Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO - Chapter 813

813: Just one chance.

813: Just one chance.

His voice came so gently that it made Zenith’s breath hitch.

And his touch like that made her heart thump harder against her chest.

It rose and fell, making her feel a strange yet familiar nervousness building inside her.  “Sir, you … you have stepped into my space,” she stuttered a little.  “Did I?” he asked, his brows drawing slightly together as though fighting an urge that was hard to explain.

“You haven’t … yet answered my question.

Answer it, and I will step away.” She stared into his eyes; confusion etched across her expression.

She couldn’t tell what he was trying to do.

What was he trying to ask? And why was her answer so important to him?  Swallowing, she tried to regain her composure before finally speaking.

“Sir, I know you don’t trust in all this vanity, but I do.” She paused before continuing, “I came out with David on a date.

And I fear that seeing you bringing me away like this, he might misunderstand.”  Ryan stared down at her, and his lips slowly curved up in slow amusement.

“You really fear that?” he asked as though he didn’t trust that.  And his doubt like that only made Zenith frown.

“Yes, I do fear it.

My family has arranged this date, and I am quite serious about it.” As she finished her words, her gaze darted to look away, finding it hard to stay fixed on his intense pair.  Ryan heard her and took a step away.  The distance came as a relief as it allowed Zenith to finally breathe.

Taking a lungful of air, she finally turned to leave; however, just as she turned her body slightly, Ryan’s voice made her pause once again.  “Serious?” He seemed mocking.

“How did I not find it at all serious on your end?”  She stopped and turned to glance at him with a frown.

“What do you mean, Sir?”  Ryan pursed his lips and let his gaze go up and down at her.

“Nothing.

I am just curious to know just how serious you have been about this silly thing that you chose to wear your usual formals on such a special occasion.”  And it was only that Zenith realized.

Her own gaze went to look at herself.

She hasn’t come dressed for the day at all.

But it was not because she couldn’t, but because she thought it didn’t matter much.  “Effort as dressing up for a date was the basic … a bare minimum, yet you didn’t care to meet it.

Is that how you show that you are serious about this entire thing?” Ryan asked, but it didn’t feel like he was looking for an answer.

Rather, it felt like he was trying to prove something -not just to her, but also to himself.  Zenith couldn’t really tell.

But one thing she could tell -his attitude like that was making her heart race, and it was just reviving the hope inside her that she had lost long back.  “I think you are reading too much into trivial,” she tried to dismiss what he said.

Dressing up doesn’t matter; reality does.

And I wanted him to see the real me.

Real me doesn’t dress up on occasions; instead, I prefer to stay comfortable.

Just the way I am.

Furthermore, soon all this wouldn’t matter, for I think I would agree to him.”  “Agree to what?” Ryan’s tone carried an edge.  Zenith felt it but didn’t care.

There was so much happening inside her that she wanted to get over this once and for all.

And if that gets to happen with her accepting something, she would do it … just to escape.  Turning, she moved her body to face Ryan and repeated.

“Agree to this arrangement.” She paused only to add more to it.

“I might not know David yet, but since the moment I met him, he has done everything to make me feel comfortable.

And that’s rare.

He looks good and I feel that I can spend -”  Before she could finish, Ryan swiftly moved and pushed her against the wall.  “You will go and refuse him now,” he said, and Zenith looked up at him with a frown.  “Why?” she asked.

“Why would I do that?

I have got no reason to -”  Ryan’s lips pressed against her, making her swallow the rest of her words.

She wanted to resist, but before her hands could push him away, his reached to firmly hold her by her waist, deepening their kiss further.  In the end, she stopped resisting and accepted the one thing she had always denied.

Her feelings.

Her heart.  Her arms rested on his shoulders as she felt her instinct follow his movements, his lead.

The kiss might have started rough, but it soon became gentle and soft, conveying the rhythm of both of their heart.

When Ryan finally pulled away, he let his head lean and rest over hers as he let her catch a breath.  “Is that reason enough?” he asked, and Zenith’s brows furrowed.  She pulled herself away and stared up at him.

“What did that mean, sir?” she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

Ryan frowned.

