Dear Immortal Tyrant

Lina froze. All she heard was the sound of her heart plummeting in disbelief. Rina let out a horrified cry, followed by her staggering.

SMASH!

One of the vases was in Rina's way. When her hands violently flew back in shock, it knocked the porcelain over.

"YOU!" Rina shrieked, pointing an accusing finger towards her granddaughter.

Lina blinked. She looked behind her shoulder. What? Was there someone behind her? No one.

"Me?" Lina realized, placing a hand on her chest..

"Y-you—" Rina could barely speak. Her face suddenly became red with anger and anguish. She dramatically clutched her chest and let out an aggravated cry.

Not a second later, there was a loud commotion at the doorway. With a loud bang, the doors flew open. Kaden entered the living room, accompanied by Anakin and Sebastian. They were a sight to behold; a trio of  the most powerful men in all of Ritan.

Lina remained glued to the couch, her face drained of blood. Not from the news, but from the realization of who could've caused this. Kaden was the first to look at her. Anticipation knotted her stomach. She was unable to say anything.

"What are you doing here, mutt?" Rina demanded, furiously turning to the audacious man. "I should have you arrested for murder!"

Kaden said nothing to her. He stalked to the sofa, yanked Lina to her feet, and dragged her out of the living room. His grip was like iron on her hands. She winced as he pulled her towards the exit of the Main Mansion.

"Someone stop that man!" Lawrence roared. With a sweep of his hand, bodyguards rushed out from all corners. They surrounded the couple with pointed guns and laser dots.

Kaden didn't stop. He didn't even blink. Instead, his people reacted. Men in black swarmed the foyer with their pistols, machine guns, laser dots, and snipers drawn. It was a mess. No one moved. No one dared to breathe.

"Where are we going?" Lina demanded, grabbing Kaden's wrist to stop him.

Only when she spoke did something flicker on his hard face. He glanced at her and searched her expression. His eyes looked like they were ready to argue, but only sweet words came out of his mouth.

"Home," Kaden said in a low voice. "We're going home."

Lina's heart stopped. Home. 

Seizing her silence, Kaden continued to take his wife towards the doorway.

BANG!

Kaden grabbed Lina and shielded her.  A bullet hit the ground, purposely missing both of them.  A furious expression twisted on Kaden's face. He had Lina in his arms, hiding her entirely. When he turned around, he saw who had fired the shot.

Lawrence. He had taken the gun from one of his people.

"Release my granddaughter," Lawrence snarled. "I will not hand her to a murderer like you."

Lina expected a gunfight. She heard the click of the safety trigger being unlocked. Soon, there were going to be gunshots. To her surprise, it was just the composed voice of Kaden.

"I've already taken her virtue. She wears my ring. Sleeps in my bed. She is my wife and you can't stop me," Kaden deadpanned.

Silence engulfed the entire house. There was deep hatred from Lawrence and fear from Rina. Suddenly, Rina's face went pale with shock. She clutched her heart, her eyes rolling back. Abruptly, she collapsed to the ground.

"Madam!" servants shouted, quickly rushing to her aid.

Rina fainted on the spot.

"Show him the contract," Kaden told Anakin. 

"Yes, Boss," Anakin muttered, reaching into his briefcase to pull out the thick envelope. 

Kaden didn't cast a single glance back. He took his wife straight to the car. Guns were still drawn. Neither party willingly dropped their weapons. Neither party decided to surrender. 

When Lina glanced over her shoulder, she felt her stomach bubble anxiously. Lawrence's face was like a wild storm. She had never seen him so furious. He was disappointed. Disappointed and devastated.

"I'll be fine, Grandpa," Lina said in a small voice. It was her only reassurance to him.

Kaden's grip on her tightened.

Lina turned her attention to the front, where a car was already parked. Kaden yanked the door open for her. She willingly got into the vehicle. Then, he followed. Next, he slammed the door shut and motioned for his people to start driving.

"To the house," Kaden snarled toward Sebastian.

Sebastian said nothing. He was exhausted. After accompanying the man all night long, he could barely drive. Even so, he stepped on the gas and began heading out of the Main Mansion.

"Did you do it?" Lina asked in the middle of the suffocating silence.

The car smelled like Kaden. This was his personal one. She hated how strong his presence penetrated her nose. It tickled her senses, reminding her of how much she loved his scent.

"Did you?" Lina questioned in a harder voice.

Kaden said nothing. He glared out the window. His jaw tightened.

Lina glowered at him. Her gaze burned a hole through his head. This man had all the guts in the world. How was she going to survive him? 

"You better start talking. After storming out like that, you have some guts to drag me home," Lina snarled.

Kaden stiffened. His entire body went rigid. His head snapped towards her. A silent storm brewed in his stare. He looked like he was going to twist her neck.

"Put on your seatbelt," Kaden finally said.

Lina was stunned. She was baffled by his stupidity. Then, he reached across and grabbed the seatbelt. She held her breath. 

With his strong hand, he pulled the seatbelt over her. 

Lina sat there like a child who had finished throwing a tantrum. Staring at the leather seat in bewilderment, she could only wonder what was going through his mind. 

Lina jumped. Kaden had suddenly gripped her thigh. Her attention flew to him, but he was looking out the window. He didn't pay her any mind. So, she tried to pry his fingers off of her.

Kaden tightened his grip. His fingers squeezed her soft flesh until it turned pale. She winced, and he released her. Suddenly, he began to massage the pain.

"All black… such a great color to hide blood splatter," Lina spat out.

Kaden gritted his teeth.

Black suited Kaden. She could never admit it. She could never say it. Kaden was dressed like a predator. One of the richest men in the entire city, and he was her husband. One of the most frightening men in this country. Her eyes burned with the realization.

Lina could never run from him. She could never flee. Even if she cheated, he wouldn't care. His words rang in her head. He'd fuck her again and again, until her insides were molded to his shape.

"We're not done with our discussion from yesterday," Lina finally said to him.

Kaden's jaw twitched. She said nothing else after that.

Once the car came to a stop, Lina threw the door open. She didn't wait for him. She unbuckled and climbed out of the car like it was on fire. She knew he was behind her. His footsteps were lethal and quiet, but she felt his presence.

Lina stormed all the way into their house. She had done nothing wrong. All she did was visit her grandparents. Yet, he was throwing a hissy fit like she had committed the gravest crime. Instead of walking to their bedroom, she stomped into the kitchen.

"Lina."

Now he wanted to acknowledge her? The audacity.