Chapter 24

When I stopped in front of Ayor's room, the sound of furniture breaking sent a chill down my spine.

First, she had told me she wasn't feeling well. Second, she warned me to stay away from Edward. And then, there were Edward's cryptic words.

"Ayor, open the door! Is everything okay?"

I shouted, pounding on the door with all my strength.

I couldn't bear the thought of anyone I cared about being hurt. I wanted them safe, always.

---

Ayor's Perspective:

I felt his gaze piercing through me. He had just stepped out of the bathroom, standing right in front of me. How had he gotten into my room?

"What are you doing here?" I asked, stepping toward him. I was only wearing my pink towel around my waist. His wicked smile sent shivers down my spine.

"To be honest, I want you all to myself," he said, his tone laced with mischief. "You're the first person who's ever refused me anything, and I don't plan to accept defeat so easily."

I couldn't believe him. I hadn't heard any updates from my brother about the mission that had failed. And now, here was this man, barging into my room.

A droplet of water slid down my cheek, tracing a path near my lips.

"You've lost your mind. You don't understand the nature of the situation between our families. To mine, you're nothing but a threat. Please leave—you're only going to complicate things further," I said coldly.

I couldn't imagine what would happen if my father found out this man had spent the night in my room. I might be able to convince my brother to leave him alone, but if my father knew...

His life would be over in seconds.

Too many men had already died because of me. I didn't want him to get hurt too.

Damn it. Why was I even thinking about his safety?

Lost in my swirling thoughts, I bumped into his chest. His fingers brushed against my waist, pulling me into a back embrace.

"Just say yes to coming with me. Trust me, everything will be fine after that," he whispered, his breath searing against my neck.

This time, he didn't touch me further, but I wished he would—just to break the unbearable tension. I stepped back, and he stepped with me. The sound of the lamp shattering snapped me back to reality.

"Edward," he murmured my name, his voice dripping with temptation.

He turned me to face him, our breaths uneven. I was seconds away from melting into his kiss when Teal's voice interrupted from behind the door.

"Damn it. Your friend is so loud," he muttered, releasing me from his hold.

I pushed my hair back, my mind blank. Get a grip, Ayor.

I rushed to the door but stopped, realizing Edward was still here. My heartbeat quickened. I turned to him and yanked him toward the wardrobe.

"Hide. You have no idea what Teal is like when she's mad. Hurry!"

I shoved him into the wardrobe, though he resisted. Pulling me in with him, I fell into his arms.

"I'll stay here, but you have to make her leave. Otherwise, I won't listen to you and will do as I please, Ayor," he said, running his thumb slowly across my lips.

Damn you, man. Weren't you in the hospital hours ago? What are you doing here now?

I scrambled out of his grasp, signaling for him to be quiet before shutting the wardrobe door. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to find Teal, who looked ready to break it down.

"Sorry, I was in the bathroom…"

She ignored me and barged in, scanning the room.

"Where are they? The gang members? I'm sure I heard furniture breaking. Don't worry, darling. If someone's threatening you, just tell me. I'll cut their tongue out and hang them by their backside from that wardrobe!"

She kicked the wardrobe for emphasis.

I swallowed hard and quickly grabbed her arm. She talks big, but she doesn't have the strength to follow through. But Edward doesn't know that.

"Teal, calm down, sweetheart. Everything's fine. Take a deep breath," I said, steering her away from the wardrobe.

"You're not hiding something from me, are you? By the way, what's the deal with that arrogant Edward?"

Wait, had Teal met Edward?

"Excuse me?" I said, glancing briefly at the wardrobe before focusing back on her.

That's when I noticed the wound on her arm.

"Oh, Teal, what happened to you? Look at your arm! How did this happen?"

I felt a surge of rage at the thought of anyone hurting her.

Teal pushed her hair back. "I'm fine. I'll tell you the details later. But first, what's going on with you, girl?"

She sat on the couch, clearly not ready to leave.

... 

The day had been long and draining, and I finally found a moment to relax in the steam room. My phone buzzed with messages from Uncle Edward, but I ignored them. He rarely reached out, so his insistence was odd. Couldn't I have a moment of peace?

When he called again, I reluctantly answered. His voice was sharp, cutting through the haze of the steam.

"If you don't come now and get your wife out of Ayor's room, I'll forget she's your wife, and there'll be no deal between us."

My wife? What on earth was my uncle doing in Teal's room? Surely, this wasn't about his obsession with Ayor.

I didn't waste time. Throwing on my robe, I rushed out. My mind was racing—I had no idea what he might do. I found the door to the room unlocked and pushed it open without hesitation.

"May I have a word with you?" I said, deliberately running my hand through my hair, attempting to keep my composure.

Teal's expression was a mix of shock and confusion. She wasn't the only one caught off guard. I forced myself not to look at Ayor, standing there clutching a towel too small to cover her properly.

"What are you doing here?" Teal snapped, her tone low but tense, as she pulled me out of the room.