“You didn’t understand?”  “No!

No … I don’t,” she said, pushing him away.

“I don’t understand it at all.” She held her face before moving her hands to press over her eyes.

“I don’t understand what you are actually trying to do?

Why do you have to act that way when … when you don’t actually mean it?”  Ryan stepped forward and tried to hold her hands down.

“I mean it, Zenith.

I mean everything.”  However, she only pushed him away, yanking off her hands.

“No, you don’t.

You don’t.” She shook her head.

“You don’t mean it, actually.

You can’t mean it.”  “Zenith!”  “Sir,” she interrupted him.

Her voice laced with frustration-frustration of letting her emotions take charge.

“You are Ryan Foster, the CEO of Foster Ventures.

You are no simple man.

But I am a simple woman -a woman who can’t be a simple match up with your likes and preferences, no matter how hard I try.

So, I know you don’t mean it at all.”  Ryan’s fingers clenched as he stared at her.

At this moment, it wasn’t her accusation that was hurting him, but it was the way she was reacting.

The way she was trying to refuse everything they both feel for each other.  He might not be sure before.

But the kiss they shared just now was enough to confirm that his feelings weren’t one-sided.

She also felt the same.  “Are you going to refuse what we just shared?” he asked, his brows furrowing deeper.

“The moment, the kiss that we just shared?”  Zenith stared at him.

“Do you want me to believe that kiss meant something?

Then what about your own words?

How do I not believe them?”  “Words?” He asked, confusion etching across his face.

“What words?”  “The words that made me realize that no matter what happens, I can never match up to your taste,” she said, her words tasting like the bitterest on the tongue.

“That even if the world were ending, you wouldn’t touch me.

Not even if I beg or die.”  Her words felt a little confusing, but suddenly, something struck him, and he asked, looking at her.

“Is this about the night you were drugged?”  She didn’t respond.

Instead, she looked away, and that made him realize what made her misunderstand.

He closed his eyes, accepting the guilt.

He was careless with his words.

If he hadn’t, she wouldn’t have misinterpreted.  “Zenith,” he called out slowly.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”  She didn’t turn to look at him “When I said that I didn’t touch you even if you begged, I meant to protect you.

Your choice.

Helping you that night would have been easy if I had chosen it.

But it would have taken away your choice.

And I didn’t want to take advantage of you.” He took a step forward and grabbed her arm before making her turn and look his way.

“Trust me, I was just protecting you.

I didn’t want to lose something precious just because you were drugged.”  Her brows were tugged in a frown.

Ryan reached to cup her cheek.

“You never had to do anything to match up my likes or dislikes, for even without matching them, I fell for you.”  His words froze her for a second.  He nodded and continued.

“Yes, I have fallen for you.

I don’t know when, but I realized it only yesterday that I can’t bear to see you with anyone.

I can’t even bear the thought of it.

So, I did everything just to stop you from coming on this date.”  She was about to say something, but before she could, he said, “I know this might sound silly, but I couldn’t help it.

I acted on my instinct and did everything to prevent you from coming on this date.

I made you rectify the report draft fifteen times, and I am sorry for that.

But can you … can you please refuse him?

Can you please not accept him?”  Zenith stared at him.

Her eyes staring at his, and her heart beat against his chest so softly that she could no longer hear it thumping.

“Was it all a coincidence today?” she asked.  Ryan hesitated, but then shook his head.

“I arranged it,” he said, explaining, “After I found that you would be coming here, I booked the entire restaurant just so that I could be here at the same time.”  “Why?

Just so that I don’t yes to him?” He shook his head.

“Just so that I don’t miss you,” he said, holding her hand in his.

“I love you, Zenith.

I really do.

If you don’t believe it, give me a chance to make you believe me.

Just one chance.”  Zenith didn’t respond.

She just pulled away her hand and stepped back, creating distance between them.  Before Ryan could reach her again, she said, “I think we need to get back to the table.

It’s been a while and the longer we stay her, it will make them misunderstand.”  And then without giving him any chance to stop her, she simply turned and walked out.  Ryan watched her leave.

He wanted to stop her, but he didn’t.

After a long moment, even he followed her.