The morning light spilled softly through the windows as Nora finished getting dressed for work. She looked stunning in her sleek outfit, her hair tied back in a low bun, elegance radiating from her.
Zayan leaned against the doorway, admiring her. He stepped forward, pulling her into a warm kiss.
"Bye, darling," he whispered against her lips.
"Bye, baby," she smiled.
"Bye-bye, Mommy," Liam said softly, holding onto Zayan's shirt with his little fingers, a small pout on his face.
Nora bent down, kissed his forehead. "Mommy will be back soon, okay?"
He nodded sadly as she walked out and drove to work.
First stop was the university. Nora stood tall and confident in front of the class, guiding the students through complex theories and diplomatic strategies. Once the lecture ended, she packed her notes and headed straight to the office.
"Hello, Mrs. Nora!" Meeri called out as she entered.
"Hi, Ms. Meeri. How was your holiday?" Nora asked kindly.
"Ah, just home all day. Nothing exciting," Meeri replied with a small laugh.
"Hey, guys," Ciro greeted, stepping in.
"Hey!" both women chorused.
Files and cases were quickly dropped off, and Nora dove into her work.
In the conference room, Mr. Smith was speaking to a tall, sharply dressed man as Nora walked in, holding a folder.
"Hello, Mr. Smith. Here's the report on the Australia–Romania conflict, with proposed ceasefire terms and diplomatic routes," she said, handing over the documents.
Mr. Smith scanned them. "Impressive as always, Mrs. Nora."
The man beside him turned to look at her—and stared. His name was Finn, known for his arrogance and ruthless business tactics. And now, the moment he laid eyes on her, he leaned toward Mr. Smith and whispered:
"I want her."
Mr. Smith looked at him with disbelief. "Don't even think about it. She's married. Three children."
"I don't care," Finn replied coldly.
Minutes later, he strolled boldly into Nora's office without knocking. She was on the phone with Asher.
"Yes, it's on the shelf—right side. Found it? Good. Bye, Ash."
When she looked up, she found Finn sitting across from her.
"Do you need something?" she asked curtly.
Before she could respond further, Zayan's call came through her AirPods.
"Hey, baby," his voice filled her ears gently.
Meanwhile, Finn leaned forward. "Mrs. Nora, I'm extremely wealthy. I want you. You should be mine."
Nora blinked, stunned—but not amused. "My husband doesn't share his property with anyone," she said coldly, still calm. "So beat it. And get out of my office."
Zayan heard everything through the call, rocking Liam gently to sleep, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.
But Finn, foolish as he was, wasn't done.
"Your husband doesn't need to know about us," he smirked.
"Us? What us?" Nora snapped, standing now. "Are you blind? Look at the ring on my hand."
Finn paused, then his eyes widened. "That… that's a Black Pearl Queen Emerald Ring."
He gasped. "Who is your husband?"
"None of your business. Now get. Out." Her voice turned steel.
Finn stood, hands raised. "Alright, alright. I'm going… but I'm not giving up."
He winked as he left, which made her physically recoil.
"Z… I might need to start bringing a gun to work," she muttered under her breath.
Zayan chuckled. "It's not your fault you're incredibly beautiful… and sexy."
"I will end this call in 3… 2…" she said in her strict mommy voice.
"…and wife," Zayan added quickly. "Sorry, my love."
Later that evening, Nora finished up and headed outside. Finn offered smugly, "Want a ride?"
She didn't respond. She walked straight to her car and drove off.
Back at the Kai Mansion, Nora walked into a heart-melting sight—Liam was seated with the other children, reading them a bedtime story in his tiny voice.
"…and the end," he whispered with a yawn before curling up on Lysander's back, drifting to sleep.
Nora smiled, kissed each of them softly, covered them with a warm blanket, then went to shower.
She changed into a red romper with a delicate floral design and made her way to the library where Zayan was reading, his glasses low on his nose.
He looked up—and paused.
His gaze dropped from her face to her figure. He bit his lip. "Hey, baby…"
His voice was low, husky, and filled with heat. Nora folded under his stare, her steps slow, deliberate, seductive.
She walked up to him and climbed gently onto his lap, her hands tracing his jawline. He buried his face in her chest, breathing her in.
"Mmh… another baby?" she teased softly.
Zayan didn't speak. He just nodded into her skin.
She cupped his face and kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck.
But this time… Zayan pulled back and whispered, "Not tonight, love. Tonight, I'm taking control."
With one strong movement, he lifted her up, carried her to the table, and laid her gently down. He unzipped her romper, eyes locked with hers, and bent low, worshipping every inch of her.
She gasped, eyes rolling back from the pleasure, holding on to him as he explored her slowly.
When he finally rose, he met her gaze again, eyes dark with passion. "Be a good girl for me, okay?" he whispered, brushing his thumb across her lips and teasing her gently.
She nodded, breathless, and surrendered.
Time slowed as they made love with intensity and tenderness. When she tried to speak—voice shaking—"p-please, slow down…" Zayan only smiled.
"You teased me all day, baby girl," he growled softly. "Now… relax."
They collapsed together on the couch in the library, skin against skin, hearts beating in sync, completely tangled in each other.
Elsewhere in the mansion, other couples lay together too—peaceful, content, and deeply in love.