On the way back, we rode in Zach’s car.
Cooper had his own little car seat in the back.
I hesitated for a while, replaying the scene in Zach’s office in my mind. I finally decided to
sit in the back seat.
Just as my hand reached for the door handle, Zach’s voice came from the front.
“Do you think I’m your chauffeur?”
I froze, then awkwardly released the handle and tried to play it cool.
“No, I just… wanted to check out the view from the backseat.”
Zach gave me a side–eye, the kind of look you give someone when you think they’re being ridiculous.
We drove in silence for a while. Cooper fell asleep almost immediately, his little head
resting against the side of his car seat.
The car ride was quiet, almost too quiet. The air between Zach and me felt thick with
tension.
“Zach, why did you marry me?”
09:32 Sun, 29 Jun BO
<
I couldn’t hold back my curiosity any longer. The question had been burning in my mind
ever since I woke up in that hospital.
Zach kept his eyes on the road, not even glancing in my direction. His tone was calm,
almost casual, as if we were discussing the weather.
“Does it really matter now?”
He was right, I guess. What difference did it make? After all, we were on the brink of
divorce.
When we finally got home, Zach disappeared into his study, and I spent the rest of the evening alone. We didn’t cross paths again until much later.
I bathed Cooper, dressed him in his pajamas, and tucked him into bed. As I quietly closed his bedroom door, I found Zach standing right in front of me.
“Cooper’s asleep?”
“Yeah,” I nodded, unsure of what else to say.
“You’ve had a long day. You should get some rest,” I added, ready to retreat to my temporary bedroom in the guest room.
But just as I passed him, Zach grabbed my wrist.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I blinked, confused.
“To the guest room?”
Zach frowned, his expression darkening.
“Mrs. Warren, are you planning on moving out of our bedroom already? I’d like to remind you, we haven’t even finalized the divorce.”
“It’s not that… It’s just that the nanny mentioned that we…”
<
୪୪ %
“So you just believe whatever someone else tells you? Don’t you have your own judgment?”
His question left me speechless.
Of course, I had no judgment. How could I? I had no memory of any of this.
But the way Zach phrased it made it sound like we used to sleep in the same bed before.
I had no choice but to go back to the guest room, grab my pillow, and return to the master bedroom, where I would now share a bed with Zach.
This was the first time I was fully aware, and I was going to sleep next to Zach. My nerves
were on high alert.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom, and my imagination started
running wild. I pictured Zach showering, water running down his toned body, and my heart
started to race. My face grew hotter by the second.
Oh, come on!
There’s no way I’m getting any sleep tonight!
I was about to get up and sneak back to the guest room when the bathroom door swung
open.
Zach walked out, still dripping wet, with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. His muscular chest and defined abs were on full display, water droplets trickling down his
skin.
I swallowed hard, feeling my face turn a deeper shade of red.
Without thinking, I dove back under the covers, pulling the blanket over my head.
“This is just an illusion… an illusion…”
From under the blanket, I could hear Zach’s low chuckle, which only made me more
flustered.
09:32 Sun, 29 Jun B
<
88%
A few moments later, I felt the mattress dip as Zach climbed into bed beside me.
“You know, sleeping with the blanket over your head isn’t good for your breathing.”
Before I could react, Zach pulled the blanket down, revealing my flushed face. In one swift motion, he tugged me into his arms, holding me close.
“Goodnight.”
His voice was calm, but my heart was racing out of control.
I could hear his heartbeat right next to me, strong and steady. His body heat radiated through the thin layers of fabric separating us.
I was frozen, too nervous to move. My entire body felt like a boiled shrimp, curled his embrace.
up
in
Eventually, his breathing evened out, and I dared to peek up at him.
Asleep, Zach looked so much gentler, his usual cold demeanor replaced by a soft, almost boyish tranquility.
Like a prince from a fairytale, so handsome it was hard to look away.
“Can’t sleep? Or do you have something else on your mind?” His voice startled me, deep and teasing.
I quickly shut my eyes and buried my face against his chest.
“I’m already asleep!”
But despite my embarrassment, the warmth of his arms and the sound of his heartbeat soon lulled me into a peaceful slumber.
As I drifted off, one thought lingered in my mind: this… doesn’t feel like we’re on the verge of divorce.
<
