His for a year. - Chapter 21: Chapter 21
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My heart picked up its pace. Had he seen us? Heard us? What did he think?
Few minutes later, my phone buzzed.
Zade: Come to my office.
I blinked at the message, a sudden wave of anxiety surging through me.
“He saw us,” I muttered.
Ray didn’t respond. He just tightened the lid on the ointment jar, then gently helped me off the chaise.
I offered a small nod, then pulled on a long sleeve to cover the wound.
When I stepped into Zade’s office, my heart dropped.
Anna was already there.
She stood by the window, arms crossed, expression as sharp as the stilettos she never seemed to take off. Zade leaned against his desk, jaw tight, eyes unreadable.
“Repeat what you said,” he said flatly, not looking at me. “About Anna.”
I hesitated. Anna turned slowly toward me, her eyeliner making her eyes sharp and scary, her lips curled into the same venomous straight smile she always wore when she was pretending to be kind.
“I... I told you last time,” I began cautiously, “I saw Anna go into your room the night you weren't home. She placed something on your work desk. A USB. That’s what I saw.”
Anna’s brows arched. She laughed softly, a sound so controlled it sounded rehearsed.
“Zade, I’ve been with your family for over twenty-five years,” she said, stepping forward, eyes still on him. “I held your hand when your brother passed. I stayed by your father’s side when this entire empire was just three clients and a loan. And now, she thinks I’m trying to sabotage you? Does that make any sense?”
Her tone was gentle, wrapped in concern and loyalty. So manipulative.
Her eyes flicked to me with pure warning. I saw it. The threat.
Zade looked at me then—really looked at me.
His gaze wasn’t soft. It was sharp, fogged over by jealousy, pride and anger all rolled into one explosive knot.
“She’s been loyal to this family longer than we’ve been alive,” he said, voice low and tight. “You think I’d believe you over her?”
“But what she’s saying doesn’t even add up!” I shot back, stepping forward despite the burning in my elbow. “I don’t have anything against your family. I just said what I saw. This doesn’t make sense!”
“You don’t think I saw you with Ray?” His voice rose just slightly, just enough to cut through me. “You think I don’t notice how close you’ve gotten? First your brother, then your father, now trying to pin things on Anna? What’s next, Olive?”
“That’s not fair,” I said, my throat tightening. “He was helping me with my injury. An injury you gave me.”
Anna gasped in mock horror. “Oh, Zade—”
“Enough!” he snapped, making both of us flinch. His eyes landed on me again. “Don’t you dare try to put us against one another in this family again. If I find out you’re playing any kind of game behind my back, I won’t hesitate to face you myself.”
It was the way he said “face you” that crushed me. Like I was the enemy. Like I’d crossed an invisible line.
My chest caved inward, everything unraveling at once. Realising how much pain my biological family had placed onto me.
Tears burned behind my eyes but I refused to cry in front of Anna. I turned away, my fists clenched at my side.
Then I walked out. Fast. Before the sob could rip from my throat.
I walked towards the garden just behind my room. The atmosphere wrapped itself around me like a warm, leafy embrace—soft winds rustling through jasmine vines, their scent sweet and nostalgic, like childhood summers. I sat alone on the stone bench near the rose trellis, where pink and white blooms curled toward the golden sun. It was quiet. I let the tears flow gently how it wanted.
I rubbed my palms together, trying to fight the tremor in my fingertips. The wound beneath my sleeve pulsed with dull heat, but it wasn’t the pain that lingered—it was Zade’s words. His warning. The look in his eyes like I had never been anything more than a well-disguised threat.
The stone under me was cold despite the warm day. I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, trying to breathe past the tight knot in my chest. The silence helped a little.
Or it did… until I heard footsteps.
Soft, measured. Not in a hurry.
I didn’t look up. Not yet. But I wiped the tears off my face.
“Mind if I join you?” came a voice that was unmistakably charming.
I looked up, blinking twice to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.
Leo Parker. Just casually taking a stroll in Zade's backyard.
I cleared my throat, sitting up straighter. “Sure,” I said quickly, wiping my hands on my dress and trying not to look like a mess.
He gave me a kind smile and sat beside me, not too close, just enough to be companionable. He wore white joggers and a loose navy tee, his curls pushed back by a headband like he hadn’t just filmed a billion-dollar franchise two months ago.
