𝐄𝐙𝐄𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐋 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

15

When Jade walked into the coffee shop, one look at her face was all it took for my stomach to twist. She looked exhausted—pale, fragile, like she hadn’t slept a minute. But it was her eyes that hit me hardest. They were puffy, rimmed in red. She’d been crying. Jade wouldn’t admit it, but I knew her too well not to see it.

“What the hell happened?” I blurted as she took the seat across from me. “Did someone die?”

She shook her head slightly, not meeting my gaze. “No one died,” she mumbled.

I leaned in, scanning her face, looking for answers. “Let me guess—you’re thinking about Xavier and that woman again, aren’t you?”

She sighed and handed me her phone in silence. The screen showed Sofia’s latest post, posed and glamorous, flaunting her signature mysterious attitude. As I studied the picture, Xavier was nowhere in sight, but…

“What am I supposed to see here?” I asked, feigning indifference. “All I see are her... well, her ‘assets’ spilling out of that robe.” I raised an eyebrow at Jade, hoping for a reaction.

Jade’s mouth twisted in pain. “Look closer. The watch on the table,” she whispered. “That’s the anniversary gift I gave him. Just a few days ago.”

I swallowed. That was low, even for Sofia. Still, no way was I going to let Jade spiral over this. “Please. That’s got to be a setup,” I scoffed, waving my hand dismissively. “She’s messing with your head. Why else would she post something like this?”

Jade’s eyes turned haunted, her voice barely a whisper. “But… why?”

“Why?” I repeated, exasperated. “Jade, your husband is Xavier Morganthe. Do you know how many women would do anything to be in your shoes? They’d throw themselves at him just for a moment of his attention. He’s rich, gorgeous, powerful... he’s a walking target!”

As I said those words, my thoughts drifted to Ezekiel. No wonder women threw themselves at him, too. But I quickly pushed the thought aside, burying my own dilemma deep. Jade didn’t need to know what I wasn’t ready to admit.

She managed a faint smile. “Seriously? You’d want to marry a Morganthe?”

I laughed, but it sounded hollow even to me. “Nope! I’d rather stay single forever than get tangled up with someone. Marriage? Not for me, not in this lifetime.”

Jade knew me well. She also knew how fiercely I guarded my independence. And I felt a pang of guilt for keeping Ezekiel from her, but I wasn’t ready to open that door. Not when I could barely keep it shut myself.

“Look, Jade,” I said, my voice softening as I took her hand. “You can’t let these women mess with your head. They’re just desperate for attention.”

She dropped her head, her voice small and fragile. “But he doesn’t even look at me, Akira. It’s like… he barely sees me anymore. And when he does, he’s distant. Maybe… maybe he really does have someone else.”

That struck a nerve. I squeezed her hand, feeling a surge of protectiveness. “Listen to me, Jade. You deserve the truth, no matter what. If he’s hiding something, you have the right to know. You’re worth more than this.”

A sad smile tugged at her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s been five years, and I still feel like a stranger to him. What if he’s acting this way so I’ll file for divorce? I can’t lose my rights in the company, Akira. My father’s last wish was for me to protect what’s mine. But… if he really has someone else…”

I thought fast, trying to find something that would lift her up. “Here’s an idea,” I said, keeping my tone light but serious. “Why don’t you just talk to Xavier? Ask him what’s going on. Or ask someone close to him.”

She shook her head. “There’s no one.”

For a second, I almost wanted to bring up Ezekiel. He might know more than she thought. But she’d never mentioned him before, and I wasn’t about to plant new doubts.

I sighed, exasperated. “See? This is why you need to get out more. Has he ever looked at you with… desire?”

She hesitated, embarrassed. “Never.”

I looked at her oversized sweatshirt, her plain black pants. Don’t get me wrong—I loved her just as she was. But maybe it was time Xavier saw her in a new light. “Well, I can see why he hasn’t.”

She shot me a weak glare, and I smirked. “Look, I know you’re not into dressing up or standing out. You almost became a nun, for heaven’s sake.”

“Akira!” She actually managed a laugh, which was a start.

“All I’m saying is, you need to get out of your comfort zone. Do you really want things to stay like this forever?” I paused, watching her. “Come on, Jade, he’s a man. If you’re not there, he might look elsewhere. Is your ‘cave’ even open for business?”

Her face turned beet red. “Akira!”

“For heaven’s sake, Jade, let him do his ‘husbandly duties.’ This isn’t just about protecting your shares—it’s about protecting your place as Mrs. Morganthe. Do you really want to just hand that over to someone else?”

Her eyes flared with a new resolve, and she shook her head.

“Then it’s time to step up. Seduce your husband,” I declared, grinning.

“But… how am I supposed to do that?”

I crossed my arms, leaning in. “When’s he coming back?”

“Nine tonight.”

“Perfect. We’ve got time.” I stood up, motioning for her to follow. “First things first, let’s get you a makeover.”

“I don’t—”

“Nope! No ‘I don’t’ and no ‘no.’ You’re trusting me. By the time we’re done, Xavier Morganthe won’t know what hit him.”

She rolled her eyes. “He’s not a dog, Akira.”

“Oh, trust me, he’ll be one once he sees the new Jade Castillo. Now, let’s get you ready to become the irresistible Mrs. Morganthe.”

I didn’t give her a chance to argue as I dragged her toward the exit, her hand firmly in mine. Tonight would mark the start of Jade’s Seduction Mission, and by the end of it, Xavier Morganthe wouldn’t know what hit him.

🤍🤍🤍

I woke up in the middle of the night again, gasping for air, my chest tight and painful. It felt like something was pressing down on me, squeezing the breath out of my lungs. The pain was so intense that for a moment, I thought I might suffocate right there in the dark. My heart raced, and I could feel the sweat trickling down my back as I struggled to breathe. I had to get up—had to do something to ease the pressure building inside me.

With shaky legs, I stumbled toward the bathroom, each step slow and heavy. I reached for the tap, turning it on to let the hot water run. The steam filled the air, and as the warmth washed over me, I hoped it would somehow ease the tightness in my chest. But the relief didn’t come. I stood there, leaning against the sink, trying to steady my breathing, wishing the pain would subside.

Ezekiel.

It’s him again, swirling in my mind like an unstoppable storm. Damn that man for shattering my peace, for making me lose my grip on everything. What did he do to me? Why can’t I just forget him?

Urgh, I hate him!

I hate how he makes my heart race without even trying, how every thought of him ignites something inside me that I don’t want to feel. It’s maddening, the way he’s burrowed under my skin, how his touch lingers even after he’s gone. Why does he have this power over me?

I just want him out of my head, out of my heart. But it’s like I can’t escape him, no matter how hard I try.