"I'm sorry. That kiss shouldn't have happened."
Zayden stared at his phone screen in silence. He had typed that message multiple times before, but only now did he finally muster the courage to send it. His hand trembled as he pressed send, as if the words still weren't enough to fix the mistake he'd already made. He sent the message via Irish's social media. He didn't even have her phone number.
A few minutes later, the "seen" mark appeared. Irish had read it, but there was no reply.
Zayden held his breath, his heartbeat out of sync. Waiting was torture, especially after committing a mistake like that.
He knew he had crossed the line. He kissed Irish impulsively, letting his dirty thoughts take over. And then he'd left without a word, without explaining anything. Any woman would feel hurt, confused, even violated.
"Why the hell did you lose control like that?" Zayden groaned, raking his hands through his hair in frustration.
His mind had been unstable lately. His obsession with having a child had become so consuming that he found himself drawn to any young, fertile-looking woman who fit his type.
And Irish. young, healthy, attractive, seemed like a tempting solution to the emptiness gnawing at him. Someone who could give him a child. Fulfill his dream of becoming a father.
Especially after all the failed attempts with Marisha. Even the doctors admitted their chances were next to nothing.
But Zayden knew it was a crazy thought. Wild and shameful. He could never betray Marisha. Her life had already been filled with enough pain. Her parents were gone. She was a victim of abuse. He couldn't be another wound in her life.
Still… what if they would never have children?
Lost in thought, his phone buzzed with a new notification. Zayden quickly checked.
It was the message he'd been waiting for.
From Irish."See me and apologize properly. Who do you think I am, Mr. Zayden?"
Zayden stared at the screen, his jaw tense, before typing his reply.
"I'll come tomorrow. I'll explain everything. And I'll apologize to you in person."He hit send with trembling fingers, weighed down by the guilt that gnawed at him.
"Sweetheart?"
Marisha's soft voice yanked him from his thoughts. He turned slowly. She had just stepped out of the bathroom, her wet hair dripping down her slender shoulders.
"Yeah?" Zayden replied quickly, hiding his shock.
"You're still awake?" she asked, walking over and wrapping her arms around his neck in a warm embrace.
Zayden forced a smile."Work's driving me crazy," he whispered.
But it wasn't work. It was Irish. Irish who was driving him mad. Irish who wouldn't leave his mind. She kept spinning around in his head, poisoning his thoughts with the possibility that maybe… she was the answer.
"The answer to becoming a father," his subconscious whispered.
"Let's try again tonight," Marisha said gently, resting her head against his chest. "Maybe tonight is the night. Maybe our baby will finally come."
Zayden took a long breath and stroked her back. "Let's rest for now, love. I'm exhausted," he murmured, pulling her tighter into his arms. "We'll plan again next month. You must be tired too. Especially after your birthday party yesterday."
Marisha nodded softly, but she could feel it, his embrace wasn't the same. Something was missing. A gap she couldn't quite touch.
Zayden closed his eyes, cursing himself.
He used to be eager. He used to kiss Marisha first, hold her first, initiate everything. But tonight, his body was cold. His mind elsewhere.
Back to Irish.
That face, That body, Those lips, They haunted him.
When he shut his eyes, he saw Irish's figure in that black bikini from the photo he'd accidentally liked.Her smooth, youthful skin. Those long legs. Her prominent collarbones when she brushed her hair back over her shoulder.
God. She's exactly my type. A storm he couldn't calm.
Zayden gripped the blanket, disgusted with himself. He loved Marisha. He truly did. She was strong, kind, nurturing. The woman he chose years ago.
He exhaled slowly and hugged her tighter, trying to smother his own thoughts. Trying to erase the wicked images that clouded his mind.
****
Across town, in a dimly lit room glowing with the scent of peppermint candles, Irish sat cross-legged on her couch. Her phone still displayed Zayden's last message.
"I'll come tomorrow. I'll explain everything. And I'll apologize to you in person."
A quiet chuckle slipped from her lips. But it was a meaningful one.
Her plan… was working. Faster than she expected. She could feel it. Zayden had started to shift. Started to look her way.
And Irish knew that once a man opened the door... the rest was just a matter of time.
His kiss, proved she was just one step away from victory. Irish leaned back on the sofa, her eyes drifting to the ceiling, lips curling into a whisper.
"Keep coming, Zayden. Keep falling. You don't even realize it yet, but you're the key to all of this. The deeper you fall for me, the faster my revenge will unfold."
She stood and walked to the mirror, staring at her reflection.A young, beautiful woman. Captivating. But her eyes.... those eyes held too many scars.
"You'll be mine, Zayden. Love or not, I'll make sure we end up together." Her voice was quiet but razor-sharp.
"And you, Marisha… feel what my mother once felt. Cry alone. Go mad waiting for a man who never truly comes home."
A single tear escaped Irish's eye. But it wasn't weakness. It was the pain that had never been allowed to heal. The rage that had never been soothed.
"This revenge… can only be repaid with equal pain. In the same way."
She wiped the tear away with her thumb and held her gaze.
"I never really lived for myself. Since I was a child... my life has been about loss, survival, and waiting for this moment."
Irish took a deep breath, and a wicked smile returned to her lips, full of plans, full of fire.
She turned away and opened her wardrobe. It was time to choose the perfect dress. The one that would bring Zayden to his knees.