Chapter 13: The Life of a CEO

Chapter 13: Tension, Temptation & the Life of a CEO

Morning After: A Mafia King Looks Soft?

Raven groaned as the morning sun peeked through the curtains, casting golden streaks over her face. She shifted slightly, feeling something warm and solid wrapped around her waist.

Her brows furrowed.

Her breath hitched.

Slowly, she opened her heavy eyelids, blinking away the drowsiness.

And then she froze.

Kai Valenti—the infamous mafia king, the man feared by many, the man she had married just last night—was holding her firmly and intimately.

His strong arms were wrapped around her waist possessively, his face buried against the crook of her neck, his breathing even and steady.

Raven's lips parted in shock, utter shock.

He looked… oddly soft.

The sharp, dangerous edges of his face had melted into something innocent in sleep. His long lashes rested against his sharp cheekbones, his perfectly sculpted pink lips slightly parted, his dark hair tousled against the pillows.

For the first time ever, he looked harmless, like a teddy bear, well looks are truly deceiving, She sighed softly.

"Who knew the mafia king could look this cute?"

Before she could stop herself, her fingers moved toward his hair, brushing through the black silky strands of hair.

Kai's hair was softer than she expected.

And then… his eyes suddenly snapped open.

Raven's heart leaped into her throat, how could she forget, his a mafia king therefore his always alert and on guard.

His dark gaze locked onto hers, unreadable and intense.

Panic surged through her. She quickly shut her eyes close, pretending to be asleep.

There was silence.

Then, after a moment, she slowly peeked one eye open—only to find him still staring at her intensely.

She stiffened.

A lazy smirk curled his lips. "Good morning, cara mia."

Heat rushed to her cheeks.

She huffed, toughening up. "Get your fat ass off me."

Kai chuckled deeply, the vibrations rumbling through his chest. But instead of immediately letting her go, he leaned in slightly, his voice low and teasing.

"You sure were enjoying it a moment ago."

Raven's face burned.

She shoved him hard, making him roll away with a smirk.

Kai got off the bed, stretching. As he walked past her, he smacked her butt lightly.

Her eyes widened in offense.

"You—"

She immediately swung her leg up, aiming straight for his jaw.

But Kai, ever the mafia-trained king, easily caught her ankle midair, his grip firm but teasing.

He smirked down at her. "You never learn, do you?"

Raven yanked her leg back, scowling. "Jerk."

Kai just laughed, his deep chuckle sending an annoying shiver down her spine before he disappeared into the bathroom.

Shameless & Shirtless

After a few minutes, the bathroom door creaked open.

Raven, now sitting on the bed, looked up—and her brain malfunctioned.

Kai walked out, his hair damp, his toned torso glistening with water droplets, a white towel wrapped loosely around his waist.

Her eyes widened.

Her gaze trailed over the defined ridges of his abs, down the sharp V-line that disappeared beneath the towel.

"What the hell is this unfair display of muscles?"

Kai, noticing her shameless ogling, smirked.

"You like what you see, cara mia?" he teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

Raven's face turned a deep shade of red.

She snapped her head away, scowling. "Put on some damn clothes."

Kai chuckled, enjoying her reaction. "No need to be shy. We're married, after all."

Raven huffed, grabbing her clothes. "I'm going to work."

She stormed out, her cheeks still burning.

Raven the CEO: Engineering a Future

After freshening up, Raven changed into a baggy pair of jeans, an oversized shirt, and slipped on her necklace and wedding ring.

At the dining table, Maria was already setting up breakfast.

Raven glanced at the older woman. "How are you feeling today?"

Maria smiled warmly. "Much better, tesoro. Thank you for asking."

Raven nodded in approval before taking a bite. The warm flavors hit her tongue, and she sighed. "The food is great."

Maria beamed. "I'm glad you like it."

After finishing, Raven rushed out the door, heading to her company—LIFE.

LIFE was more than just an engineering firm. It was a hub of innovation, where designs were brought to life.

Upon arriving, she changed into her CEO attire—a white shirt, black blazer, a blue skirt, and black heels.

Her assistant, Adrian, was already waiting.

"The board meeting starts in five minutes," he informed her.

Raven sighed and grabbed a coffee. "Let's get this over with."

Inside the conference room, her engineers presented new AI-powered prototypes for automated surgical arms and industrial robots.

"The mechanics look solid," Raven analyzed, tapping her nails against the table, "but the AI responsiveness needs more work. Make the adjustments and rerun the tests."

The meeting stretched for two hours.

Afterward, she reviewed project reports, approved new budgets, and checked on partnership proposals.

By the time six hours had passed, Adrian placed a meal on her desk—instant noodles loaded with meat and vegetables.

"You always bring me this," she muttered, already grabbing the chopsticks.

Adrian smirked. "You always finish it."

She ate quickly before returning to work, leaving the office only at 7 PM.

Tension at Home

When Raven arrived home, Maria was waiting at the entrance.

Her brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

Before Maria could answer, Kai appeared, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with irritation.

"Why are you home so late?" His voice was calm, but his fury was evident.

Raven frowned, glancing at her watch. 8 PM.

She scoffed. "It's not late."

Kai's expression darkened. "You're married. Start acting like it."

Raven rolled her eyes. "I know. I just went to work."

She sighed and walked past him.

Kai stiffened, but said nothing.

As she climbed the stairs, she muttered under her breath, "What crawled into his ass?"

She skipped dinner, took a long bath, did her skincare routine, and collapsed into bed.

An Unspoken Apology

Sometime after midnight, Raven woke up, feeling thirsty.

As she walked past the dining room, she noticed two untouched plates of food.

Her steps slowed.

Kai hadn't eaten either.

A sudden wave of guilt gnawed at her.

With a sigh, she reheated the food, carefully plating it, and carried the tray toward Kai's bedroom.

But the room was empty.

Her brows furrowed. Where is he?

Then, a faint glow from under another door caught her attention.

The study.

She adjusted the tray in her hands and quietly pushed open the door.

Kai sat behind his grand wooden desk, sleeves rolled up, a whiskey glass resting beside his laptop.

He looked tense, his brows furrowed as he worked.

She cleared her throat.

His head snapped up.

His expression darkened immediately. "What do you want?"

Raven hesitated, shifting the tray in her hands. "I… brought you food."

Kai's jaw clenched, but some of the anger in his eyes softened.

"You didn't eat," she added quietly. "Neither did I."

A long silence stretched between them.

Then, he sighed. "Come here."

Raven stepped closer, placing the tray on the small table.

Kai glanced at the food, then at her. "Sit."

She hesitated before lowering herself onto the couch.

Kai took his plate, handing her the other. "Eat with me."

For a moment, neither spoke.

The only sound was the clinking of utensils and the faint ticking of the clock.

Kai suddenly sighed. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Raven blinked, surprised.

"Yeah," she muttered, "you shouldn't have."

But she smiled slightly.

And for the first time that night, the tension faded.