The Tyrant's Wife

“Is Zaria home?” He immediately asked, trying not to show his disappointment at the fact that Zaria was not the one to open the door.

“No. Do you need something?” She wanted to shut the door in his face. Evan was Desmond’s friend but she hated having to wade him off. Wasn’t it supposed to be common sense to stay the hell away from your friend’s fiancee? Evan’s mind was as twisted as his insane sense of humor.

He didn’t buy it. “She’s home, isn’t she? I only want to discuss business.”

“If that’s the case, you can contact her executive assistant and ask them to help you set up an appointment with her during working hours.” She insisted.

He chuckled. “I didn’t realize executive assistants have their own executive assistants. Preston and Fort Group must be special.”

“It is. Why are you still here?”

“Ximena?” Zaria frowned when she came out of the kitchen and witnessed this spectacle. She had thought it was a delivery for an order she made and had come out to tip, only to find Ximena trying to shoo off their guest with the least amount of patience.

“He doesn’t want to leave.” Ximena complained.

.....

“Zaria, I need to talk to you about something.” Evan grabbed the chance to call for her attention.

“Of course. But can it wait? We are cooking dinner.” She pointed at the kitchen behind her over her shoulder.

“Desmond cooking? Now that’s not something I get to see every day.” He cracked up and welcomed himself to sit in the living room, ignoring Ximena’s glare.

“I’m sure Desmond doesn’t need your help protecting her.” He joked when he saw how ready she was to murder him.

Zaria returned to the kitchen, worried it might turn into a battlefield, but Ximena stayed a little longer.

“You would be six feet underground if I were Desmond.” She remarked.

“But you are not. Lucky me.” He laughed, finding it fun to get under her skin. When she sat opposite him to watch him closely as a last ditch effort to annoy him off, he scoffed. “You are not one of those women who are so in love with their best friends that they get territorial when a man they don’t approve of approached their best friends, right? Do you have some kind of girl crush on Zaria?”

“Very funny.” She .rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. They ignored each other for a while, then she broke the silence. “You know, Zaria’s life hasn’t been easy.”

“I know that.” He shrugged, almost making it sound like he had done some digging. Realizing Ximena would misunderstand, he clarified. “Diamonds do not exist on their own. They are made under pressure. Zaria is a rare diamond. It’s not difficult to imagine the kind of life she must have lived to be as strong as she is.”

“Exactly.” Ximena couldn’t believe she was agreeing with him but she was glad he was getting the point. “So pardon me for not wanting you to ruin what she has achieved.”

“You love her way too much.” He reverted to joking about her girl crush.

She didn’t take it personally. Who could blame her? Zaria was the closest thing to a sibling she had ever had and every good thing that had happened in her life revolved around her. Besides, her godchild was on the way. Of course she would want to protect them.

….

After what felt like ten years but was probably only half an hour, Zaria and Desmond finally left the kitchen with Rosaly a few steps behind them. Desmond asked to set the table while Rosaly took notice of their guest. Her eyes lit up as she ran to Evan and raised her arms to be carried.

Seeing how helpless he looked with the hopeful little girl before him, it was Ximena’s turn to make fun of him. “Pick her up! Don’t you see how much she likes you?”

He resigned to his fate. As expected, it wasn’t long before his hair looked like a chicken coop and he had smudges of paint on his cheeks. Rosaly was making good use of the little time she had with him, taking the chance while her father set the table to paint a unicorn on Evan’s cheek. It could hardly be considered a unicorn. In fact, it looked like a chaotic mess of color.

Zaria couldn’t hold her laughter either. She tried to swallow down her giggles when she came to pick Rosaly up. “Let’s wash our hands, shall we?” She took Rosaly’s hand and helped her down from Evan’s lap.

He watched the two of them leave with longing in his eyes. In his imagination, Rosaly was his daughter and his wife had just come to his rescue, saving him from having to endure another painting session. Only, he was picturing someone else, and his daughter looked like her. The realization was more confusing than anything he had ever thought about. He was not in love with Zaria. He was only longing for what she reminded him of.

With his new realization, it was easier to sit at the table and have dinner with his friend and his family. It had become awkward lately, and he knew Desmond would still grill him if he knew what he had been thinking about. Only a jerk would believe he was in love with his best friend’s woman.

No one asked what he wanted to talk about but considering it was best to discuss it so they would enjoy their dinner with the matter out of the way, he finally faced Zaria. “Gabriel has been seeking Nathaniel.”

“He has?” She was puzzled. “What are the old geezers up to?”

“It’s not unexpected. They both view you as a problem. Maybe they think they can help each other come up with a solution to get rid of you.”

Desmond spoke up before she could process the meaning of it. “Let them conspire in peace. Once we are certain of their plan, we will ruin it and send them to hell while at it.”

He reached into his breast pocket and dug out a folded sheet of paper, which he slid over the table to Zaria.

“What’s this?” She wondered aloud.

“Gabriel’s contact details in case you need them.”

She was about to tell him she already had his email address if she needed to discuss with him but remembered something. Evan knew that. He could only be offering his grandfather’s private contact details for one reason.

She grinned. Zeus would have a field day with this.

…..

Unbeknownst to them, Nathaniel was not only setting up secret meetings with Gabriel. He made sure Lucy was gone for the day and there wouldn’t be any surprise turn of events of her snooping around, then he called his butler over.

“Where is she?” He asked, referring to his new conquest.

“She will be here in a moment.” Answered the butler, though he couldn’t be certain this was a good idea.

Nathaniel rose to his feet. “Time to welcome our guest.”

_____

AN

New volume is coming soon.

New book announcement! Check out Falling for the Wicked Boss for a new enemies to lovers romance book. <3< p>