Chapter 6 Six

• CRYSTAL
• Kai’s hand comes down in front of me, strong and steady. I slip mine into his, and he pulls me up from the cold floor. His eyes lock on mine, stormy and intense.
• "Who did this to you, Crystal?” His voice is almost trembling with anger.
• For a moment, I can’t answer. My chest tightens because in this world where almost everyone has turned their back on me… he’s still here. Right now, that means more than I can say.
• I lean my face against his chest, breathing in his familiar scent, letting his warmth wrap around me like a shield. My arms find their way around him, holding tight.
• When I pull back, my voice is soft, almost breaking. “Kai… can you take me away from here?”
• “Of course.” His answer is immediate, no hesitation.
• He threads his fingers through mine. “Come with me.”
• We’re halfway to his car when a sharp voice cuts through the air. “Kai!”
• I turn, and there she is...Alora, standing in the doorway like she owns the ground we’re walking on.
• Kai stops, his shoulders stiffening, and turns to look at her.
• “Where are you going? Our wedding is tomorrow,” she says, her tone dripping with entitlement.
• His gaze is ice. He doesn’t bother answering her. He just turns back to me and says, “Let’s go.”
• He walks me straight to his car, opens the door, and helps me inside before circling to the driver’s seat. After he sits down, he takes off his jacket and covers me with it, turning on the heater in the car.
• I wipe my face quickly, trying to erase the tears, but I can feel his eyes on me. “What happened?” he asks, his voice lower now, gentler.
• So I tell him. Everything. From last night's slap to this morning. From the moment they cornered me to the words that cut me apart...choose between him and the Denzel name.
• His jaw tightens. His fist balls on the steering wheel. “They’re saying I’ll marry Alora tomorrow? Is that what they told you? Crystal… do you think I’d really betray you like that?”
• My voice comes out in a whisper. “Would you?”
• “That’s impossible.” He grabs his phone. “Give me a second. I’ll explain everything.”
• I sit in silence as he calls his mother. His tone is clipped at first...“Mom, what is going on? I just found out I’m supposed to marry Alora tomorrow. What is all this?”....but after a few moments, I notice the lines on his forehead ease.
• When the call ends, he takes my hands in his. His grip is warm. “My family’s putting pressure on me. They want me to marry Alora, or my inheritance will go to my father’s illegitimate son. My grandfather will cut me off as heir.”
• I stare at him. “So… are you going to marry her?”
• “Of course not,” he says, almost offended. “But my mom is scared. She’s terrified that if that son becomes heir, she’ll be thrown out and my father’s mistress will take her place in the house. My grandfather is… unpredictable. I had to pretend in front of him, just to buy time.”
• He sighs, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I thought the wedding would be in two weeks—same as ours was supposed to be. I was going to use that time to take control of the company and assets so they couldn’t blackmail me or my mother. Once I had that power, I could choose for myself. I was just trying to keep them at bay.”
• He starts the engine. “You know what? Let me take you to one of my villas. You can rest there. The weather’s not great for you to be out like this.”
• I nod silently, and he drives us away.
• When we arrive, the quiet of the villa wraps around me. He leads me inside, then stops as if remembering something. “Ah, I forgot..there are so many things you’ll need. Why don’t you rest, and I’ll go get them?”
• “Okay,” I say quietly.
• He leans down and presses a kiss to my cheek, his lips lingering just a little too long. “I’ll be back in no time.”
• And then he’s gone, leaving me in the stillness with my racing thoughts.
• After he leaves, the silence in the villa swallows me whole. I slide down to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest. I tell myself not to cry. Not again. But the memories from last night claw their way back, sharp and merciless, and my chest caves in.
• Hot tears spill down my face. I cry until my throat aches, until I’m nothing but shivers and the faint sound of my own breathing.
• When I hear the deep rumble of Kai's engine outside, I wipe my cheeks quickly and force myself back into the couch. He can’t see me like this. He would be too heartbroken.
• The door swings open, and Kai steps inside with both arms loaded. Bag after bag hits the table...clothes, shoes, nightwear, hair dryer, even a tiny bottle of my favorite perfume.
• “I didn’t know what you’d need,” he says, slightly breathless. “So I got everything.”
• A small, tired smile tugs at my lips. “You didn’t have to…”
• His gaze sharpens. “Have you been crying?” He tilts my chin up with gentle fingers.
• “No. It’s from last night,” I lie, but my voice wavers.
• He studies me for a beat longer before his expression softens. “I have something for you.”
• He pulls a sleek new phone from one of the bags and places it in my hand. “Your old one’s bad, so… this is yours now.”
• I blink at him. I hadn’t told him about the phone. He must have noticed the shattered pieces. My chest aches all over again. “Thank you. I feel like I’ve lost everything.”
• “You have me,” he says firmly, threading his fingers through mine. “And I promise...that’s enough. Once you and I get married, we’ll live here. No one will touch us.”
• “As long as I’m with you,” I whisper, “it doesn’t matter where I am.”
• He exhales, as if my words steady him. “I’ve got a meeting at six. My mother’s been pulling strings… there’s a good chance I’ll be able to seize full control of the company assets. If that happens, no one can use my inheritance to trap me into marrying Alora.”
• His thumb strokes over my knuckles, slowly. “When I succeed, we’ll disappear for a month. Just you and me. We’ll get married quietly, come back when everything’s untouchable.”
• “Would you really do that?”
• He smiles faintly. “I’d do anything to be with you.”
• As he speaks, his eyes catch on the bruise on my arm. His jaw tightens. “When did this happen?”
• “When I was thrown out… I scraped it on the floor.”
• His lips press into a thin line. Without another word, he disappears, and returns with a first aid kit. His hands are warm, careful, as he cleans the wound. I don’t look away from him once.
• “You must be starving,” he says when he’s done. “I’ll make breakfast...your favorite. I bought all the ingredients.”
• A genuine smile escapes me. “It’s a good thing I taught you how to make it back then.”
• “Sit,” he says, tying an apron around his waist. “Five-star service, just for you.”
• I watch him from the sofa, the rich scent of garlic and butter slowly filling the air. This… this is what safety feels like.
• When the table is set, he pulls out my chair. I settle in, and before I can ask, he says, “Want me to feed you?”
• “How did you know?”
• He grins. “Maybe I am a mind reader.”
• Between bites, he studies me closely. “You’ve got dark circles under your eyes. I hate it. Once I leave for the meeting, promise me you’ll sleep.”
• “I promise.”
• But deep down, I know sleep won’t come easily...not while the weight of tomorrow still hangs between us.