Dear Immortal Tyrant

Chapter 232 - On The Desk

Kaden could see the gears spinning in her head. The indecisiveness. The overthinking. She possessed spectacular analytical skills in anything, but her own happiness.

"Trust me," Kaden began in a hard voice.

Two words. Seven letters. Yet, it was the hardest thing to do in the world. Especially for a young girl who had been used all her life. Lina's heart was somersaulting with jumbled, erratic beats out of fear. She could feel all the nerves in her body jolt to life from his single line.

"I didn't say it because you cried."

Lina's throat tightened. How did he know? How did he know what was plaguing her mind?

Lina was being gnawed alive by the guilt that she forced the words out of his mouth. She pulled back slightly to look at him. His eyes met hers. She stopped breathing.

Always. He was always watching her. His attention never drifted far when she was around. He narrowed his gaze, he curled a finger under her chin.

"Do you understand?" Kaden demanded in a tense tone.

Lina did not. She didn't think people could love without wanting something in return. Her mouth felt parched. Cold sweat trickled down her back. She was shaky. She couldn't move. She was frozen in place.

"Dove."

Lina climbed out of his lap like it burned her. Instantly, his eyes lit on fire. She scrambled backward like a cornered mouse. All she saw was the disapproving gazes of her family.

Her grandfather, who loved her because she resembled his wife. Her grandmother, who loved her because she was the only granddaughter in the family. Her uncles, who adored her because she was something they did not possess. Her parents whose love suffocated her, for she knew it was not genuine.

And what of Kaden?

Why did he love her? Because she had broken his heart centuries ago? Because they were tied by stupid red strings?

"Come here."

Lina shook her head. She quickly proceeded towards the door, but his voice was cold like stone.

"I said, come here."

Lina turned around, staring at him in disbelief. "Everyone wants something from me. Y-you can't just marry me and accept that I'm infertile. I know you want a family. I do not believe you will just accept it—"

"You want to know why I love you." His jaw tightened.

He was always spot on. Always so smart, like he could read her mind. Maybe she was an open book. Maybe her fear was written on her forehead. Or, he just knew her that well.

Lina's hand suddenly felt heavy. Specifically, her ring finger, where the ruby looked like blood on her hands. She didn't understand how he could be so calm in the face of anger, when her parents always lashed out in violent tantrums. How could he kiss her tears away and just accept her infertility? What did he want in return?

"I love you because you're you. Because even if we never met, I'd yearn for your existence. Your presence is weaved into my soul. You'll live forever, dove, for memories of you are burned into my mind. I am a horrible man, yet you accepted me. And for that, you have my heart. Always."

Lina's walls shattered right before her eyes. She heard the clink of the glass as his words shot a bullet through it. Everything came tumbling down. Her defense. Her guilt. Her disbelief.

"You'll never let me go?" Lina asked. The distance between them was but the length of an office, but it felt like oceans separated them. Her attention flickered to the floor, where remnants of his desk could be seen. The things he slew to the ground lay next to her feet. He didn't hesitate to destroy priceless things to obtain her.

"Never."

Kaden took a step forward.

"Even if you want me to."

Then another.

His voice was like venom and she was its willing prey.

Kaden was just three steps away now.

"You are my everything, dove. You worry about me leaving you, but you should worry more about the consequences if you try and run from me." His tone was dark and dangerous, but he said it calmly like telling a child a bedtime story.

Kaden stopped right in front of her. He took her hand in his. He slowly smiled, his eyes flickering. He saw her eyes widen with the realization of his obsession. When one became tempted, they simply did not forget their obsessions so easily. Especially him.

Kaden eased her into his chest again. He was careful and cunning. When her fears and tears faded, he was uncertain if she'd flee for her life. Any sane woman should. But his wife should belong to a mental institution. Despite his words, she hugged him tightly.

"So in a way, I do want something from loving you. I want to possess you, body, heart, and soul. If you think you're greedy, then you should see me." Kaden could not bring himself to admit the full truth to her, a woman too precious to be in his world.

Kaden also suffered from guilt and remorse. He was gnawed from the guilt of abandoning her in the palace. He was drowned by his remorse for not loving her sooner. She had placed all the love she could muster into his hands and he let it slip through. Now, she didn't understand love. Now, she was frightened by it. He knew her soul learned to not love too much or too easily. And he had to pay the price of that.

- - - - -

Eventually, Sebastian had to buzz himself in and remind Kaden of important meetings with the board of executive directors. Lina was startled by the information, especially when Kaden demanded to delay it. She quickly informed him it was alright.

"Wait in here. Don't leave," Kaden demanded from Lina. He soothed her appearance, adjusting the collar of her turtleneck and flattening her flyaways. He ran his fingers through her hair, styling it slightly, in the same manner.

"I should head home, it's more comfortable there," Lina reminded him.

With a deep frown, Sebastian had to practically drag his boss out of the office. The entire time, Kaden watched her with a hardened expression. He left her in his office, despite Sebastian's exasperation.

'Just think about all the sensitive files, Boss!'

Lina could practically read his thoughts from Sebastian's paling features. Despite that, Lina didn't snoop for financial information, even though she could.

Instead, Lina picked up the fallen things from his desk, organized them perfectly, and threw out the small decorations that had broken. There were many things that had shattered, which gave Lina the perfect opportunity to spice up his office.

As the sun began to set in the distance, Lina made up her mind to go shopping for small trinkets for his office. With the plan in mind, she departed from the room. Beyond the hallways leading to his office, she saw many employees hard at work.

As Lina walked past Priscilla, who was lingering around for god knows what, a snide comment was heard.

"You have a hickey. Did you screw him on the desk like a common whore?"

The entire floor went silent. Everyone could hear a pin drop. Was Priscilla insane? This was the Boss's wife they were talking about! The atmosphere turned awkward and sullen.

This was going to get messy. Everyone could already tell. Especially from how young Lina Yang was.. People knew she was no more than the mere age of twenty-one.