The Heiress's Challenge
1418 Words
“What’s the matter, Zac? Won’t you greet your fiancée? It wasn’t easy getting on this ship when it docked,” Chloe said, her voice smooth and confident, a smile tugging at her lips as she fixed her gaze on Zachary.
I felt like an intruder, sitting quietly while tension crackled in the air between them. My instinct told me to leave, but Zachary’s firm grip on my hand kept me rooted to my seat. His grasp was so tight that I could sense his inner turmoil. I had no idea what lay between them or why he was so desperate to end their engagement. Especially since Chloe was stunning, graceful and polished in every way.
“What’s the issue? Done chasing after your handsome ballet instructor? Ready to settle down now?” Zachary’s words were laced with bitterness, his eyes sharp as they locked onto hers.
The bitterness in his voice was unmistakable, but it was the hurt in his eyes that caught me off guard.
“Don’t be like that, Zachary,” Chloe replied, her laugh light, almost mocking. “You know me. I hate giving up without a fight.”
“You left me at the altar after stringing me along for months,” he shot back, his voice tight with anger. “What happens when your instructor’s girlfriend dumps him? Will you go running back to him like a lovesick puppy?”
For the first time, Chloe faltered. Her gaze dropped, softening. “I’ve quit ballet,” she admitted quietly, sadness flickering in her eyes. “I’m not going back. Our marriage is what matters now.”
Her confession didn’t move Zachary. He stood, his grip on my hand firm, lifting it as if to make a point. “That’s unfortunate,” he said coldly. “Because I’ve fallen in love with someone else.”
Shock flashed across Chloe’s face as she rose to her feet, her defiance unmistakable. “In love? You? You’ve only ever had eyes for me. Just last week, you begged me to come on this cruise with you. How could you have fallen for someone else so quickly?” Her eyes flicked to me, scanning my appearance from head to toe.
Her gaze was instantly like a slap to me. For the second time in one day, I had been humiliated. However, I wouldn’t let her win. Wrapping my arms around Zachary’s, I straightened, lifting my chin. So what if I wasn’t polished like her? So what if I was just an overworked employee scraping by?
“Is it so surprising?” I asked, meeting Chloe’s glare with unwavering eyes. “He loves me now. That’s all that matters.”
Zachary glanced at me, something shifting in his expression. Was it gratitude? Amusement? Whatever it was, I held his gaze, feeling oddly victorious.
"Did you hear her?" Zachary’s voice cut through the tense silence, calm yet resolute. His hand gestured toward me. “I’m in love with her now.”
Before I could process his words, his fingers closed around mine, firm but not forceful, tugging me out of the room. I followed without protest, my pulse hammering in my ears as we left his fiancée and the confrontation behind us.
Back in his room, I sank onto the edge of the bed, my mind still spinning. The scene replayed like a broken record: her sharp words, his unwavering tone, the storm of emotions swirling between them. I didn’t know the details, but the bitterness in her eyes and the tension in Zachary’s jaw were enough to tell me their story had deep cracks. Something inside me stirred. An unexpected pull to protect him, as if his pain mirrored my own with Connor.
The sound of running water ceased, and his voice broke my thoughts. “Can you see who’s at the door?”
I looked up just as Zachary stepped out of the bathroom, a towel slung low around his hips, water droplets glistening on his skin. My breath caught. His broad chest, defined abs, and powerful arms seemed almost unreal, like something out of a sculptor’s masterpiece. Heat rushed to my face, and I quickly averted my gaze, my heart pounding against my ribs.
“Uh, sure,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper as I scrambled to the door.
The sight of the food cart waiting on the other side was a welcome distraction. Relief coursed through me. The last thing I wanted was to step into the cafeteria and risk another encounter with his fiancée. I knew I couldn’t avoid her forever, but for now, I just needed a quiet moment to breathe before the inevitable storm.
“Who was it?” Zachary’s voice drew my attention again.
He stood a few feet away, rubbing his damp hair with a towel. His gaze shifted to the cart beside me, and a small, boyish smile flickered across his lips. “Food. Perfect timing.”
My eyes betrayed me, wandering back to the toned lines of his body. His muscles rippled subtly with each movement, tempting and maddeningly close. My fingers curled at my sides, and a wild thought crossed my mind. What would it feel like to touch him, to trace the ridges of his strength? My skin tingled at the mere idea, my heart racing in response.
I tore my gaze away, my cheeks burning and my heart pounding. But Zachary didn’t miss a thing. His sharp eyes locked onto mine, and before I could look away, he tossed the towel onto the bed and closed the distance between us.
My breath hitched as he moved closer, his towering frame caging me against the wall. The air between us grew heavy, charged with unspoken tension.
“Wha—what are you doing?” I stammered, cursing myself for the crack in my voice.
He leaned in, his expression calm, almost casual, yet his eyes burned with purpose. “We need to step up our game,” he said quietly, his tone like velvet laced with steel. “My fiancée is here now.”
Those words hit me like a freight train, my heart thundering louder than ever. “How?” I whispered, barely able to hear myself over the noise in my head.
Zachary reached out, his hand brushing against my hair. The coldness of his fingers sent a shiver down my spine, but it was the fire igniting within me that left me frozen. He tucked a loose strand behind my ear, his touch lingering just long enough to make my nerves scream.
He’s my boss. He’s my boss. He’s my boss.
“What do you think?” he asked, his voice low, his gaze never leaving mine. “We had a deal. You help me with Chloe, I help you with your scumbag ex. No backing out now.”
His words weren’t a question. They were a command, and the intensity in his eyes made it impossible to look away.
My thoughts flickered back to Connor’s cruel sneer, to Chloe’s condescending gaze. They both thought I was beneath them, a pawn in their perfect little games. Anger swelled inside me, mixing with something far more dangerous. Determination.
“Of course not,” I said, my voice stronger now. “Why would I? Because she’s the heiress to a billion-dollar company? I don’t care.” I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince him or myself, but I held my ground.
Zachary’s lips twitched into the faintest smirk, his fingers brushing my cheek. “Good,” he murmured. “Now, let’s eat. You didn’t touch anything yesterday, and you inhaled a lot of smoke.”
He took my hand and led me to the chair, sitting down beside me. My eyes betrayed me again, lingering on his bare chest, silently begging him to put on a shirt. He didn’t.
After we finished eating, I decided to explore the ship, needing some air and distance. The game room was buzzing with life, a stark contrast to the chaos of last night. I wandered through, my fingers brushing the edges of the tables as I imagined what my night might’ve been like if not for the fire.
“Charlotte, right?”
I turned, my breath hitching as I came face-to-face with Chloe. Her lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Let’s play a game,” she said, her voice laced with challenge. “Unless you’re afraid to lose.”
- Writer
