Chapter 165
Chapter 166
VENUS
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The boardroom was still trembling with the echoes of applause when Aaron was swept up by a tide of stakeholders. Hands reached for him, voices overlapping, congratulations pouring in like a flood he endured with the same composure he wielded in war. Papers were thrust at him, questions murmured, promises whispered.
I stayed tucked by his side at first, but his world was suddenly swarming with numbers, politics, logistics, things that weren’t mine to fix. I watched him, my storm in his element, the way he shifted from predator to ruler, charming and commanding in equal measure.
But then my gaze caught on someone else.
Connor.
He stood by the far wall, leaning against the marble with his arms crossed, a permanent fixture of shadow and silence. No grin. No sarcastic quip tossed into the chaos. No cheeky wink my way like he always used to when Aaron bulldozed a room.
Just… quiet.
I saw it in his shoulders-the weight, the restraint. He was here, but he wasn’t him.
And maybe because Aaron was busy, maybe because the energy of the room was too much, I decided now was the moment. The right moment.
I slipped away, weaving through the suits and champagne glasses until I reached him. His eyes lifted immediately when I stopped in front of him.
A smile tugged at his lips. Small. Tired. But real.
“Venus,” he said softly, as though the name was an anchor he needed to remind himself of.
I tilted my head, studying him, then jerked my chin toward the elevator. He didn’t protest, just pushed himself off the wall and followed me.
The doors slid open, polished steel reflecting both of us, and we stepped inside. The space closed around us, humming with mechanical stillness as the lift began to rise.
For a while, neither of us spoke. The silence wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t light either. It carried too much history, too much unsaid. I crossed my arms and leaned back against the mirrored wall, watching him out of the corner of my eye.
“Spit it out,” I finally said, breaking the hum of the elevator. “Something’s clearly wrong p>
Connor’s head turned, one brow raised. He didn’t even pretend to play dumb.
“Spit what out p>
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I narrowed my eyes. “Connor, you’ve been unusually distant and quiet since… everything. Since the kidnapping.” My chest tightened even saying it. “You barely even crack jokes anymore. That’s how I know something’s off p>
The elevator chimed and the doors parted, but Connor didn’t step out. Neither did I. We just looked at each other in that frozen pause.
“I have, haven’t I?” His voice was rougher than usual, honest in a way Connor rarely allowed.
We walked out together, the hallway stretching long and silent toward Aaron’s office. My heels clicked on the marble. His steps were slower, like his thoughts were dragging his body.
“Talk to me,” I pushed gently, refusing to let him sidestep this.
He blew out a breath. “Losing you was traumatizing. Very traumatizing.” His eyes stayed straight ahead, not on me. “Aaron was a shadow of himself. Do you understand what that was like? Watching him unravel? In all the
years I’ve known him, he’s never lost his grip like that. Ever p>
His voice cracked-not in sound, but in weight. The kind of crack that came when steel bent.
“That did something to me,” he admitted. “It made me feel like I had to be… more. More attentive. More guarded. Like if I’d been sharper, faster, I could’ve prevented it all. So I’ve been on edge. Watching. Making sure it doesn’t happen again. To you. To him.” He finally looked at me then, his eyes tight with something unspoken. “You’re like this little annoying sister to me, Venus. And seeing you the way you were broken, hurting-it messed me up. I didn’t even realize I’d pulled away. I’m sorry if I made you feel some type of way p>
My chest burned, not with hurt, but with understanding.
“Oh, Connor…” I whispered.
Before he could deflect, I wrapped my arms around him. He froze for a second, then melted into the embrace, one arm slung lazily but tightly across my shoulders, the other hand patting the back of my head in that casual, big-brother way of his.
When we pulled apart, his smirk was faint but back.
“So,” he drawled, eyes glinting with mischief. “You and Aaron, huh p>
I blinked, cheeks warming instantly. “What about it p>
“Don’t ‘what about it’ me. Both of you finally admitted what was glaringly obvious p>
I swatted at him, but the blush gave me away.
“Ohhh, God.” He grinned wide, the Connor I knew sparking back alive. “When Aaron told me, I nearly fell off the roof. I really thought all my advice went into the drain p>
I blinked. “Your advice p>
“Who did you think was playing Cupid all this time?” He wagged his brows. “By the way, the both of you owe
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Chapter 166
I laughed out loud. “What p>
“Yep. You’re welcome p>
៥៩ ៤ 60)
Shaking my head, I squinted at him. “Wait-what do you mean you suggested me to Aaron for the marriage contract p>
He gave me that cheeky grin. “Exactly what it sounds like. That was me p>
I stopped walking. “That was you?” My laugh burst out. “I knew it! There’s no way I would’ve been Aaron’s first thought p>
Connor chuckled, proud. “Now look at you both. You’re all he thinks about. You’re it. I’m happy for you, Venus. Really p>
Warmth unfurled in my chest. I stepped forward and hugged him again, tighter this time. He squeezed back without hesitation.
Then, of course, he ruined the moment.
“Run away with me, Venus,” he teased in a dramatic tone, stepping back with mock seriousness. “I’m clearly the better-and better-looking-friend p>
“You’re crazy.” I rolled my eyes, chuckling.
And then
A throat cleared.
My heart jumped.
We both looked up.
Aaron stood at the door to his office, his gaze sharp, unreadable, his jaw tight as though he’d been standing there long enough to catch the entire exchange.
“You wish,” he said, his voice low and certain, the kind of tone that brooked no argument.
Connor’s grin widened. He had the audacity to wink. “Jealous, Ronny p>
Aaron didn’t answer him. His eyes were on me. Always on me.
I smiled at him, instinctive and soft, already moving toward him.
But then a voice sliced through the air like venom.
“This isn’t the last of me, Aaron p>
Caroline.
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Her tone was pure malice, echoing from the end of the hall. It slithered down my spine, cold and poisonous.
I turned my head, and there she was.
Her eyes locked on us-on me, tucked close to Aaron’s world now.
And in that look, I knew one thing.
Caroline was out for blood.
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20:40 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 167
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.