“You looked like you were either solving a national crisis or writing a breakup song,” he teased lightly, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.
I chuckled awkwardly. “Probably a little of both.”
“Mind if I ask which one?”
I shook my head, gaze fixed on the petals falling gently from the rosebush. “It’s nothing serious. Just… drama.”
He leaned back on the bench, arms stretched across the top. “You’re a terrible liar.”
That made me smile, even if only slightly. “I’ve been told that a lot lately.”
There was a beat of silence before he said, “I’ve known Zade since he was five. Watched him grow up through some pretty rough storms. That man... he’s got walls built like a fortress, but it’s not because he wants to keep people out. It’s because no one taught him how to let people in.”
I swallowed hard. “He’s... very complicated.”
Leo nodded. “More than you know. And not always in the ways you’d expect. But one thing I’ll say—he doesn’t hurt easily. If he’s lashing out, it’s only because something inside him feels threatened.”
I looked at him then, really looked. His eyes weren’t star-studded or theatrical. They were warm. Real.
“You seem to know him well,” I murmured.
“I do,” he said softly. “And I know you didn’t come into this thinking it would be what it’s turned into.”
My throat caught.
He smiled faintly. “I also know about the contract.”
I froze.
“I wasn’t snooping,” he added quickly, raising a hand. “Zade mentioned it a week ago, during one of his ‘don’t ask me about my feelings’ rants. I didn’t think he would actually do anything like this.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“You’re not just anyone,” he said, glancing toward the house. “Zade could’ve picked someone easier. More obedient. But he chose you. Maybe even against his better judgment. Which says a lot more than he thinks.”
I looked away, embarrassed by how easily tears threatened again. “He thinks I’m trying to ruin his family. That I planned all of this. That I lured him to ruin him.”
Leo shook his head gently. “He doesn’t really believe that. He’s scared. Of what you could mean to him. Of what he could lose if he lets his guard down.”
I let out a shaky breath, blinking up at the sky. “You make him sound like a wounded animal.”
He laughed. “He kind of is. A very rich, emotionally drained lion.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out.
“There it is,” Leo said, nudging my arm. “That’s the smile I tried bringing out.”
My cheeks warmed. “Thanks. I needed this.”
He stood up and stretched. “And hey—cheer up. The launch is next week, that's two days from today. Zade’s been working like crazy behind the scenes, and your face is going to be all over that campaign.”
I blinked. “I don't know about that. No one tells me anything till it happens...”
He grinned. “Don’t let the drama dim your shine, Olive. You’ve got more power than you think. Use it.”
And with that, he turned and jogged toward the path that led back to the house, leaving me there with sunlight, rose petals, and a strange sense of peace I hadn’t felt in days.
_ _ _
It'd been two days already.The launch day came wrapped in pressure and tension. Zade and I hadn't talked about anything, he didn't even tell me about the launch, Anna did.
Anna had been especially involved, fluttering around me like a stylist, more like a prison warden, laying out the black sequined gown like it was couture magic. But one glance at it and I knew—it wasn’t me. The neckline plunged too deep, the back dipped to my waist, and the slit ran up despite it being a short dress. Paired with the dagger-like stilettos Anna placed beside it, the outfit felt like a trap disguised as fashion.
“I don’t think I can wear this,” I murmured, holding the hanger loosely. “It’s too… uncomfortable, it’s not me.”
Anna’s face turned sharply from pleasant to poisonous. “It’s what Zade would expect. And what the press will love. You’re his wife, remember? The CEO's wife! Act like it.”
“I can act like it without flashing my spine,” I snapped, my patience thinning.
But Anna didn’t flinch. She stepped closer, voice low and firm. “You’ve been given the privilege of standing beside a man people would kill to breathe next to. So wear the dress, wear the heels and smile like you’re the reason he’s winning.”
She left the room, heels clicking like a gavel of final judgment.
We stepped onto the red carpet like a dream couple sculpted by PR gods.
His hand settled confidently on my lower back, and I leaned in just enough to play the part. The cameras flashed. The crowd admired. Every gaze was intense—him, the cold visionary genius; me, the breathtaking mystery by his side.
The launch of AvnerTech’s new platform had drawn investors, tech magnates, celebrities, influencers, and journalists from both coasts.
