Kaia watched Zayne from the staircase, his phone stuck to his ear as he patrolled the room. This was it, he was going on a business trip.
"Get my things" he gestured to Stellan, slipping his phone into his pocket. His gaze shifted to her direction, and her heart raced. She withdrew herself in an attempt to go back upstairs
"Running away from me already, princess??" He smirked, folding his arms against his expensive suit.
Kaia paused, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she turned slowly to face him. Zayne had that effect on her, his confidence, his charm, the way he always seemed to know exactly what to say to get under her skin.
"I'm not running away," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but her voice wavered slightly. "I just… didn't want to interrupt."
"Interrupt?" He chuckled, taking a step closer, his polished shoes clicking against the hardwood floor. "You could never interrupt me, Kaia. You're the only thing worth stopping for."
She rolled her eyes, but the smile tugging at the corners of her lips betrayed her. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, Zayne."
"Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow, his expression playful yet intense. "Then what will?"
Kaia took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "I don't know. Maybe a little less arrogance?"
Zayne laughed, a rich sound that echoed in the spacious room. "Arrogance is part of the package, princess. You know that by now."
"Maybe I should start charging you for my time, then," she shot back, crossing her arms defiantly.
"Now that's an interesting proposition," he said, leaning against the banister, his gaze unwavering. "How much do you think I'm worth?"
"More than you can afford," she quipped, her heart racing as she met his gaze. There was a spark between them, a tension that was both thrilling and terrifying.
"Care to test that theory?" he challenged, his voice dropping to a low, teasing tone.
Kaia felt a rush of adrenaline. She knew she should walk away, but something about the way he looked at her made it hard to resist. "You're impossible," she said, shaking her head.
"Impossible to ignore, maybe," he replied, stepping closer, the distance between them shrinking. "But you're not really trying to ignore me, are you?"
She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she found herself caught in his gaze, the world around them fading away.
"Princess" Zayne said softly, breaking the silence "I'll be watching you," his smirk plastered on his face.
"Don't miss me too much princess" he winked, whipping around on his heels as he strode out with Stellan behind him.
Miss him?? She scoffed, this was her cue to escape, and she was not letting it slide. She sprinted off to her bedroom, grabbing the emergency kit she had been preparing in the past few days.
Eira was safe and two cities away with Mia. Kaia knew nothing was impossible with Zayne, but she'd rather die at risk than die not trying. She stealthily walked down the stairs, her big hoodie housing her kit. She had attached a pouch inside of it.
With a hint of desperation on whether it was now or never, Kaia dashed out through the door, the doorman barely looked in her direction. The cold wind slapped her face as she strutted out, she didn't look back.
No one spotted her, it was all a part of her plan, the plot she had been crafting for days. She got into a taxi, speeding off to the nearest airport, where she had arranged emergency tickets for Chicago. As the city whizzed by, she felt a sense of freedom, one she had been longing for.
At the airport she registered under a false name, her heart pounding as she moved through security. Once she settled, she would fly Eira to Chicago, and stay with her forever.
Kaia checked out of the plane, she heaved a sigh, her smile reached her ears, this was what freedom tasted like.
She got into a taxi, heading to the hotel she had booked a room in, unaware of the chaos that awaited her.
Her hand maid, Katie, had made a report to Zayne's assistant that Kaia was missing.
"Tell the clients to postpone the meeting or scrap it" his husky voice echoed around the room. James, his assistant, scurried off, avoiding his wrath.
"Find my wife, search every city, every country, get every single person on board" he grunted, storming off.
Kaia leaned back in the taxi, the city lights blurring past her as she tried to shake off the tension that had built up during her time with Zayne. She had always felt trapped in his world, a gilded cage that sparkled on the outside but felt suffocating on the inside. Now, with every mile that separated her from him, she felt a weight lifting off her shoulders.
As the taxi pulled up to the hotel, Kaia took a deep breath, steeling herself for the next chapter of her life. She paid the driver and stepped out, the cool night air refreshing against her skin.
The hotel lobby was quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos she had just escaped. She approached the front desk, her heart racing as she checked in under a false name, hoping to remain undetected.
Meanwhile, Zayne's fury was palpable. His office was a whirlwind of activity as he barked orders, his frustration spilling over into every corner of the room. James returned, a look of trepidation on his face.
"Mr Blackwood, we've got teams mobilizing in every major city. We'll find her," he assured, though his voice trembled slightly.
"Make it happen, James," Zayne snapped, his eyes dark with determination. "I want her back, and I want her back now." He paced the room, his mind racing with thoughts of Kaia. How could she have left? What had driven her to escape? The questions gnawed at him, but the urgency of the situation pushed them aside.
Back at the hotel, Kaia settled into her room, the door clicking shut behind her with a finality that felt both liberating and terrifying. She quickly unpacked a small bag, her essentials, and then sat on the edge of the bed, her mind racing.
She knew Zayne would not give up easily. He was relentless, and she had seen the lengths he would go to get what he wanted.
As she pulled out her phone, she hesitated. Should she reach out to Eira??, but the thought of Zayne finding out sent a shiver down her spine. Instead, she decided to lay low for a while, to gather her thoughts and plan her next move, probably saving up money to fly Eira in.
Just as she laid on her bed, she heard a knock on her door. Her heart raced, had Zayne found her already?? It would've been impossible for him to get to Chicago that fast, but then she remembered, he was Zayne Blackwood after all. The bang on the door continued, growing louder with every knock. She shakily opened the door.
"Mrs Blackwood…."