Let's Have A Baby

Zara's gaze rose to meet the man cloaked in a white suit; his eyes bored into hers like icy daggers, his frosty glare freezing her very soul.

Adrenaline spread through her veins as she swallowed hard.

"What are you doing here, Zane?" Zayden asked once more, this time with a more demanding tone as deep lines furrowed between his brows.

"She came here to—" Before Jackson, the young officer, could finish his sentence, Zara covered his mouth, stopping him from completing his words.

Zayden's brows furrowed even more, his eyes nearly popping out. He clenched his fist behind his back, unable to bear the fact that Zara was close to another man. He moved closer and pulled her away from him, gripping her waist tightly.

With her body pressed against his, he whispered, "Little pumpkin, did you forget the rules?"

His breath caressed her ear, warmth radiating from his body. Her cheeks turned crimson from the heat of Zayden's closeness.

"Party B shouldn't be seen in any situation with another man," the words echoed in her mind.

She tilted her head and cursed under her breath before facing Zayden. Batting her eyelashes, she asked, acting cutely, "Can you let this go just once? Please?"

Zayden stared at her, dumbfounded, watching her blink her eyelashes as she held the edge of his suit and swung it slowly, her face flushed red.

She batted her eyelashes, her bright black eyes sparkling with playful innocence. Her lips curled into a soft smile, and she tilted her head to one side, her long hair cascading down like a waterfall.

"Please?" she whispered, her voice barely audible but laced with a hint of puppy-like pleading, her hands clasped to the edge of Zayden's white shirt as she playfully swung.

Zayden couldn't help but want to give in, seeing her act this way.

It took great effort for Zayden to stop the "yes" from slipping out.

"No, Wifey," he said, playfully nudging her nose.

She thought that if Zayden knew her reason for coming here, her little secret would probably come to light before twelve months were up. So, she thought lying was the best option.

Seeing Zayden nod in agreement, she sighed in relief.

"Let's go home then, Wifey," he said as he pulled Zara possessively.

She couldn't say goodbye to Jackson due to Zayden lifting her like a bride.

He set her down when they reached the car door. He then opened it, urging her inside.

Zara bit her lip hesitantly, remembering he was still going to punish her. She couldn't help but wonder how he planned to do it.

"Should I lift you up, little pumpkin?" Zayden asked, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

Drawn out of her thoughts, she entered the white Rolls Royce immediately.

****

The air inside the car was thick with unspoken words, heavy with the weight of Zayden's silence.

The soft hum of the vehicle and the occasional tick of the turn signal broke the silence.

Zara's hands gripped the seat, her knuckles turning white from the fear of being punished.

She tried to dismiss her thoughts of what kind of punishment she might receive when they got home.

She imagined all sorts of things Zayden could do to her, like being buried alive. The thought made her nauseous, and she wished the journey would never end.

Her eyes remained fixed outside the window, avoiding Zayden's face.

Zayden's jaw clenched, his gaze fixed on Zara. He was angry that all she did was remain silent. He wanted to speak as she always did, yet the silence prolonged.

He wondered what her relationship was with the man he met at the station and what could be the reason Zara would go there?

He was about to speak when Ryan hit a pothole. Zara, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, nearly fell forward, but thankfully she hadn't hit her head due to Zayden's grip on her waist.

Immediately, she pulled away from him. Murmuring a "thank you," she sat upright.

She tried to fix the seatbelt, but her efforts were in vain. He moved closer, his body brushing hers, his warm breath tickling her ear and sending a tantalizing sensation through her. He gently fixed the seatbelt for her without saying a word.

---

The car came to an abrupt stop, jolting Zara out of her anxious thoughts.

She swallowed hard, her gaze drifting toward the door as it swung open, Zayden's scent lingering close by, a reminder of his presence.

Is he going to bury me? she thought, her mind a chaotic jumble. Or cut my head off? The grim possibilities echoed in her mind, each one more dreadful.

"Won't you come out, little pumpkin?" Zayden's voice sliced through her thoughts, casual yet unyielding, his gaze fixed on her with unsettling intensity.

He could probably read every thought written across her face, and he seemed to savor it as his lips curled up into a sinister smile, as if it was all just another game to him.

Taking a deep, long breath, she bit her lip and slid out of the car, feeling the door close behind her with a harsh thud that made her flinch.

She trailed behind him, her steps slow and hesitant as she followed him inside.

The grand living room was dim, shadows cast by the cold chandeliers that hung high on the ceiling. Her mind raced as she fought to think of any way to escape his inevitable punishment. Maybe if she could just talk her way out of it...

The butler greeted her with a warm smile, oblivious to her plight.

"Did you enjoy your outing, Miss Zane?" he asked, curious yet polite, clearly wanting to know why they'd been to the court bureau.

Zara forced a nod, glancing around, relief washing over her when she saw Zayden had disappeared from her view.

She sighed, letting herself breathe for a moment. But before she could even take a step, the very voice she had been avoiding cut through the silence behind her.

"You mean Mrs. Wellington, Robert," Zayden corrected, his voice steely and cold, brows furrowed as he stepped out from the shadows.

Robert's eyes widened in disbelief, his face a mask of shock. He seemed at a loss for words, looking from Zara to Zayden with open confusion.

His boss got married? The thought alone was inconceivable.

But any denial vanished as soon as he saw Zayden stride over to Zara, sweeping her into his arms like some sort of possession.

Even in his shock, Robert couldn't help but smile widely as he watched his usually guarded boss carry her toward the staircase.

"I must be getting old," Robert muttered with a shake of his head as he watched Zara wrap her hands around Zayden in a submissive manner.

Once they reached the master bedroom, Zayden carefully placed her on the bed. Zara's heart raced as she closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer to be spared for the next eleven months.

Zayden still had the teasing smile on his lips. He loved how her thoughts were turning dangerously in his favor, and he wanted to tease her in a way that would please him.

But before he could speak, Zara blurted out in a low voice, "Let's have a baby."

Her gaze remained fixed on her hands, which were trembling slightly in her lap as they turned even whiter.

She hadn't planned to say it this way, but if it could distract him—maybe, just maybe, it would give her a way to survive for the next eleven months.