Prologue: Caught between two hearts!!!
Lara came into zaden's cabin without even knocking and the lock clicked into place with a sharp, heavy sound. Lara stood inside the cabin, breathing heavily, her hands clenched into tight fists. Zaden slowly rose from his rolling chair, his eyes widening in pure amazement.
"What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" Her voice trembled with absolute fury. "Are you kidding me?"
Zaden held up his hands, his face tight. "What did I do? Oh, because I came to your home last night? That matter, huh? I already apologized!"
"You are unbelievable," she whispered, shaking her head. "How can you even be this calm? What is going on inside your mind?"
"Hey, hey, wait. Don't be dramatic," Zaden cut her off, his voice dropping. "I don't really remember what I did last night, okay? And I apologized..."
"That's all?" Lara stepped closer, interrupting him. "What about my boyfriend? He totally misunderstood everything, and you didn't even give him a proper explanation!"
Zaden froze. The word hung heavily in the air.
"He... he is your boyfriend?"
"Why do you care? That's my personal life!"
A sudden, sharp pain flared in Zaden's chest. He looked down at her, his eyes dark, filled with a sudden, unreadable yearning. Lara caught his glance, the intensity of his look instantly stealing the words from her tongue. The cabin fell completely silent.
"Sir," Lara said softly, breaking the quietness. "Brian and I have a beautiful bond, and I don't want to ruin it. If you just explain why you came there last night, I can clear up the misunderstanding between us. Sir, please."
Zaden's expression hardened. "If your bond is that precious, why did he misunderstand in the first place? Huh? I told you, I don't even remember. I... I didn't know that lame guy was your boyfriend! If I had known, I would have explained. I announced you as my fiancée in front of the whole world, so how could I explain anything to a random someone?"
Lara's breath caught. She stepped back, completely stunned. "What?"
"All I remember," Zaden continued, his voice rising in frustration as he moved past her, "is that I was frustrated last evening. I went to a random bar and got drunk, and then my mind just went blank. Okay? It's just blank. It's not like I don't care at all. Of course I care. I'm trying to remember, you know!"
Lara let out a long, heavy exhale. "Wow." She looked at him coldly. "Okay, then. Try to remember and give me the explanation as soon as possible."
Without waiting for a response, she turned, pulled open the door, and walked out, shutting it harshly behind her. Zaden stood exactly where she left him, letting out a sudden, shocked laugh. He stared at the glass door where she had just disappeared, before sinking back into his rolling chair. He pressed his palms to his forehead, trying to force the memories of the previous night to surface, but found absolutely nothing. His mind remained a total blank.
In her own cabin, Lara's fingers were shaking. She dialed Brian's number again, and again, and again, listening to the agonizing sound of the ringing tone cutting off. Nervousness taking over, she began to bite her nails, her leg tapping a frantic rhythm against the desk as she typed out a text:
*Hey Brian, I don't understand the situation either. He is my boss, that's why I let him sleep on my bed. It's not like he slept next to me, right? Why are you angry? I mean, I understand, but it's not my fault. I just didn't have a choice. I just demanded an explanation from him! I am so sorry if I have done anything wrong. When you get this message, please give me a call or a reply, please!*
Across the floor, Zaden sat in front of his laptop, his eyes locked on the security feed displaying Lara's cabin. Watching her panic over another man sent a wave of profound annoyance through him. With a swift movement, he slammed the laptop shut.
The office door opened, and the manager stepped in quietly. "Sir, we have an appointment today for the inauguration of Mr. Joseph's new branch. You've been invited."
Zaden stood up, adjusting his cuffs. "Oh... okay. Call Lara and arrange a car and a driver for us."
He walked out of the cabin and headed straight down to the lobby. While waiting, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number he rarely touched. His mother.
In her home, his mother looked down at her vibrating mobile, her eyes widening in sheer shock at the caller ID. Receiving a call from her son was absolute breaking news. She answered immediately. "Zaden? Son?"
"Mom." His voice came out incredibly soft, thick with an emotion that sounded dangerously close to tears.
His mother's heart clenched. She could feel the weight in his voice instantly. "Son? What's wrong? Is everything okay?"
Zaden paused, the silence stretching over the line for a long moment. "Nothing, Mom. I'll talk to you later."
Before she could say another word, the line went dead. His mother stared at the screen, stunned by the abruptness but deeply moved that he had reached out to her on his own for the very first time. Smiling with a mix of surprise and concern, she immediately dialed Mr. James to share the news.
Back at the office entrance, the manager had the luxury sedan waiting. Zaden walked straight past Lara without a single glance and slid into the backseat. Lara followed, keeping her eyes glued to her phone screen as she climbed in beside him. Noticing the heavy, icy atmosphere, the manager stepped back silently and closed the door.
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror. "Ma'am, destination?"
Lara sat entirely blank, lost in her thoughts.
"Kyoto Fashion Industry," Zaden answered for her, his voice cutting through the quiet car. "The new branch opening. Have you heard of it?"
"Yes, sir," the driver replied, shifting into drive.
"Yeah, there," Zaden muttered.
Lara turned her head slowly, staring at Zaden's profile. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Zaden didn't acknowledge her. He simply turned his head away, staring fixedly out the side window as the car merged into the city traffic. A suffocating silence filled the vehicle for the remainder of the drive.
The grand venue was glittering with lights and corporate elites. The moment they arrived, Mr. Joseph and his executives welcomed Zaden warmly. Zaden was instantly pulled into a huddle with Joseph, leaving Lara to stand on the periphery, watching the crowd while keeping her phone tightly in her hand.
Suddenly, a sharp *ding* broke through her anxious thoughts. A notification popped up on her screen.
Brian: *Let's meet, NOW*
Lara's chest tightened. She stared down at the screen, completely frozen, her mind racing so fast she didn't hear Zaden approaching with Joseph.
"I've heard so much about your fiancée, who is also your PA," Joseph was saying with a wide grin. "Where is she?"
"There she is," Zaden murmured, his eyes locking onto Lara's distracted form. "Let me get her."
He walked over to her, his footsteps deliberate. Lara, completely unaware, was frantically typing a reply to [Brian: *I'm at the Kyoto Fashion Industry event as a guest, I can't right now*]
Before she could hit send, Zaden's hand reached down, smoothly sliding the mobile out of her grip while his other arm wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her flush against his side.
"Mr. Joseph, she is Lara, my fiancée," Zaden introduced, his voice smooth as silk.
Lara's heart dropped, but years of professional training kicked in. She masked her shock with a polite, practiced smile and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Joseph."
"I have never heard of you, Miss Lara," Joseph laughed heartily, shaking her hand. "But you certainly got the attention of Zaden, which is very shocking to us all! Zaden is not an easy man to catch!"
Lara kept the smile pinned to her face, nodding along to Joseph's remarks. Beneath her arm, Zaden casually brought her phone down out of sight. With a quiet, calculated press of his thumb, he held the power button down and switched the device completely off. Slid into the side pocket of her handbag, it disappeared without her ever noticing.
Miles away, Brian stared at his phone, watching the text status remain unread. He dialed her number.
*"The number you are calling is currently switched off..."*
An intense wave of irritation and frustration washed over him. He dialed again, and again, the call repeatedly cutting to voicemail, while inside the glittering hall, Lara remained trapped by Zaden's side.