All Chapters of How To Love A Murderer.: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Chapter Twenty One: Velvet ChainsIan walked in awkwardly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.“I just thought I’d bring you lunch… since you never seem to eat. But I guess you’re busy,” he said, voice a little unsure.“No, I’m not,” Zhedya replied gently, stepping to his side and guiding him inside like he was fragile glass.“Oh, Ian, this is Dr. Ethan, a psychiatrist and a close colleague from the university,” Zhedya introduced warmly.Ian stretched out his hand, “Nice to meet you,” and Dr. Ethan stood politely to shake it.Ian immediately assumed their earlier conversation had been about a patient and pushed aside the nagging unease curling in his chest.“I’ve heard so much about you. I wanted to meet you in person…Zhedya never stops talking about you,” Ethan smiled softly.Ian flushed, a rush of heat coloring his cheeks, his embarrassment obvious.“It’s not such a terrible thing, talking about your man all the time, right?” Ethan teased lightly.“Besides,” Zhedya add

Chapter Twenty Three: The Art of DeceptionSigh… Ian had lost count of how many times he’d done that already this morning.He couldn’t stop replaying the scene…the cold, sterile corridors, the echo of boots reverberating off the walls, the heavy weight of silence that followed.He sat at the kitchen island, staring into his cold coffee mug, hands wrapped around it as if it could offer some warmth.“What are you thinking about that you didn’t even notice I walked in?”Zhedya stood in front of him, freshly dressed in a charcoal coat, sliding his gloves on with that effortless calm Ian wished he could share.Ian blinked, shaking himself from the spiral of dark thoughts.“That man yesterday,” Ian began, voice tight. “He moved like he owned those corridors... like he knew every step. How the hell did he get past the officers?”Zhedya shrugged, eyes narrowing slightly. “Probably slipped in before we got there. Happens all the time. Maybe just some obsessed fan of this new killer.”Ian’s fin

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Patron of MonstersThe penthouse was dripping with money and power. Ian felt like a stray dog that had wandered into a diamond store. Everywhere he looked, someone's watch cost more than his life."Relax," Zhedya's voice was a low purr in his ear, his hand a burning brand on Ian's lower back. "They aren’t monsters neither do they bite. Much.""I feel like I'm gonna puke on someone's thousand-dollar shoes," Ian muttered, fiddling with his tie.Zhedya just smirked. "You'll get used to it. This is your world now."Then the parade started. Zhedya dragged him from one stuffy suit to another. "Commissioner, meet Ian Parker. The genius behind 'Feral Minds'. He took down the Swift Strangler, you know. My brilliant boy."Ian wanted to sink through the floor. My boy. The words felt like a collar.Across the room, Callista watched it all go down with a bad feeling in her gut. Zhedya never let Ian breathe. If he wasn't touching him, his eyes were tracking him. It was cr

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Unwanted AdmirerIan stood frozen before the massive penthouse windows, watching the city pulse with a life he could no longer touch.He snatched his laptop bag. A park. The library. Anywhere with different air.He nearly made it to the door.“And where are you off to, my love?”Ian froze. Zhedya sat in a leather armchair, glasses perched on his nose, a tablet glowing in his hands. He hadn’t even looked up.“I’m going to the library,” Ian said, his voice tighter than he intended. “I can’t write in this… museum. I need a change of scenery.”Zhedya finally lowered the tablet, removing his glasses. The concern in his grey eyes was perfectly practiced. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Not with your condition. The dizziness… what if it comes back in public? What if you fall? It’s safer here.”The words were a cage. A gilded, loving cage, but a cage all the same. Frustration boiled over.“I’m not an invalid, Zhedya!” Ian’s voice cracked. He ran a hand through hi

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Flashbacks Ian stared into the mug like it held all the answers. The tea was too sweet. Everything felt wrong here, but at least it was a different kind of wrong. “The sugar’s too much, John. I only take two,” he said, placing the mug back on the coffee table with a soft clink. His stomach was in too many knots to drink it anyway. “Oh, my bad,” John shrugged, settling onto the couch beside him. “So, let me get this straight. You basically ran away from your billionaire boyfriend and his penthouse palace?” Ian managed a weak smile. “I didn’t run. I’m… taking a break. Zhedya is just… a lot. He’s too controlling, I think. I mean, I know he means well, but…” "Look, man, I get it,” John said, his tone turning serious. “The guy sounds intense. But... are you sure you're not exaggerating?” “He's a powerful CEO, and you're the journalist who almost got killed. Maybe he's just... pathologically worried about you?" Ian turned to him, and in the soft light of the apar