Move on

PART 8

Writer's POV

​The dim light of the apartment cast long, heavy shadows across the room, matching the mood of the two men sitting inside. Zane leaned back against the sofa, his eyes fixed on a point on the wall that didn't exist. He looked exhausted, the kind of tired that sleep couldn't fix.

​“Wait, Zane… are you actually serious about this?”

Adam asked, leaning forward.

​“Yeah, Adam. I’ve already decided,”

Zane replied, his voice low and steady. He let out a long, shaky breath.

“You know how my father works. If he sets his mind on something, he’ll go to any extreme to make it happen. He doesn’t take 'no' for an answer. This way… at least nobody gets hurt. I’m doing this to keep the peace.”

​Adam frowned, his concern deepening. He had known the Bennett family for years, and "peace" was never a word he associated with Victor.

​“But Zane… why is he suddenly acting like a saint? Think about it. He never cared about friendship, he didn't care about family,he didn't care about anything but his own empire. He was the reason you lost your....”

​Adam stopped abruptly. The air in the room suddenly felt colder. He knew that finishing that sentence would rip open the old wounds that Zane worked so hard to keep stitched together. There were ghosts in Zane’s past that still haunted him at night.

​Zane pretended not to notice the silence. He always did that,building a wall of indifference whenever things got too personal.

​“I’ve been thinking about it too,” Zane said, staring at his hands.

“Dad has never cared about anything except business. He couldn’t even love his own son properly. He never accepted me for who I am. Every conversation we had was about profit, loss, and the Bennett legacy.”

​He looked away, his jaw tightening.

“So why the sudden change? Why is he pushing me toward the very thing he used to hate? There’s something else going on under the surface. He wouldn’t take such a huge risk without a hidden reason. That’s exactly why I’m agreeing to this contract. I want to be close enough to see what he’s really planning. I need to know the truth.”

​Adam raised an eyebrow, shifting the topic slightly.

“Honestly, what shocked me more is Ryan’s reaction. The same guy who couldn't stand being in the same room as you agreed to the proposal. Maybe he’s finally moved on and doesn't care anymore.”

Zane let out a bitter, tired laugh that didn't reach his eyes.

“Move on? With how things ended between us? You think it’s that simple, Adam? I wasn’t nothing to him.”

​For a brief second, the mask slipped. Adam saw the raw vulnerability that Zane usually buried under layers of sarcasm and anger.

Zane wasn't just thinking about the contract; he was remembering Ryan’s face specifically, the way Ryan’s eyes looked when they were filled with tears he tried so hard to hide.

​“oh.. look at you, anyone listening to this would think you two had some epic, tragic romance from a movie. Half the time you were trying to beat the crap out of each other, and the other half I was stuck in the middle getting bruised like a human punching bag.”

Adam sighed, trying to lighten the mood.

​He joked, but the memories were real. Between Zane’s explosive temper and Ryan’s stubborn pride, their history was a trail of fire. Now, those old fights felt like blurry, aching memories that Zane couldn't quite let go of.

📌

Meanwhile,

“Sir… may I come in?”

​Ryan looked up from the glowing screen of his laptop. He had been staring at legal documents for hours. At the door stood Emma, looking small and deeply apologetic.

​“Yeah, Emma. Come in,” Ryan said, his voice softening.

​“I’m so sorry I didn’t come to work yesterday, Things at home got… really bad,” Emma said, her voice wavering slightly. She looked like she hadn't slept in days.

​“I get it,” Ryan said gently, leaning back in his chair. He wasn't the cold boss everyone thought he was. “How’s your mom doing now?”

“She’s getting better,” Emma nodded, though she still looked worried.

“Actually… I wanted to ask something about her. I’m scared to leave her alone back home. I was hoping she could stay with me in the company apartment. I’d feel safer with her close by where I can check on her.”

​Ryan frowned slightly, thinking about the logistics. “But you’re in a single-bedroom unit, Emma. It might be very tight for two people. It's not exactly built for a family.”

​“That’s okay,” Emma gave a small, brave smile that touched Ryan’s heart.

“After the narrow basement we lived in at my uncle’s place, even a tiny room feels like a palace to us. We’re used to making do with very little.”

​Ryan saw right through that smile. He saw the years of poverty and struggle she hid behind her hard work. He felt a pang of sympathy for her.

​“Alright,” he said decisively. “Stay there for now. I’ll talk to Alan and get you a better, two-bedroom place soon. You shouldn't have to worry about your mother's comfort while you're working this hard.”

“Thank you so much, sir! You have no idea what this means to me,” Emma said, her eyes shining.

“Oh, and the others in the department said the project files wasn’t ready yet…”

​Ryan rolled his eyes, his professional frustration returning.

“Those idiots can’t handle a simple deadline. I already finished the details and gave them to Olivia. Go get the folder from her.”

​Emma’s entire body froze. Her face went pale.

“Oh… oh no.”

​“What happened?” Ryan asked, confused by her sudden fear.

​“N-nothing, sir. It’s just… nothing.”

​Emma turned and walked out, but her heart was racing. Walking toward Olivia's office felt like a goat willingly walking into a lion’s den. Olivia was known for being sharp, demanding, and not very fond of "interruptions." Emma could already hear the sound of her own doom.

📌

​Later that night,

​“Seriously? Again?”

​Adam rubbed his face aggressively as he sat up in bed, squinting at the bright light of his phone.

​“How many times have I told you not to wake me up like this, Jamie? Let a man sleep! I have work tomorrow!”

​On the other end of the video call, Jamie tried his best not to laugh, but a smirk escaped.

​“If you can wake me up at random hours, I can wake you up. Simple math, Adam. If I’m losing sleep thinking about things, you’re losing sleep too. It’s only fair.”

​“When did I ever ruin your sleep?” Adam groaned, flopping back onto his pillow.

Jamie crossed his arms dramatically, leaning into his phone. “Oh, I don’t know… maybe every time I close my eyes and you suddenly decide to breathe directly into my soul? Even when I try to read a book to relax, the letters on the page literally turn into your face. You’re haunting me.”

​Adam stared at the phone with a puzzled, sleepy expression. Jamie was always dramatic, but tonight he seemed extra clingy.

“Jamie… please. I have a class to teach tomorrow. I’m a professor . I can’t fall asleep in front of a room full of teenagers. It’s bad for my reputation.”

​“Oh sure, big Professor Adam,” Jamie smirked, his eyes dancing with mischief. “You’re just worried because you want to look good so you can admire your cute little students...”

Adam, feeling a bit playful despite his exhaustion, decided to poke the bear.

“Yeah, so? I even got a love letter today from a very sweet, cute girl. She thinks I'm the best teacher she's ever had.”

​The playful atmosphere vanished instantly. Jamie’s entire expression changed from mischievous to cold. His eyes darkened.

​“Don’t you dare,” Jamie growled into the phone. The teasing tone was gone, replaced by a possessive edge.

“Don’t use the same mouth that calls me ‘Jamie’ to call another girl cute. Hear me clearly, Adam... you’re mine. In this lifetime? You’re not going anywhere. I don't care about love letters or students. You belong to me.GOOD NIGHT ”

Adam rolled his eyes and cut the phone

And Jamie? He meant every single word. He wasn't just playing a game; he was marking his territory.

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​To be continued...