Zade was welcomed to the stage minutes after we got in. He stood on the stage, with me by his side, flawless in a sharp tux, delivering his speech with that signature steel-edged calm. I smiled when appropriate, nodded when expected, and tried not to fall over in the heels that felt like punishment.
After his speech, I slipped away as he shook hands with people and talked business.
I found the restroom and leaned heavily against the cool marble sink, kicking off the heels with a sigh of relief. My toes throbbed. My feet had turned red. I adjusted the bodice of my dress and gave myself a quick look in the mirror.
I barely had time to breathe or process my thoughts before the door swung open.
Zara.
I stiffened immediately. She was stunning—tall, fierce, and sharp in the eyes like her brother. But the disdain radiating off her was thick enough to drown in.
“So this is where the gold-diggers hide after collecting their prizes,” Zara said with a smirk, arms folded across her short green armless dress.
I blinked, unsure how to respond.
She stepped closer, her smile turning cruel. “Anna told me everything. About your father. About what your family did to ours. And now, here you are, playing wife to Zade like your name doesn’t reek of betrayal.”
I swallowed hard. “I didn’t—”
“Don’t lie.” Her voice was low but venomous. “I don’t care what sob story you’ve fed him. If you care about your life—or his—you’ll pack your things and disappear before you ruin him.”
My hands trembled, but I didn’t let my voice waver. “I’m not here to ruin anyone.”
Zara narrowed her eyes. “You’re here to rot us from the inside. Turn us against each other. But I see you. And I won’t let that happen.”
I turned away, wearing my heels quietly. There was no use fighting in a room that echoed with hatred. I opened the door to leave.
But Zara followed. I could hear her heels clicking behind me.
But I walked, steadily, keeping my composure. Music thrummed low in the background, waiters passed around champagne flutes, and guests chatted beneath twinkling chandeliers.
As soon as I stepped into the door, Zara grabbed my wrist and spun me around like a marionette.
Before I could react, a resounding slap echoed across the room.
The noise sliced through the conversations like a blade. Gasps filled the air. Heads turned.
I lost my balance and fell, cheek stinging, eyes wide.
Zara’s hand was still raised, her face unreadable. But all around us, the world had stopped watching the product—and started watching us.
Few minutes later, my phone buzzed.
Zade: Come to my office.
I blinked at the message, a sudden wave of anxiety surging through me.
“He saw us,” I muttered.
Ray didn’t respond. He just tightened the lid on the ointment jar, then gently helped me off the chaise.
I offered a small nod, then pulled on a long sleeve to cover the wound.
When I stepped into Zade’s office, my heart dropped.
Anna was already there.
She stood by the window, arms crossed, expression as sharp as the stilettos she never seemed to take off. Zade leaned against his desk, jaw tight, eyes unreadable.
“Repeat what you said,” he said flatly, not looking at me. “About Anna.”
I hesitated. Anna turned slowly toward me, her eyeliner making her eyes sharp and scary, her lips curled into the same venomous straight smile she always wore when she was pretending to be kind.
“I... I told you last time,” I began cautiously, “I saw Anna go into your room the night you weren't home. She placed something on your work desk. A USB. That’s what I saw.”
Anna’s brows arched. She laughed softly, a sound so controlled it sounded rehearsed.
“Zade, I’ve been with your family for over twenty-five years,” she said, stepping forward, eyes still on him. “I held your hand when your brother passed. I stayed by your father’s side when this entire empire was just three clients and a loan. And now, she thinks I’m trying to sabotage you? Does that make any sense?”
Her tone was gentle, wrapped in concern and loyalty. So manipulative.
Her eyes flicked to me with pure warning. I saw it. The threat.
Zade looked at me then—really looked at me.
His gaze wasn’t soft. It was sharp, fogged over by jealousy, pride and anger all rolled into one explosive knot.
“She’s been loyal to this family longer than we’ve been alive,” he said, voice low and tight. “You think I’d believe you over her?”
“But what she’s saying doesn’t even add up!” I shot back, stepping forward despite the burning in my elbow. “I don’t have anything against your family. I just said what I saw. This doesn’t make sense!”
“You don’t think I saw you with Ray?” His voice rose just slightly, just enough to cut through me. “You think I don’t notice how close you’ve gotten? First your brother, then your father, now trying to pin things on Anna? What’s next, Olive?”
