𝐄𝐙𝐄𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐋 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

18

Once Xavier and Ezekiel were busy chatting, Jade seized the chance to ask me about Ezekiel.We were inside the washroom. I could already sense her curiosity bubbling, the same way it always did whenever something or someone piqued her interest.

“So, what’s really going on between you and Ezekiel?” she teased, her voice lilting with playful mischief, her eyes narrowing as she tried to draw out the truth from me.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed, though not at her, of course. “Nothing, Jade,” I said, trying to sound casual, even though I could feel a pang in my chest just thinking about him. “I didn’t even know he was a Morganthe back then, let alone Xavier’s cousin.”

Her eyes sparkled with intrigue as she leaned closer. “But he looked at you like he knows you well—more than just a casual meeting,” she pressed, her voice gentle but insistent, like she knew there was more to the story.

I sighed, dropping my lipstick back into my handbag, my fingers lingering there for a moment before I turned to her with a steely look. “All I know is that Ezekiel Morganthe is a shameless womanizer and a complete jerk. I don’t want anything to do with someone like him,” I said, my voice as cold as I could make it, though inside, my heart was pounding.

Jade reached over and held my hand, and I could see in her eyes that she’d caught the flicker of pain I hadn’t managed to fully hide. I quickly looked away, trying to keep the memories of Ezekiel from creeping back to the surface.

“I’m sorry for pushing, Kira-chan,” she said, her tone soft and understanding. “If you say there’s nothing, then I believe you.”

Her gentle acceptance warmed me, and I softened, squeezing her hand. “But you’re not off the hook either,” I teased, shifting the focus. “You haven’t told me anything about you and Xavier.” My eyes brightened with curiosity, eager to turn the tables on her.

She instantly blushed, a rare sight that made me grin. She pushed me away playfully, trying to brush it off. “I’m not telling you anything!”

I laughed, a mischievous glint in my eye. “I can practically smell him on you! So, my best friend’s finally experienced love, huh? I guess your days of becoming a nun are officially over?”

“Akira!” she exclaimed, but despite her embarrassment, she couldn’t help laughing along with me.

As we headed back to our table, our laughter died in our throats. We froze in our tracks when we spotted two women chatting animatedly with Xavier and Ezekiel near the restaurant’s counter. They were leaning in, batting their lashes, clearly enjoying the attention. My jaw clenched. I tried to brush it off, but a pang of something sharp and unwanted twisted in my chest.

Xavier’s gaze flicked up, and he noticed Jade instantly. His expression changed, softening, and he quickly excused himself from the women, striding over to her with a determined look in his eyes. I followed close behind as Jade stepped forward to meet him.

The women’s smiles faded as Xavier wrapped an arm around Jade’s waist, pressing a possessive kiss to her lips. “Ladies, this is my wife, Jade Morganthe,” he introduced, his voice firm with unmistakable pride.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel walked over to me, his smirk infuriatingly confident. Before I could react, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close. I stiffened, anger flaring inside me, but he didn’t stop.

“And ladies, this is my fiancée,” he announced, his voice smooth and casual, like he’d just told them the sky was blue. My eyes widened in shock, a rush of emotions swirling in my chest—anger, confusion, a hint of something dangerously close to hope. How dare he say that?