentration. No useful thought. Only the low irritation of a man who did not get what he reached for when he walked through the door.I shut the laptop, leave the glass on the desk, and walk out.The bedroom door is open. Zephyr sits on the edge of the bed, shirtless, phone in his hand. The light from the screen cuts across his chest. When he hears
Zephyr's POVThe smell of bacon fills the penthouse kitchen by the time the front door opens. I am standing at the stove with a pan of omelettes almost done and another pan of bacon already resting on a plate. I hear Vorian set his keys down. A second later his arms slide around my waist from behind.He presses his face into the back of my neck and kisses the skin there once. Then again. His hands settle flat against my stomach.“You are cooking,” he says against my nape.“I am trying to,” I answer. “And you are not helping me a bit. Let me concentrate before the food gets burnt.”He kisses the same spot again, slower. “Nah!! I am helping my mood.”“That is not the same thing, love.” I move the spatula under an omelette and fold it carefully. “If you keep doing that, one of these will burn.”“Then do not let it burn.” Vorian tells me. I shook my head, already knowing where this is heading to.His mouth moves to the side of my neck. I can feel him smiling against my skin. I try to keep
Vorian's POV I stop the car in front of my building and keep the engine running. Zephyr looks over at me. “You are not coming up?”“Not yet,” I say. “I am going to see my mother. Wait for me at the penthouse.”He studies my face for a second, then nods. “All right.”He leans across the console and kisses me. He gets out, closes the door, and walks into the building without looking back. I wait until the glass doors close behind him before I pull away from the curb.The drive to my mother’s house is quiet. My mind moves between tomorrow’s press conference and the conversation I am about to have. She does not need every operational detail, but she deserves the shape of what is coming.When I step into the house, I hear voices immediately. Cassian’s low tone. Dorian’s louder one. Of course they are both here.My mother sees me first. She stands up from the sofa and opens her arms. “You should have said you were coming.”“I decided on the way,” I answer. I kiss her cheek. She smells like
Silas’ POV I pick up a stack of paper on the table only to put it down again. I look at the time and groan.I am trying to work. That is the first important point. The second important point is that the universe does not care.My office is quiet. The Aegis press materials are open on my screen. Rachel has sent three versions of the media list. Legal has sent notes in red. I am halfway through cleaning the language on the opening statement when the door opens without a knock and Zephyr walks in holding two coffees.I stare at him, wondering why he is here. He sets one of the coffees on my desk.“Peace offering,” he says.I look at the cup, then at him. “You do not bring me coffee.”“I do today.”“That means you want something.”He sits down across from me like he has an appointment. “I want nothing. I am simply checking on my future brother-in-law.”I stare at him. “Do not call me that.”“Why not? It is accurate in spirit.”“It is not accurate in any way. Stop talking.”He takes a sip
Vorian's POV I step into the elevator with Zephyr beside me. When we reach the executive floor, it dings and the doors of the elevator open.I am still reviewing the overnight market summary when Silas walks into the executive hallway with a folder under his arm and three department heads trailing behind him. I recognize them as the heads of Marketing, PR and the Legal team. Silas finishes a sentence to them without slowing down, gives a final instruction, and dismisses them with a short nod. They scatter in different directions, only then does he look up and see Zephyr and me stepping out of the elevator.He checks his watch, then looks at us again.“You two are just getting in?” he asks.“Yes,” I answer.Silas turns to Zephyr. “I know you two are in love, but do not let Vorian corrupt you with lateness.”Zephyr opens his mouth, then closes it again, caught between amusement and defense. I speak before he has to.“I have never been late,” I say. “We are not late now. You are the o
Zephyr's POV The day went by quickly, Vorian and I leave the company building after bidding goodbye to Silas. We walk to the garage. I get into Vorian's car since he say he will drive me home today.Vorian parks outside my parents’ house and turns off the engine. For a moment neither of us moves. The street is quiet. Light from the living room window spills onto the front steps.“Are you sure about this?” I ask.“You invited me,” he answers.“I said you could drop me off. You decided to come inside.”He looks at me. “I can leave.”“No,” I say. “Come in.”We walk up the path together. I unlock the door and step in first. The smell of my mother’s cooking hits me immediately; pepper soup, rice, something fried. My father is in the living room. My mother calls from the kitchen.“Zephyr? You are back home early.”“I brought someone,” I call back.That brings both of them into the hallway. My father stops first. My mother follows and wipes her hands on a towel. They both recognize him at t
Zephyr’s POVI am sprawled on the couch in Vorian’s office, my laptop balanced on my knees, cross checking employee access logs with Silas, who is slouched beside me, tablet in hand, scrolling through data.The room is tense, the investigation of the leak hanging over us like a storm, but Silas kee
Vorian’s POV I stepped out of my black Maserati, the morning sun hitting NexusVibe’s glass tower like a spotlight.Silas slams the car door, grinning. “Vorian. Look at ‘em; employees practically kissing the ground you walk on.” I glance at the lobby, where staff nod and scatter as we stride thro
Zephyr’s POV “Zephyr, you are gonna burn a hole in that plate if you continue gazing,” Dad utters.I snap out of my thoughts, grabbing the bowl. “Just thinking, Dad. Big day tomorrow. New job at NexusVibe.” Mom, slicing bread at the counter, turns with a proud smile. “My boy, working for the big
Vorian’s POV “Vorian, if you do not devour this roast, I am disowning you,” Mom utters, her voice piercing but soothing, gliding a plate of herb-crusted beef across the dining table. The chandelier shines off her gemstone necklace, making her look seem she is still commanding a gala, not our famil