“That’s not fair,” I said, my throat tightening. “He was helping me with my injury. An injury you gave me.”
Anna gasped in mock horror. “Oh, Zade—”
“Enough!” he snapped, making both of us flinch. His eyes landed on me again. “Don’t you dare try to put us against one another in this family again. If I find out you’re playing any kind of game behind my back, I won’t hesitate to face you myself.”
It was the way he said “face you” that crushed me. Like I was the enemy. Like I’d crossed an invisible line.
My chest caved inward, everything unraveling at once. Realising how much pain my biological family had placed onto me.
Tears burned behind my eyes but I refused to cry in front of Anna. I turned away, my fists clenched at my side.
Then I walked out. Fast. Before the sob could rip from my throat.
I walked towards the garden just behind my room. The atmosphere wrapped itself around me like a warm, leafy embrace—soft winds rustling through jasmine vines, their scent sweet and nostalgic, like childhood summers. I sat alone on the stone bench near the rose trellis, where pink and white blooms curled toward the golden sun. It was quiet. I let the tears flow gently how it wanted.
I rubbed my palms together, trying to fight the tremor in my fingertips. The wound beneath my sleeve pulsed with dull heat, but it wasn’t the pain that lingered—it was Zade’s words. His warning. The look in his eyes like I had never been anything more than a well-disguised threat.
The stone under me was cold despite the warm day. I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, trying to breathe past the tight knot in my chest. The silence helped a little.
Or it did… until I heard footsteps.
Soft, measured. Not in a hurry.
I didn’t look up. Not yet. But I wiped the tears off my face.
“Mind if I join you?” came a voice that was unmistakably charming.
I looked up, blinking twice to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.
Leo Parker. Just casually taking a stroll in Zade's backyard.
I cleared my throat, sitting up straighter. “Sure,” I said quickly, wiping my hands on my dress and trying not to look like a mess.
He gave me a kind smile and sat beside me, not too close, just enough to be companionable. He wore white joggers and a loose navy tee, his curls pushed back by a headband like he hadn’t just filmed a billion-dollar franchise two months ago.
“You looked like you were either solving a national crisis or writing a breakup song,” he teased lightly, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.
I chuckled awkwardly. “Probably a little of both.”
“Mind if I ask which one?”
I shook my head, gaze fixed on the petals falling gently from the rosebush. “It’s nothing serious. Just… drama.”
He leaned back on the bench, arms stretched across the top. “You’re a terrible liar.”
That made me smile, even if only slightly. “I’ve been told that a lot lately.”
There was a beat of silence before he said, “I’ve known Zade since he was five. Watched him grow up through some pretty rough storms. That man... he’s got walls built like a fortress, but it’s not because he wants to keep people out. It’s because no one taught him how to let people in.”
I swallowed hard. “He’s... very complicated.”
Leo nodded. “More than you know. And not always in the ways you’d expect. But one thing I’ll say—he doesn’t hurt easily. If he’s lashing out, it’s only because something inside him feels threatened.”
I looked at him then, really looked. His eyes weren’t star-studded or theatrical. They were warm. Real.
“You seem to know him well,” I murmured.
“I do,” he said softly. “And I know you didn’t come into this thinking it would be what it’s turned into.”
My throat caught.
He smiled faintly. “I also know about the contract.”
I froze.
“I wasn’t snooping,” he added quickly, raising a hand. “Zade mentioned it a week ago, during one of his ‘don’t ask me about my feelings’ rants. I didn’t think he would actually do anything like this.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“You’re not just anyone,” he said, glancing toward the house. “Zade could’ve picked someone easier. More obedient. But he chose you. Maybe even against his better judgment. Which says a lot more than he thinks.”
I looked away, embarrassed by how easily tears threatened again. “He thinks I’m trying to ruin his family. That I planned all of this. That I lured him to ruin him.”
Leo shook his head gently. “He doesn’t really believe that. He’s scared. Of what you could mean to him. Of what he could lose if he lets his guard down.”
I let out a shaky breath, blinking up at the sky. “You make him sound like a wounded animal.”
He laughed. “He kind of is. A very rich, emotionally drained lion.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out.
“There it is,” Leo said, nudging my arm. “That’s the smile I tried bringing out.”
My cheeks warmed. “Thanks. I needed this.”
