Chapter 7 Wedding Night Firelight
Chapter 7 Wedding Night Firelight
He stood tall, one shoulder against the wall, head tilted just slightly down.
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The glow behind him caught the edge of his face, leaving the rest in shadow. He didn’t need to speak to be felt. His presence filled the space, heavy and sharp, like something dangerous wrapped in silk.
Anneliese stood frozen, too stunned to react.
He powered down the drone, let go of her hand, and raised a brow.
His voice was low and easy, carrying a trace of dry amusement.
“Are you waiting for me to say… ‘Miss, you’re the best?‘ before you let go?”
His breath drifted across her skin, warm and close.
Anneliese snapped back to reality. Her fingers were still tangled in his tie.
She jumped back, dropped her eyes, and stared at the ground, her cheeks burning.
Thankfully, the kids ran back over and swarmed around Anneliese like a pack of excited puppies.
“Miss, that was incredible!”
“Can you show me how to do that spin move?”
“I wanna fly it super low over the lake like you did. That was so sick!”
“Miss, you’re the best pilot ever!”
Anneliese nearly groaned. Did they all have to keep
calling her “Miss“?
Where was this politeness earlier when they were yelling over each other?
She gave a
a quick smile and tried to shake off the awkwardness. “It’s getting pretty dark. You should be going home, kids.
Right on cue, a few parents appeared in the distance, calling their kids. The group scattered in
direction like startled ducklings.
every
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Chapter 7 Wedding Night Firelight
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When she turned back, she spotted the little girl from earlier holding tightly onto the tall man’s leg. She was still staring at Anneliese, eyes wide with curiosity.
Their gazes met, and the girl gave a shy, toothy smile..
“Miss, you saved Snow Eagle. How am I supposed to thank you?”
Her soft, sweet voice warned Anneliese’s chest.
Anneliese bent down with a gentle grin.
“So, your drone has a name? Snow Eagle? That’s pretty awesome. And you don’t need to thank me. Your dad’s just as capable. I bet he could’ve flown it down withour
me.”
She glanced over at the man beside her, remembering the collision from before.
“I’m really sorry about earlier. I didn’t see you standing there and walked right into you.”
The embarrassment hit hard.
She didn’t even lift her head. Her eyes stuck to the man’s wrinkled tie, the very one she’d yanked.
His white dress shirt now had a dark stain from the soup she spilled.
The mess stood out against the clean fabric. His tie looked completely crushed.
She felt her stomach twist. She let out a dry laugh, pulled out her phone, and held it out.
“Can I get your contact info?”
He didn’t reach for it. One hand stayed in his pants pocket, the other rested lightly on the girl’s shoulder. “Hm?”
Anneliese immediately realized how that must’ve sounded. She waved her hand. “No, no, it’s not like that. I just feel bad for ruining your shirt. If you give me your info, I’ll send you a new
one.”
”
Trying to be polite, she looked up to meet his eyes–and froze.
His features were sharp and clean. Strong brows, high nose bridge, and big eyes, deep–set with a striking edge.
Even with his gaze lowered, the air around him felt heavy, like he carried weight without speaking a word.
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Chapter 7 Wedding Night Firelight
Her heart gave a strange little stutter. She chalked it up to guilt.
“Did you learn how to fly drones professionally?”
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He didn’t comment on the shirt. Didn’t even glance at her phone. That question was all he cared about.
Anneliese had done far more than learn.
She had studied aircraft design. She could take apart a drone and rebuild it blindfolded.
That used to be her world. Her dream. Something she gave up, but now, she wanted it back.
She was only twenty–two. She still had time.
Something lit up
behind her eyes. She smiled softly.
“I’ve studied a bit. Anyway, about the shirt-”
“It’s alright. You were helping the girl.”
His voice was calm, his hand still tucked in his pocket.
Anneliese stopped pressing. It felt wrong to insist, especially since the man clearly had a family.
Offering to replace his shirt now felt like too much.
She gave a small bow, then reached into her bag and pulled out a wrapped candy. She handed it to the girl.
“Thanks for letting me help. Here, a little treat for you.”
The girl’s face lit
- up.
“Thank you,
you, miss.”
Anneliese gave her a quick wave and turned to walk down the hill, but after a few steps, she stopped and looked back at the man.
“I don’t mean to overstep, but even with the good security here, it’s probably best not to leave little kids unsupervised near the water.”
The thought of them climbing trees that close to the lake still made her uneasy.
