The chill in the room seemed to seep into Cathleen's bones, yet her skin flared where Xavier's hands lay beneath hers. The accidental touch sparked a current that neither of them could ignore, an electrifying silence stretching out as their eyes locked. She was a fortress of composure; even sitting in her wheelchair, she towered over him with her will.
Cathleen's voice cut through the tension, precise and clear. "I'll take your offer."
Xavier held her gaze, his own eyes like shards of ice, searching for cracks in her armor. But Cathleen was unbreakable, her resolve etched onto her face, not a flicker of doubt shadowing her determined expression.
"Alright," he began, a slow drawl that carried the weight of command, "and Cat, I am your husband. Even if we hate each other, I'd prefer you c
