6 ~ Zane

The post went live at 11:58 PM, and I watched the engagement metrics climb from my office with a drink in my hand that I sipped from slowly.

Numbers didn't lie. Before I could keep track, the likes hit ten thousand in minutes and comments flooded in faster than the platform could organize them.

Of course, the speculation ran rampant as I expected but this was very sure to make the board feel secure. I imagined in my head how Veronica Reed was probably grasping for air right now. And it made me smile.

Good.

I set the glass down and leaned back in my chair, the leather creaking under my weight. The city sprawled below the office windows. All those lives happening at street level while I sat here knowing exactly what I'd done and why I'd done it.

Sloane had worn the dress well and the ivory had made her skin look like porcelain, like she was made for this even though we both knew she'd fought every step.

When I'd brought her here, to my estate, I'd watched her face looking for the reaction I expected. Sloane wasn’t shocked. If anything, she was irritated because Sloane Reed didn't do shock.

It was more a crack in the veneer when she realized that bringing her home wasn't part of the agreement and that I didn't care.

My phone buzzed and buzzed again. I didn't answer the first call because I knew it was Uncle Roman calling to express his concern about the sudden marriage, probably, or his fury. But, the second one was Cole I knew because I was waiting patiently for it.

I expected after seeing the news, he would want to talk about his ex-fiancee, who was now my wife.

I watched it ring and sat there enjoying the chaos the news we had created in the cold, quiet night.

I'd known her birthday was tomorrow before she walked into that café. I'd known it for years like I knew quite a number of things about her.

I remembered the bakery she loved and the way she liked her coffee, one sugar and no cream. I even recalled the color of her lipstick and the perfume she wore. She kept books on her nightstand which I replaced with new ones that I knew she would like.

I picked up my phone and called Henry.

"Yes, sir?" He answered immediately as he was good like that.

"The order for tomorrow morning. Confirm it's arriving by six."

"Already confirmed, sir. The bakery doesn’t open early but for us, they're preparing it now."

"Good. I want it here by six-thirty at the latest." I ordered.

"Understood, sir."

I hung up the phone and finished my drink. Then I waited for midnight to be over and for her birthday to officially start. I was really looking forward to seeing her face when she found out what I had planned.

The next day came. I was standing in the kitchen at 6:47 AM. The carrot cake was already on the counter. It was the same one she loved with cream cheese frosting and raspberry filling.

I looked at my watch.

6:52.

6:53.

The house was quiet and the staff didn't come in until eight so it was just us.

6:54.

She would be coming down now, I predicted. After her morning shower, quick makeup and a quick checking of her phone, she always left her room.

Sloane was predictable like that.

6:55.

I heard her footsteps on the stairs so I put my phone to my ear and pretended to be on a call. I did not want to look like I was waiting for her.

She came into view on the landing still talking on her phone. Her voice was professional and formal as she talked about business with someone.

At first she did not see me. She did not notice me until she got to the bottom of the stairs. She stopped talking as soon as she saw me.

That was when her eyes met mine.

“I will call you back.” she said.

"Happy birthday, wife," I said, smiling as I saw the contemplation play across her face.

“Thank you.” she responded, her voice careful.

I watched her calculate what this meant, what gesture was coming next, whether this was performance or something else. The calculation was always there with her, always running underneath everything.

"You don't have to do this," she muttered quietly.

"I do." I moved toward the kitchen.

"We're married. We're recently married. This is what it looks like."

I sliced a piece of the cake and set it on a plate.

"Take a picture. Your PR team needs content."

She took out her phone. I stood next to the cake. Close enough it looked like we were truly married. She took a picture, looked at it once and was satisfied.

“Thank you, " she said again with a slight hint of a smile.

As she started walking to the door, I called her back.

"Wait."

She turned. I cut another slice, smaller this time, just enough for a taste.

"Open your mouth," I said.

She didn't move.

I was holding the fork up with the cake on it, waiting. She looked at me for a long time and I could tell she was thinking about what to do. Deciding if she wanted to make things hard or not. Then she took a step back towards me and opened her mouth.

I put the cake on her tongue.

Her eyes got wide for a second, a quick flash before she was able to calm down and control it. But I saw it, the surprise at how good it was and the recognition of something familiar in a flavor.

This made me smile.

"Carrot cake," I said softly, watching her chew.

"Raspberry filling and cream cheese frosting. From your favourite bakery on Pike Street." I added

I could see it in her face that she wanted to ask how I knew. She decided against it.

She swallowed as the thought was still, on her face.

"Thank you," she said, her voice quieter and in awe.

"You're welcome." I stepped back.

"Go. You'll be late."

“Yeah, sure,” she said and left in a hurry.

I stood there as I listened to her get her stuff together, walk to the door and drive away, the sound of the car fading as she left the estate grounds.

I was by myself in the kitchen, with what was left of the cake when my phone started ringing.

It was Henry again so I picked it up.

"Sir, your brother, Cole is at the office. He says it's urgent and he's asking for you specifically and won't tell me what it's about."

I set down the fork.

Cole being there, asking for me, meant he really wanted to talk about Sloane even after I refused to engage with him last night. He was adamant.

"Tell him I'm on my way," I said.

I stood with the cake and thought about Cole.

He just found out that his ex-fiancée, a girl he'd dated for fourteen years, was now my wife.

Obviously, he was going to have question. Questions I had no intention of giving answers to.

This was going to be a good day.