She said it gently, then turned and walked away without waiting for a reply.
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Chapter 7 Wedding Night Firelight
Behind her, she heard his voice, low and steady.
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“Don’t go near the water again. Got it?” He tapped the girl on the forehead with his finger, and she giggled softly.
The little girl covered her forehead, her round face wrinkling with a pout. “That really hurt, Jonathan!”
thin
Jonathan bent down and scooped her up with one arm like it was nothing.
“Jonathan.
mon tilted her head and blinked up at him. “That pretty lady thought you were
my dad. Why didn’t you tell her the truth?”
“Why would I explain myself to someone I don’t even know?”
“But she’s so and she’s nice, and she’s:
cool! If you’d just told her, maybe added her on WhatsApp, you wouldn’t be single anymore! Then, Penelope would stop calling you useless every day!”
She puffed out her cheeks. “I’m telling Penelope! You missed a great chance. You’re not serious about getting a wife. That’s a problem with your attitude!”
Jonathan let out a low laugh. Even at four years old, Lemon was already playing matchmaker.
“What do you call me?”
“Old man.”
“And you call her?”
what do
“Pretty lady.”
“There’s a whole generation gap between us. That doesn’t sound right, does it?”
Lemon’s eyes grew wide.
“Wait… really?” Something didn’t sit right, but she couldn’t figure out what. She gave a tiny huff. “But she’s so, so pretty! I wanna look just like her when I grow up..”
Jonathan didn’t answer. He turned his head and glanced down the mountain trail.
The woman was already gone. Her silhouette faded into the soft yellow glow of the streetlights. Her figure was slim and graceful, distant but striking. There was something familiar about her.
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Chapter 7 Wedding Night Firelight
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After picking up the ID, Anneliese felt good for once. She went to bed early and actually managed a solid night’s sleep,
However, something rustled in the dark, and she stirred. A cold touch slid across her stomach, pulling her halfway out of her dreams.
She cracked her eyes open and saw a dark figure crouched beside her bed. One knee rested on the mattress. He leaned over her with one hand on her stomach.
Her pajama top was pushed up, and the chill air hit her bare skin. Goosebumps spread across her belly.
Her chest tightened.
“Hey!” She screamed and kicked with all her strength.
Her foot hit him square in the side, and his body slammed onto the floor with a sharp thud.
“Anneliese! Are you insane?”
Zacharias groaned, clutching his ribs where he’d hit the floor. His voice was low and angry.
Anneliese jolted upright and flicked on the bedside lamp.
The sight of him sprawled out beside the bed made her face twist with rage.
“Are you out of your mind? What the hell are you doing creeping around in my room in the middle of the night?”
Her heart was pounding. Had he taken out some giant life insurance policy on her?
Zacharias stood up slowly and stared down at her. His jaw was tight, his eyes cold, and his whole body gave off the kind of chill that sank straight through the skin.
“I was putting burn ointment on you.”
He waited. Waited for her to realize he was trying to help. Waited for her to feel guilty. He
up and throw her arms around him like she used to, whisper something thought she would sit soft and grateful.
She used to be easy to please. Just a little concern was enough.
But Anneliese rolled her eyes and turned her back. She pulled the blanket over her head and shut her eyes.
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Chapter 7 Wedding Night Firelight
Ointment?
She almost laughed.
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It had been at least five or six hours since she got burned. Even if her skin were rubber, it would’ve been ruined by now.
Zacharias stood frozen beside the bed, staring at her covered figure. She didn’t move. She wasn’t sulking. She wasn’t teasing him.
She was done. His chest tightened with frustration. A flicker of panic mixed with anger.
He climbed back onto the bed, straddled her, and yanked the blanket away. His hand locked around her wrist.
“Don’t be mad, honey. I swear it was a work emergency. I didn’t mean to blow you off. I told Jackie to take you to the hospital. Why did you go by yourself and shut off your phone? I was going crazy trying to reach you.”
Anneliese didn’t say anything right away. She just kept her eyes closed and waited for him to finish talking.
Then, she opened them. Her voice was calm. Her gaze was flat. “Thanks for worrying. And for caring. I understand your concern. Now, can I go back to sleep?”
It was the right thing to say. It was polite, but something about it felt like a slap to the chest.
Zacharias stared at her, feeling like someone had carved up his insides with glass. There was no grip left on anything.
His voice dropped lower. “You’re feeling better now, right? Let’s make up for our wedding night. I want you. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
He leaned down and kissed her without giving her a chance to answer.
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