Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO - Chapter 783

Chapter 783: A simple apology now seemed to serve no purpose. 

“S-Sir, do you need anything?” Zenith asked, slightly taken aback. She thought he had already left. Seeing him return like that was a surprise. And what confused her more was his expression.

He looked like he was terribly upset over something.

And that made her think: what could it be?

Ryan’s jaw locked, and he stared at her like he was resisting the urge to ruin something. Like her … phone. His gaze slowly but very evidently moved to glance at her phone before he asked, “You … were talking to your mother?”

Zenith’s gaze also dropped to her phone before she lifted it back to look at Ryan. A little awkwardly, she hummed, nodding, “Yes … my mother had something to discuss with me. So, she called.”

“To discuss a blind date for you?” Ryan bluntly asked, without regard for the fact that he was prying into her privacy.

But it made Zenith frown. “Sorry, sir, but that’s my personal affair. I don’t think I should discuss this with you.”

“Personal affair?” Ryan gritted, not liking how she was deliberately distancing herself and their affairs. “You are still my secretary.”

Zenith’s frown only deepened at his words. “Yes, sir. I am your secretary, your employee. And even being that, I can have a personal life and personal affairs. I don’t need to report them to you.”

“You should, though. Especially when you have clearly gotten involved in mine.” Ryan retorted.

Zenith paused when she heard him mention that. But then she apologized. “Sorry, sir, if I crossed any line. I never had any intention to. From hereafter, I will be very careful. I won’t get involved in anything that doesn’t align with my job responsibilities as your secretary.”

His fists clenched tightly the more he heard her. It was like with every word, she was piercing a sharp dagger into him, making him twitch painfully. The feeling was new and something that left him confused. But on rational thought, when he gave it a thought, he realized he was overreacting to something he shouldn’t.

After all, she wasn’t saying anything wrong. They were merely in an employer-employee relationship. And sharing personal affairs doesn’t align with their relationship.

But even so, he didn’t like it. His irrational brain was denying to accept the logic … to accept the thought of her having anything that he couldn’t get involved in.

When she could get involved in his, why can’t he do the same? What was so different?

Gritting, he nodded. “Fine then, you’d better stay careful from the next time.”

Zenith glanced at him and nodded back with a polite smile. “I will be mindful, Sir.” Ryan’s gaze was cold and resentful. And she didn’t know how long she could stare at them. So, knowing her limit, she quickly asked, “Sir, did you come looking back for something? May I help you with it?”

He didn’t respond. With his hands tucked inside his pocket, he simply ordered, “Come with me.” And then he turned to walk back towards the elevator.

Zenith, for a moment, didn’t understand what he meant. She stared at his back, which was growing distant and distant without moving.

Only when he paused in steps and repeated, looking over his shoulders, did she realize.

“I said, come with me. Do I have to repeat?”

“No, sir,” she quickly said, already moving towards him. “I am coming.”

And with just a few steps, she was able to catch up with him. They stepped into the elevator together.

Zenith was curious, but over the years, if she had upskilled herself into something the most —it was her patience. She knew well how to handle her curiosity. She wouldn’t even let it appear on her face.

“If you are curious about something, you should always ask,” Ryan said out of the blue, making her look up at him with confusion. “I don’t remember ever punishing you for asking questions. Did I?”

She shook her head. He had never scolded or punished her for anything, but still she had always stopped herself, scared that she might become a burden to him if she acted on her curiosity.

“You didn’t, sir. And I am not —”

Before she could finish, the ding of the elevator interrupted her, and Ryan stepped out simply telling her. “Come with me and you will know.”

Zenith followed him. They came to the lounge area and since it was already time, people were signing out for the day. When Ryan leisurely sat in one of the couches there, they came to greet him politely. He nodded to him in reciprocation, but didn’t make it a big affair, leaving them to leave as their wished.

Zenith watched him the entire time. She couldn’t guess what was in Ryan’s plan. But since he asked her to come with him, she stood there behind him, maintaining a polite distance with him.

When the crowd dispersed slowly and slowly from the lounge area, Zenith finally noticed someone entering the building. Her brows furrowed when she recognized them as the three partners from the previous night.

A dread crept up her spine, and she took a step back instinctively. However, just then Ryan’s voice grounded her back, reassuringly, “I am here with you.”

When she turned to look at him, he nodded to her, his gaze warm and gentle, no longer holding the resentment she saw in it before.

“You don’t have to be scared with me around. Just trust me and I won’t let anyone harm you … again.”

She didn’t know how, but in some way, Ryan’s words eased her heart. She nodded to him and then turned to look back towards the entrance. The three men were now standing much closer to them.

Unlike the last night, they no longer looked arrogant. Instead, they looked haggard as though they had aged several years in just a day.

“CEO Foster,” one of the began, his voice carrying a subtle tremble as thought scared of something. “We are truly sorry for what happened yesterday. We didn’t intend to offend you.”

“Yes, CEO Foster,” another one chimed in. “We are truly sorry. Please let us go. Spare us and our company. We won’t be able to hold this up for longer.”

“CEO Foster, please spare us. We would never try what we did last night. We would never cross you or dare to offend you again. We have learnt our lesson.”

“Lesson?” Ryan repeated with a small scoff that was edged with the same fury that he had unveiled the last night. “I hardly doubt that you have learnt your lesson.”

“We have!” The three men quickly said, almost in synchronicity, before one of them explained it better. “We have learnt our lesson. We wouldn’t dare to offend you again. Trust us.”

“More than offending me, you have committed something vile.” Ryan’s gaze slowly darted to look over his shoulder towards Zenith. “Something for which I don’t have the right to forgive you.”

Zenith’s breath hitched, but she didn’t speak out of turn. She just stood there as Ryan wanted her to.

The men followed the subtle hint and then looked at Zenith with eyes that almost begged even without begging.

“Secretary Zane, please … please forgive us. We did wrong to you. But be the bigger person and spare us.” One of them implored.

And on his cue, the other two followed.

However, Zenith didn’t respond to their begging. She just watched them and tried to erase what happened last night. But no matter how they apologized today, she could not bring herself to forget the terror she felt in that private room of the restaurant.

She couldn’t bring herself to forget that if Ryan hadn’t appeared at the right time to save her, she might have ended up with an experience that would have left her traumatized for life.

A simple apology now seemed to serve no purpose.

Just when she was thinking all that, she felt something warm cover her hand. When she looked down, she saw it was Ryan’s hand. She stared at him, and he looked back at her reassuringly.

“You are not required to forgive them. Not even if they willingly want to pay it with their lives. So, don’t force yourself.” Ryan said, and his words like that only made her feel warm in her heart.

She nodded to him and then slowly said, “I had a very busy day today. I want to leave early. Can I?”

Ryan stared at her and then shook his head, approving. “I will drop you back home.” And with that, he stood up, taking her hand in his and walking away from there as though he couldn’t see those three men willing to go on their knees if that could help them in their situation.

————

In New York —

Caden returned home, looking defeated. He had accepted his fate. By morning tomorrow, the name, the legacy, the reputation —that had taken them years to build would be gone.

And he would do nothing but watch.

“Sir!”

The housekeeper’s panicked voice drew his attention, and he turned to look at him with a frown between his brows.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. Then, staring upstairs, in the direction of Selene’s room, he inquired, “Is Belle throwing a tantrum again?”

The housekeeper looked worried. Shaking her head, she quickly said, “No, sir. Young Miss isn’t in her room.”

Caden shot up from the sofa. His brows drew tight. “Not in the room?” he asked, his voice laced with an unconcealed anger. “Where did she go? And where the hell have all of you been?”