CHAPTER (VIII)

Outside, he was about to flag down a cab but she suggested they walk, the restaurant was in both their neighborhoods.

"My place is minutes away from here," Kaida told him. "I'm sure we'll manage." She added with a chuckle.

He agreed, he was glad she had suggested the idea, that way they could spend a little bit more time together. God knows when they would meet next with both of them having crazy work schedules. The sky above them had darkened, with rain clouds forming, billowing with impending showers as nature prepared for a refreshing downpour. That didn't bother them, they were confident they were going to make it to her place before it rained. Like the gentleman that he was, he offered her his jacket for additional warmth despite her insistence that she was okay.

Her right hand was gently wrapped around his left arm as they strolled along. She had feared it might have made him uncomfortable but what it did was quite the opposite.

"Can I ask you something?" She inquired.

"Yeah, anything."

"You never talk about your family." She pointed out. "Can I ask why?"

Never in a million years would he have imagined that was the question she would ask. He took a minute before he replied. "Maybe because there's not much to talk about."

"When we first met you mentioned your father and I couldn't help but notice that you had some resentment towards him." She pointed out.

"I wouldn't really call it resentment but you are right." He admitted.

"Why do you feel that way towards him? If you don't mind me asking."

He didn't mind. Maybe if it was someone else, he would have minded but he was obviously biased when it was Kaida. He was genuinely pleased that she wanted to know more, to understand him far beyond the surface.

"He wasn't the most caring father on the planet, he cared more about the family company than he did for his son. He was rarely at home, he would cancel out on plans we had at the last minute saying an urgent business thing came up and we could just reschedule, but that was the end of it. He missed out on lots of my birthdays because he was busy travelling the world for business trips." He took a pause, she didn't try to interrupt his thoughts, just held to his arm and waited. "As soon as I was old enough to understand what the term business meant, he started familiarizing me with the company, he always said that I was its next face and I needed to understand how things worked as early as possible. That was really cruel, him subjecting a child to all that. All I ever wanted was to have a normal childhood, go play with friends, ride bikes, play soccer but he wasn't for the idea. In high school, I took an interest in computer science and did all I could to associate myself with it but dear old dad kept pushing me away from it. He disregarded my dreams and pushed for what he wanted. He had mapped out my whole life, saying he was doing what's best for me."

Her father hadn't been all that perfect but compared to Kian's dad, he had been a better father. She felt bad that that was the kind of childhood he had. "I'm really sorry you went through that." She muttered.

"Now you understand why he isn't my favorite person in the universe."

"What about your mother?" She wondered. Surely, she must have had your back.

"She was no better. If anything, I think she was worse. She lived under his shadow, rarely questioned him. When he pushed me into the company, she would always say, 'dad is just doing what's best for, he wants you to have a good future.'" He paused once again. "I would ask her what about the things I wanted and the ambitions I had, she would say I was too young to know what I wanted. I understand what they were trying to do but they could've at least paid a little attention to what I wanted." He finished.

She couldn't blame him for feeling the way he did about that, that was no way to bring up a child.

A soft drizzle began to descend. The sound of raindrops echoed, creating a serene symphony. The streets shimmered with reflections, and suddenly there were umbrellas all over. The light drizzle was quickly escalating, causing everyone to hasten their steps.

"My place is nearer," Kian mentioned. "We can go wait out the rain if you don't mind." He suggested as she pulled his jacket over her head. With a quick nod. She agreed.

As the rain intensified, Kaida struggled with her high heels, feeling flustered. In a surprising gesture, Kian knelt before her, gently removing the heels. She looked at him with wonder, flattered by all the little things that he did for her. He rose to his feet and their eyes locked, unspoken tension enveloping them. 

A man running for shelter brushed shoulders with Kian, almost knocking him off balance, ruining the moment that they had. He offered his arm, and led the way, carrying the heels.

They were dripping by the time they entered the building he lived in, the doorman gave him a wave from behind his desk and watched as the two walked to the elevators.

Kaida entered a realm of amazement as the private elevator doors slid open. She was in awe at what she saw and was far beyond dumbfounded. Kian's apartment on the top floor was nothing short of magnificence. A panoramic view of the city was framed by floor to ceiling windows that were lit up at night. The roomy interior was lavishly decorated and furnished with fine furniture and artwork. Kaida was amazed at the richness and attention to detail that Kian had put into the house. Kian smiled after seeing her reaction, proud that she had been impressed and delighted to share that world with her.

"Who has a private elevator going straight to their house?" she exclaimed, her curiosity piqued.

"Well, if you happen to own the entire building, you can't help but indulge in a little extravagance," he said with a joking grin. "Plus, it's really convenient ." He added.

"You own the building!?" She gasped.

He replied with a smile and welcomed her in. "We need to get your dress in the drier, let me get you a robe."

He showed her to one of the bathrooms and handed her a cozy white bathing robe. She undressed and wrapped the robe around herself, the soft fabric of the robe felt gentle on her skin, making her feel pampered. She had caught her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile as a sense of contentment filled her soul, she appreciated the rare connection they shared. She knew she had found someone who genuinely cared for her well-being. She liked how gentle he was with her, how kind he was to her, how patient he was with her, he never rushed her, never pushed her into anything.

The thought of all the little things he had done for her ever since they had met filled her with an overwhelming sense of affection and admiration for him.

She found him in the kitchen, "You haven't changed." She exclaimed, her wet dress in her hand.

"Umm, yeah, I wanted to fix you a cup of hot chocolate first. It'll help keep you warm." He took a few steps to her and took the dress from her. Their hands had touched but none of them made any effort pulling away, their eyes locked, she saw the kindness in his eyes, the depth of his emotions, and the unspoken connection between them. In that intimate moment, words became irrelevant, their eyes communicated perfectly, saying all the things words couldn't capture.

"Thank you, that is really thoughtful of you." She muttered stepping back.

"It's nothing." He uttered. "Please make yourself comfortable, I'll be with you in a sec I just need to put this in the drier."

A minute later, he walked into the living room with the hot chocolate, he found her settled in one of the velvet chairs. "For the lady." He stated with a warm smile.

He was about pour it into her cup but she stopped him. "Hey, please go get something warm, you have done enough…more than enough. Now go get changed before you catch a cold." That had moved him. He didn't say anything. Just looked at her beautiful face and gave a smile and disappeared into one of the rooms.

In the shower, Kian embraced the warmth of the water on his skin, washing away the day's weariness. The soothing flow eased his mind, leaving him feeling refreshed.

He emerged a few minutes later only to find her eyes closed, sleeping peacefully on the couch. With a gentle smile, he approached her, his steps quiet and careful not to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. His gaze tenderly lingered on her, captivated by her peaceful form on the couch.

With utmost gentleness, Kian scooped her into his arms, her head resting gently on his chest. Carrying her with soft strength, he navigated through the room, their breaths whispering in the quietness. He entered on of the bedrooms and laid her down on the bed and covered her with a warm blanket. He lingered for a moment, admiring her vulnerability and peaceful slumber. He found himself unable to resist the urge to caress a loose strand of hair away from her face. "Sleep well," he whispered softly, before stepping away to leave her to her dreams.