The Thea Magic

He had expected her to turn him down but surprisingly, she didn't say no. He didn't realise how nervous he was to deliver the news until the words left his mouth.

The look of confusion on her face, or was it a look of surprise or shock? And her response? Relief washed over him.

The quiet hum of the air conditioner was the only sound in Seth’s office. He stood by the wall of glass in his office, a cup of coffee in one hand as he stared down the rather quiet city.

He really underestimated the effect Thea had on him. Here he was, a smile dancing on his lips because she agreed to move into his room. Yes. She was his wife but the situation was rather complicated.

“Are you still breathing?!” Arian teased, as he pushed the door open, a teasing smile on his face.

Nothing to brighten his day like irritating the shit out of his childhood friend. Seth exhaled, there goes the little moment of peace he wanted to enjoy by himself.

He glanced over his shoulder. “I'm starting to think your sorry ass got fired from work.Why the hell are you here so early in the morning?”

Arian's eyes scanned the room, a slow, knowing smile spreading across his face as he took in the stillness of his friend.

"Good morning to you too," Arian said, his voice a low, teasing murmur. He walked over to the coffee pot on the side table, pouring himself a cup without asking. "Working hard, or just trying to look busy?"

Seth took a slow sip of his coffee, his gaze unwavering. "Leave. I don't have it in me to attend to you."

Arian chuckled. “Have you ever?”

He joins Seth by the wall of glass, taking a sip of his coffee. It was good. Really good. If Seth wasn't a bloody hoarder, he would have switched to this brand.

"But something's different. You're… off."

Seth's expression remained impassive, but it wasn't enough to fool Arian. He could see the subtle cracks in the façade.

"You look like you haven't slept, but you don't look tired," Arian continued, amused. "You have that look. Like you've just wrestled a demon to the ground and are now contemplating what to do with its corpse."

Seth glanced at Arian, where the hell does he get all this vivid imaginations from? What's going on in that beautiful brain of his?

Seth looked for words but ended up shaking his head instead, unbelievable.

What happened then?” Arian asked. “Did you ruin another competitor? Tell me, my friend, what has put that particular glint in your eye?"

"Nothing," Seth said, his voice flat. "Nothing that concerns you."

Arian laughed,"Nothing that concerns me? You look like you've just conquered a nation and have decided to take over the world. Could this be Thea's beautiful work?"

Arian's words were a shot in the dark, a playful jab, but they hit their mark.

Seth’s hand tightened around his coffee cup, his knuckles turning white. Arian’s smile widened, a look of intrigue in his eyes.

"Ah," he said, his voice a low, knowing whisper. "It is about her. Something happened. You have that look. The same look you had when you made up your mind to make one of those subsidiaries yours by all means..Maybe even more intense.”

Seth put his coffee cup down, his gaze falling to the mug in his hand. He looked at the mug as though he was seeing the future in its depths.

“Yeah. It's her. And things changed.”

Arian’s easy smile fell, a look of pure shock replacing his amusement. He shifted his weight, his mind reeling. He had seen the way Seth looked at her, the way he spoke about her, but he had never expected this.

"You... you're serious," Arian said, his voice a disbelieving whisper.

Seth nodded, he's never been more serious about anything in his life. He'll,he couldn't even sleep last night! He had stayed up all night, just watching her sleep. He was more than ready to attend to her every whimp, desperate to make sure she was comfortable.

Or should he have the entire bedding replaced? Or the entire room relocated to fit her style?

“My goodness, he's lost in thought again!” Ariam teased. “Goodness, what did she do to you?!”

Seth cleared his throat. “That's all I'm telling you.”

“Oh, you've said enough already!” Ariam chuckled, genuinely happy for his friend.

Silence stretched between them, both sipping their coffee in comfortable silence.

“I got the invite for the banquet.It's barely a week away.”

“I'm looking forward to it.” Seth admitted.

“What? Why?”

"He thinks we're going to announce our partnership at the gala," Seth began, his voice low. "He thinks I'm going to be his partner. He’s been telling everyone he knows. His family, his friends, his business associates. He's built this entire narrative around it."

"And you're going to let him go through with it?" Arian asked, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Oh, I'm going to let him go through with it," Seth said, a hint of something dark and dangerous in his voice. "I'm going to let him stand on that stage, in front of everyone he knows and loves, and I'm going to let him announce our partnership."

Arian’s eyes gleamed with a predatory satisfaction. This was the Seth he knew. The ruthless, cold-hearted man who took no prisoners.

"You’re not going to announce the partnership?

Seth smirked, “You'll have to wait to find out.”

Arian let out a low whistle. “Now I'm looking forward to this.”

He should, it would be quite the scene

Arian nodded in agreement. “What about Thea? Do you intend to get her to come along to the gala? Or are you going to keep her a secret until the right time?”

Seth's gaze softened, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “I'm not going to keep her a secret. The world is going to know that she’s my wife. And I’m going to make sure that everyone, especially Runes, knows that she’s under my protection. I’m going to make sure that they all see her, that they all know who she is. And that they all know that she's mine."