Chapter 78 CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT: TERRITORIAL CLAIMS.
ZARA
I was now dressed in a flowy maxi dress combo. I had forced Michael to tell me where we were going, and since it was a rooftop picnic, I knew I had to dress the part. What if we were photographed?
He is dressed in soft jeans with a polo shirt and a jacket over it. I stared at him until my chin burnt with the embarrassment of having to check my husband out. I noticed—and didn’t look away.
He moved to me and took my bag from me. “I don’t mind when you look at me; in fact, I love it,” he said, pulling me closer.
I wanted to tell him how I loved looking at him and how much I loved having his hands on me as well, but I felt like I was exposing my feelings a little too early between us.
He kissed my forehead gently, making all the butterflies properly caged in my stomach erupt. He pulled away, his eyes locked in mine.
“Today is going to be about just you and me,” he said, and I nodded. “I prance.”
There was no way I couldn't lean into his promise. That was the only thing that really did make sense now.
“Shall we?” He stretched his hand to me. I took it, intertwining our fingers as he gently led me out of the house.
When we got down, Lysandra was in the kitchen, orders flying off the walls. “Be careful with that,” she almost screamed at the staff.
“That is Michael’s favourite coffee bean mix I made myself,” she added.
It was as if she were bragging about knowing him better than I did to the staff. She stepped out as if she knew we were there already. She was holding a mug filled with black coffee.
“Here, Michael, it’s your favourite; I brewed it just the way you…”
“I only drink what my wife makes for me.”
“Don’t bother with useless things next time,” he added in a stiff voice.
He didn't wait for a response from her before he pulled me out of the house. I turned slightly to throw her a triumphant look as we left. She looked like she was going to combust in that moment.
I held on extra to him as he drove us away from the madness already brewing in our house to the business of the city that seemed quiet in comparison.
“How did you find a place like this?”
It is a rooftop garden, quiet and away from the world, but high enough to see everything at a glance.
“If you are looking, you’d surely find,” he said, preparing our spot. He had a thick blanket over the grass and a basket he had already prepared.
We sat down, and he began offloading the basket. He had really thought about everything. I watched him silently work his magic and wondered how I had gotten so lucky with everything.
“Should we take a picture?” I asked suddenly, wanting to freeze this moment in time forever. The moment when we both looked happy.
“I will take some of you,” he offered, stretching his hand to take my phone.
I grabbed his hand and pulled him down to me. My back fell to the ground, and he was on top of me, his hand at the back of my head to break the impact, and our lips grazed in the process. I couldn't stop the smile from breaking on my lips.
“You know if you wanted a kiss, all you’ve got to do is ask and not play these petty tricks,” he murmurs, not lifting himself off me.
“I don’t need tricks to kiss my husband,” I murmured, matching his tone.
I raised my head gently and pretended to want to kiss him before I turned him over as if I were tackling him. Now that he was on top, I smiled so widely my cheeks hurt.
“I won, so you have to take pictures with me,” I declared.
“I didn’t know we were playing a game.”
“Well, now you know.”
He gently got up, setting me on his lap. I took out my phone and took a couple of pictures. Since we got together, I barely posted anything on social media about us, and I felt bad about it.
Even if the world didn't accept him, I wanted them all to know that he was the man I chose.
“Happy now?” he asked when I posted the pictures. I nodded and turned to him, kissing the side of his cheek.
“Very happy”
We sat together eating, and the topic of the gala in a month from now came up. I was worried he would need to attend as Aiden’s decoy and not my husband.
“I can assure you I’d be standing right next to you.”
“I don’t care what the world says about you. I just want your version of you that doesn't hide.”
He seemed tense at my words, and I did expect it. He was currently working to hide everything, and yet I wanted him unhidden? Sounded like a lot to accept.
“You are chilly,” he said, getting up. “I will get a blanket from the car.” He left me alone with my thoughts. I knew it was going to be a bit difficult to get him to talk about that decoy role, but I still had to try.
My phone vibrated with a picture from Silas. It was a picture of Isaac and Adedayo on a golf course. In the background, with their back to the camera, a familiar build.
I had seen it a few times to shake it off, and when I closed my eyes, I couldn't help but fit Aiden to that box. I filed it away on the cloud, deleting the evidence on my phone.
I already knew that those men were working with the Knight group. I just didn't think it would be the CEO trying to undercut us. It felt weird; I was sure it would be a cousin or family member willing to take over the Knight group from within.
We spent a few more hours on the rooftop until the sun was under the sky. As we drove back home, I couldn't shake off the feeling, knowing there was a storm waiting at home for us.
The house smelled of mango cake, which filled the air. I froze on the spot. I was allergic to mango. How the hell did she know this?
When we stepped into the living room, my professionally arranged living room was now rearranged to fit Lysandra’s taste. She was lounging on the couch and scrambled up as soon as she saw me.
“You both were out for too long.” She almost sounded like a mother scolding her child for staying out past their curfew.
I turned to the staff who had opened the door for us. “Revert everything to the way it was. We have August, not a designer.”
I didn't turn to Lysandra for a moment and tried to leave when she walked over, stopping me.
“Aren’t you going to at least have dinner? I made my signature mango cake that Michael always loved,” she said, her eyes twinkling once again as if she had won.
“I am full,” I said, not giving her the satisfaction of knowing I was allergic. “I think I will skip out on dinner.”
“Michael, you must join me; I went through a lot to prepare it.” I nudged Michael slightly. He blinked and turned to me.
“Thank you for the offer, but I would decline.”
I threw her another triumphant smile before walking off, Michael on my tail.
She must have thought coming in here was going to give her all the leverage she needed. Too bad she didn't count her costs properly.
My phone vibrated with a DM from an unknown number on Instagram.
‘The bed is in the cage. Up next, the Crawford merger.’
The message stayed on the screen for a minute before it was deleted by the sender. I had no idea who this was from or what it meant, but one thing was sure. Someone in the Knight family wanted the Crawford legacy erased.
And there was no way I was letting it happen.