Chapter 3

Next Day

His meeting was over earlier than expected today so he just invited me for lunch.

Being a Ceo he really doesn't have much time to spend with me..but he still manages to make time to spend with me.

The garden terrace was a picture of elegance. Sunlight filtered through wide parasols, a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of roses planted along the fence, and the sound of cutlery against fine china created a delicate rhythm. Waiters in crisp uniforms glided from table to table, pouring wine into tall glasses.

Reid sat at the head of our table, the perfect image of authority even outside the office. His suit jacket was folded neatly over the back of his chair, his white shirt rolled at the sleeves, but power clung to him effortlessly. He looked like a man who owned the world.

I was still admiring him when Natalie arrived, Adrian walking confidently at her side. His smile was quick, charming, the kind that always felt a little too smooth.

“Reid,” Natalie greeted warmly. “Karline.”

Adrian gave me a longer look before pulling out his chair. “It’s been too long. Karline, you look radiant today. Reid must be very proud to have you by his side.”

Adrian the bestfriend of Natalie.. they used to work in the same hospital together.

He had come for a dinner or too in our home.. and that's where me and reid knows him.

“Thank you,” I said politely, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

Reid’s hand shifted on the table, his fingers brushing mine briefly as if to remind me he was listening. “Sit. Let’s eat,” he said.

Once they were settled, Reid leaned toward Natalie. “Your case. Has it closed yet?”

Natalie shook her head, her expression somber. “No. It’s dragging on. Some days, I wonder if it’s worth fighting anymore.”

Reid’s voice was steady, reassuring. “You don’t quit. Not until every option is gone. We’ll go through it together again. There will be a way forward.”

Natalie’s lips curved into a faint, grateful smile. “You’ve always had that strength, Reid.”

Adrian cleared his throat and turned his attention to me. “And what about you, Karline? Does he show you that same strength at home, or does he let you see the softer side the rest of us never do?”

I gave a small laugh, glancing at Reid. “He’s… a little of both.”

Adrian leaned in slightly, lowering his voice in a way that still carried. “I envy that. To have both the protector and the man underneath… you’re lucky,.”

Reid’s eyes flicked to Adrian, then to me. He sipped his wine before speaking, calm but firmer this time. “She is more than lucky. She deserves all of me, and she has it.”

Adrian smiled as though the words amused him. “I can see that. Still, it’s rare to meet a woman who could match Reid’s presence. Most would be overshadowed. But you… you shine in your own light.”

The compliment was too direct to ignore. My cheeks warmed, but I managed to smile politely. “That’s kind of you, Adrian.”

Reid set his glass down, his gaze steady now. “Adrian, you’ve made your point. My kar doesn’t need anyone to tell her how remarkable she is.”

I reached for Reid’s hand under the table, giving it a light squeeze. “It’s alright,” I said softly. “He was only being kind.”

The waiter arrived just then with steaming plates of roasted lamb and bowls of pasta. Conversation shifted, but the tension lingered, wrapped in polite smiles and careful glances.

Adrian chuckled as he cut into his food. “Reid, you’re a fortunate man. If I were you, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight.”

This time, Reid only gave a small smile, his thumb brushing against the back of my hand. His voice was calm, but his words held weight. “You don’t have to worry about that. I never do.”

After that meal Adrian flirted a bit more with me..and i kinda liked seeing jealous Reid...so he can feel now I feel him with natalie.

even Adrian put his hands on mine for a photo and I let him for a selfie.

I can clearly see reid's anger, god..

Then we left for home..

***

At night.

it's almost 10pm and we were under the blanket watching movie cuddling with eachother.

My head rested against Reid’s shoulder, his arm heavy and warm around me. His laughter at some silly commercial made my heart flutter, and I tilted my face to him with a smile.

“You’re not even watching,” I teased, poking his chest lightly.

“I’m watching you,” he replied smoothly, catching my hand and pressing a kiss against my knuckles. His lips trailed higher, to my wrist, then my neck, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“Reid…” My voice broke into a soft sigh as he shifted, pressing me gently back against the cushions. His mouth found mine, hot and hungry, stealing every breath until I was clinging to him.

His hands moved with purpose, sliding beneath my blouse, skimming along my skin as if memorizing every inch. His kisses deepened, tasting of wine and want, pulling me further under his spell. When he pushed the fabric from my shoulder and his lips grazed the curve of my collarbone, I could only moan his name.

“Reid… don’t stop.”

“I don’t intend to,” he murmured against my skin, his voice thick with desire. He was already unbuttoning, his tshirt discarded, his body pressing closer, harder, until the shrill buzz of his personal phone shattered the moment.

He froze.

I blinked up at him, breathless, watching the frustration flicker across his face as he reached for the phone. “Ignore it,” I whispered, pulling him back down. “Please. Stay with me.”

But he had already seen the name flashing on the screen. His expression tightened. “I have to take this.”

The warmth between us chilled instantly. I knew without asking who it was. My stomach sank.

“Hello,” he said, his voice shifting from passionate to composed in an instant. He listened for a moment, then straightened, running a hand through his hair. “Alright. Stay calm. I’ll be there.”

My chest clenched. “Natalie,” I said flatly. “It’s her again.”

Reid didn’t deny it. “She’s at the police station. There’s been some kind of misunderstanding. She needs help.”

I sat up, my blouse still hanging loosely from one shoulder. “Now? Reid, it’s ten o’clock at night.”

He reached for his jacket. “I can’t leave her like that.”

I caught his arm, my voice low and trembling with frustration. “And what about me? What about us? I need you tonight. I…” My lips brushed his ear, desperate, aching. “I want you. Can’t you see? I’m burning for you. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

He closed his eyes briefly, pressing a kiss against my lips, slow and lingering. “Baby… we’ll continue after I come back. I promise.”

“I don’t want after,” I whispered, my hands fisting in his shirt. “I want now.”

For a moment, his resolve wavered, his breath hitching as my lips trailed his jaw. But then he pulled back, his voice steady. “Kar… I have to. She’s in trouble.”

The heat inside me twisted into anger. I shoved his chest lightly, my voice sharper than I intended. “Always her. Every time she calls, you run. Do you even hear yourself? It’s like she owns a part of you I can never touch.”

His eyes darkened, but not with anger. With something heavier. “That’s not true. Don’t ever think that.”

“Then prove it,” I hissed. “Stay.”

For a long second, silence stretched between us, broken only by the ticking clock on the wall. His hand brushed my cheek, tender despite the storm in my words. “You’re my wife. My only love. But right now, she needs me. And I can’t walk away from someone who’s asking for help.”

Tears burned in my eyes. “And I need you, Reid. Doesn’t that matter?”

His thumb caught the tear before it fell. “It matters more than anything. Which is why I’ll come back, no matter how late it is. And when I do, I’ll finish what we started.” His lips pressed one last, lingering kiss against mine.

Then he stood, his figure framed in the doorway as he grabbed his keys. “Wait for me, baby.”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me in the silence, in the ache, in the fire that had nowhere left to burn.