He stood up and stretched. “And hey—cheer up. The launch is next week, that's two days from today. Zade’s been working like crazy behind the scenes, and your face is going to be all over that campaign.”
I blinked. “I don't know about that. No one tells me anything till it happens...”
He grinned. “Don’t let the drama dim your shine, Olive. You’ve got more power than you think. Use it.”
And with that, he turned and jogged toward the path that led back to the house, leaving me there with sunlight, rose petals, and a strange sense of peace I hadn’t felt in days.
_ _ _
It'd been two days already.The launch day came wrapped in pressure and tension. Zade and I hadn't talked about anything, he didn't even tell me about the launch, Anna did.
Anna had been especially involved, fluttering around me like a stylist, more like a prison warden, laying out the black sequined gown like it was couture magic. But one glance at it and I knew—it wasn’t me. The neckline plunged too deep, the back dipped to my waist, and the slit ran up despite it being a short dress. Paired with the dagger-like stilettos Anna placed beside it, the outfit felt like a trap disguised as fashion.
“I don’t think I can wear this,” I murmured, holding the hanger loosely. “It’s too… uncomfortable, it’s not me.”
Anna’s face turned sharply from pleasant to poisonous. “It’s what Zade would expect. And what the press will love. You’re his wife, remember? The CEO's wife! Act like it.”
“I can act like it without flashing my spine,” I snapped, my patience thinning.
But Anna didn’t flinch. She stepped closer, voice low and firm. “You’ve been given the privilege of standing beside a man people would kill to breathe next to. So wear the dress, wear the heels and smile like you’re the reason he’s winning.”
She left the room, heels clicking like a gavel of final judgment.
We stepped onto the red carpet like a dream couple sculpted by PR gods.
His hand settled confidently on my lower back, and I leaned in just enough to play the part. The cameras flashed. The crowd admired. Every gaze was intense—him, the cold visionary genius; me, the breathtaking mystery by his side.
The launch of AvnerTech’s new platform had drawn investors, tech magnates, celebrities, influencers, and journalists from both coasts.
Zade was welcomed to the stage minutes after we got in. He stood on the stage, with me by his side, flawless in a sharp tux, delivering his speech with that signature steel-edged calm. I smiled when appropriate, nodded when expected, and tried not to fall over in the heels that felt like punishment.
After his speech, I slipped away as he shook hands with people and talked business.
I found the restroom and leaned heavily against the cool marble sink, kicking off the heels with a sigh of relief. My toes throbbed. My feet had turned red. I adjusted the bodice of my dress and gave myself a quick look in the mirror.
I barely had time to breathe or process my thoughts before the door swung open.
Zara.
I stiffened immediately. She was stunning—tall, fierce, and sharp in the eyes like her brother. But the disdain radiating off her was thick enough to drown in.
“So this is where the gold-diggers hide after collecting their prizes,” Zara said with a smirk, arms folded across her short green armless dress.
I blinked, unsure how to respond.
She stepped closer, her smile turning cruel. “Anna told me everything. About your father. About what your family did to ours. And now, here you are, playing wife to Zade like your name doesn’t reek of betrayal.”
I swallowed hard. “I didn’t—”
“Don’t lie.” Her voice was low but venomous. “I don’t care what sob story you’ve fed him. If you care about your life—or his—you’ll pack your things and disappear before you ruin him.”
My hands trembled, but I didn’t let my voice waver. “I’m not here to ruin anyone.”
Zara narrowed her eyes. “You’re here to rot us from the inside. Turn us against each other. But I see you. And I won’t let that happen.”
I turned away, wearing my heels quietly. There was no use fighting in a room that echoed with hatred. I opened the door to leave.
But Zara followed. I could hear her heels clicking behind me.
But I walked, steadily, keeping my composure. Music thrummed low in the background, waiters passed around champagne flutes, and guests chatted beneath twinkling chandeliers.
As soon as I stepped into the door, Zara grabbed my wrist and spun me around like a marionette.
Before I could react, a resounding slap echoed across the room.
The noise sliced through the conversations like a blade. Gasps filled the air. Heads turned.
I lost my balance and fell, cheek stinging, eyes wide.
Zara’s hand was still raised, her face unreadable. But all around us, the world had stopped watching the product—and started watching us.
End of His for a year. Chapter 21. Continue reading Chapter 22 or return to His for a year. book page.