THIRD PERSON POV:
Kiara wakes up on the fourth day of their break to find a basket of Madonna Lillie's. A smile forms across her face as she dashes out of bed, grabbing the basket to read the note attached to it.
"To the woman I want to have my kids with, and the woman I will love till eternity," she reads out loud.
She doesn't wait for Rufus to knock today, and she rushes to the door, opening it to see Rufus with his phone. She grabs it from him.
"Good morning, baby," Zane's gruff tone comes from the phone, causing her belly to flutter.
"Good morning," she says.
"So, did you sleep well?" he asks, and she lets out a chuckle.
"Like a baby."
"Like my baby," he adds, causing her to grin widely. "It's day four already, and we only have ten days until we're together. I can't wait," he says, and she goes silent for a moment.
She reflects on the past few days, especially when she threw a tantrum on Sunday, struggling to believe she could spend two weeks without him.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asks, drawing her back to reality.
"No. It's almost unbelievable that half the week is gone already. I don't want to think of it as ten days left but as half of the first week gone, just to make it easier for me."
"Whatever works for you, love."
"So, what are you doing today?" he asks, and she shrugs as if he can see her.
Since the last time he asked her to stop going for walks, she didn't object, not wanting to risk any interaction with Mindy. If Zane had only shared a story, she might not believe it, but seeing firsthand how cunning Mindy surprised her, but she was glad she hadn't meddled with the heart of a poor widow.
"I'm sure I'll find something to keep me busy around here," she says.
"Hopefully," he replies, then sighs. "I'll have to go now, but I'll check on you in the evening. Have a lovely day, love."
"Virtual kisses," she adds, and Zane chuckles. "Say it back," Kiara protests, causing Zane to roll his eyes at his end.
"Virtual kisses," he says in a low tone, then she makes a smooch sound before ending the call.
She hands Rufus the phone as she gets out of bed.
"Your breakfast is ready, ma'am," he says, and she smiles at him, making her way down the hall to the dining table.
There she sits, eating her breakfast, her thoughts wandering to what her life will be like in two weeks' time. This break has a purpose, and she's already learning. It's only been four days, but it feels like an eternity, and she realizes now that Zane is someone she can't sacrifice for anything in the world.
"I can't believe I miss someone this much," she sighs, chugging down the glass of milk in front of her.
She continues until she's finished her meal. Then she pushes the seat back, getting up. She's about to head into the hallway that leads to her room when she hears Rufus and Treasure discussing in low tones.
Slowly, she walks toward the front door, which is slightly open.
"She's here, and Mr. Malibu will kill us if we let her in. We mustn't let Ms. Kiara find out about this."
Hearing Treasure say this, Kiara's curiosity peaks, and she opens the door at once, startling both of them as they immediately stand upright and fall silent.
"Who is here?" she asks, causing Rufus and Treasure to exchange glances.
Kiara already has a clue about who it could be, but a part of her chooses to stay in denial until she's certain.
"I asked a question, Rufus," she says, and Rufus lets out a sigh.
"It's Mindy. She's at the gate and says she wants a word with you."
Kiara's heart skips a beat at this. Her emotions range from confusion to anger, but only the anger lingers, settling in her chest.
"Let her in," she says without a second thought, and Rufus looks at her as if she's lost her mind.
"What?" he blurts, and Kiara fixes him with a stern gaze.
"I'm pretty sure I didn't mince words when I spoke," she begins, her brows lowering. "LET HER IN!" She speaks through gritted teeth, and Rufus finds himself moving at once while Treasure gives Kiara a quick bow.
"I... I'll go clear the table now, ma'am," she stutters, and Kiara steps aside, leaving space for Treasure to enter the house.
She stands at the door, watching the gate as Rufus makes his way toward it. When he reaches the gate, he opens it slightly, allowing Mindy to step inside. Kiara takes a deep breath as Mindy's figure approaches in a bright red gown that hugs her body, accentuating her figure.
Slowly, Kiara walks toward her, meeting her halfway.
"To what do I owe this visit?" Kiara asks, and Mindy stops, removing her sunglasses.
She gives a short spin in front of Kiara.
"Do you like it?" she asks, and Kiara watches her with a furrowed brow, having no clue what she's talking about.
"You seem lost, or maybe you don't know that Zane loves his women in red."
Kiara swallows hard. She tries to maintain her composure, but the smile on Mindy's face is unnerving.
"My favorite color is red, and Zane adopted it with all his women. I guess he keeps searching for me in them."
Kiara clenches her jaw at this.
"If you have nothing to say to me, I'll be forced to throw you out," she says, and Mindy's face twists into a frown.
"What is it with you people from Lunar Shadow? Always threatening to throw people out at the slightest."
The mention of her pack's name sends Kiara's heart racing.
"What do you want, Mindy?"
"Do you still consider her your best friend after what she did? Did you all grow up together or something?" she asks, then shakes her head. "Too bad she had to betray you. That's so sad." Mindy places a hand on her chest, reaching out with the other, but Kiara slaps her hand away, causing Mindy to straighten.
"What do you want? And I won't repeat myself, Mindy," Kiara says, and Mindy twirls a strand of hair around her finger.
"I'm here to propose a fair trade. You have something of mine, and I have something of yours," she says, and Kiara's face scrunches in confusion. "Straighten your face; it's unbecoming for the Luna of Lunar Shadow Pack."
"If you're here to mock me, Mindy, I won't stand for it!" Kiara raises her voice, prompting Rufus to rush over.
"Stay back, you Zane wannabe!" Mindy yells at Rufus.
"Hey, he doesn't take orders from you, and I won't let you insult him!" Kiara snaps, and Mindy rolls her eyes.
Rufus looks shocked, as he'd expected Kiara to let her humiliate him.
Mindy sighs.
"Either way. You have Zane, and I have Blake," she blurts out, then goes on to explain how she gave Veronica a potion to brainwash Blake. "In essence, Blake loves you, and if I undo the potion, you can have him back."
Kiara is speechless, unable to process her emotions.
"I know it's a tough pill to swallow. You've built this wall around his betrayal, but he's only under a spell that can be broken, and..."
"You're wrong!" Kiara gathers all her courage. "I don't care what you've done. All I can say is that I love Zane, and I want nothing to do with you. Get out of my house, or I'll take drastic measures."
Mindy's face shows shock as she stares at Kiara, trying to read her expression. Kiara snaps her fingers and turns away as Rufus grabs Mindy's hand.
"Let me go, or I'll turn you into a freaking frog!" she yells, then Kiara walks inside, rushing to her room and shutting the door.
She leans against it, taking deep breaths. It's unbelievable to learn that Blake didn't truly betray her. Part of her feels sorry for him, and she slides down the door, burying her head in her lap. Her memories with Blake threaten to overshadow her time with Zane. Blake never really hurt her, but Zane did, making it difficult for her to just choose him now.