How To Hate Your Husband – Chapter 11&12

HOW TO HATE YOUR HUSBAND

How To Hate Your Husband – Chapter 11&12

{•𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲•}

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆- 𝐒𝐈𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍.

☆ 𝑶𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒃𝒚 𝑩𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆. ☆

©𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞

✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

 

“Are you going to pick? Or should I do it for you?” Romeo’s voice was low, dangerous.

Rias remained silent, frozen, unable to speak.

With a swift motion, Romeo turned her, pressing her chest against the bed. His palm held her firmly in place, pinning her down.

She let out a small sob, trembling beneath him.

Romeo took a deep breath, closing his eyes tightly as he lifted the belt. For a moment, he stood there, rigid with controlled fury.

“Leave.” His voice was sharp, cutting through the tension.

Rias didn’t need another word. She scrambled upright, stumbling out of the room, tears streaming down her face.

Romeo threw the belt onto the floor with a hard clatter and sank onto the bed, running a hand through his hair.

“That girl… she’s really testing my patience.” His voice was low, laced with both exasperation and frustration.

—-
[𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲’𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧]

Nancy sat cross-legged on her bed, still in her pajamas, her hair a mess from crying earlier. Her phone rested on the pillow propped up against her knees.

The familiar face of her mom, Annie, appeared on the screen.

“Mom…” Nancy’s voice cracked as tears spilled over again.

“Nancy? Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Annie asked, her brows knitting together with concern.

Nancy sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

“It’s… it’s Sky, Mom. I… I don’t know what I did wrong. He… he hates me. I can feel it. Every time I try to talk to him, he—he just looks at me like I’m nothing, like I don’t even exist.”

Annie’s sigh was soft but firm. “Nancy… maybe you need to tone down… this obsession with him. I know you like him, but you can’t let it control you like this.”

“Obsessed? I’m not obsessed, Mom!” Nancy shouted, her voice trembling.

“I love him! I… I just… I just want him to notice me, to see me. I… I care about him so much, and he… he doesn’t even care about me!”

“Sweetie…” Annie’s voice softened, trying to soothe her.

“Crying like this… for a guy… it’s hurting you more than him. You have to calm down, Nancy. You can’t let him or anyone make you feel like this all the time.”

Nancy buried her face in her hands, shaking. “But I… I can’t help it! I love him, Mom! I… I just want him to… to like me, to… to care about me even a little bit! Is that too much to ask?!”

Annie reached through the screen in a comforting gesture, though Nancy could only see her worried face.

“I know you love him, honey. But love isn’t about forcing someone to care. You have to protect your heart too, okay?”

Nancy lifted her head slightly, tears still rolling down her cheeks. “I… I know, Mom… but it just hurts so much.”

Annie gave a soft sigh, her voice gentle but firm.

“Nancy… listen to me. Be a good girl, alright? If Sky doesn’t like you back the way you feel, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll be okay. You have to remember that.”

Nancy sniffled, wiping her tears with her sleeve. “I… I know, Mom. I’ll try…”

“That’s my girl. Now, it’s late. Get some rest. Goodnight, sweetheart.” Annie smiled softly, her image fading as she ended the call.

Nancy stared at the black screen for a moment, the quiet of her room settling around her.

She hugged her knees, glancing around at her room—every corner seemed to be filled with reminders of him.

Portraits of Sky on her desk, a few framed pictures on the shelves.

Her chest tightened, and she whispered to herself, “I… I just want him to like me… just like me.”

She let out a shaky breath, curling into herself under the blankets.

The room was dark except for the faint glow of the city lights through her window, and for a moment, Nancy sat in silence, lost between longing and the bitter ache of reality.

Her eyelids grew heavy, but her mind kept replaying his face, his smile… and the way he hated her.

“Maybe… tomorrow will be different,” she murmured, letting herself drift into a restless sleep.

—–
[𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠- 𝐊𝐨̄𝐫𝐲𝐮̄ 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬]

Rias was still fast asleep when her phone rang.

“Mm…” she groaned, burying her face into the pillow. “Who’s calling me this early?” she muttered.

The ringing didn’t stop. With a sleepy frown, she reached out blindly, grabbed the phone, and answered.

“Who’s this?” Rias said, her voice thick with sleep.

“Girl… are you seeing what’s going on?” Sasha’s voice came through, rushed and strained.

“Sasha?” Rias sat up slightly. “Why? What happened?”

“Just check Tokyo’s official news site,” Sasha said quickly—and hung up.

Rias stared at the screen for a second, confusion clouding her face. Then she unlocked her phone and opened the site.

The page loaded.

The first headline hit her like a punch to the chest.

Her breath left her lungs.

Color drained from her face.

Her hands began to shake.

“Romeo…!” she screamed, throwing the covers off and dashing out of the bed, running straight out of her room.

—
Rias didn’t stop running.

She skidded to a halt in front of Romeo’s bedroom door and shoved it open without knocking. The room was empty.

Her chest tightened.

“Damn it,” she muttered, spinning on her heel and bolting back into the hallway.

She took the stairs two at a time, nearly missing her footing as she rushed downstairs.

The moment she hit the ground floor, she almost collided with Sota, who stood calmly near the corridor.

“My lady. Good morning,” Sota greeted politely.

Rias barely heard her.

“Where’s that Romeo?” she snapped, breathless, eyes wild.

Sota’s brows lifted a fraction at her tone, but her voice remained even. “Boss is in his study. It’s the last room down the hall.”

Without another word, Rias brushed past her, her bare feet slapping against the marble floor as she followed the corridor.

—
•𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲•

“It doesn’t add up,” Bianca said.

“Mio was the only one who survived the hijack. No injuries serious enough to explain it. And yet she claims she didn’t see who attacked, didn’t hear anything useful. I already looked partially into it and I suspect she’s involved.” She concluded.

Romeo’s gaze stayed cold, unreadable.
“Look into it,” He said. “ If you find out what really happened, you report directly to me.”

“Yes, Romeo.”Bianca nodded.

The door flew open before Bianca could step back.

Rias stormed in, fury written all over her face. She halted when she noticed Tiago by the wall and Bianca beside the desk. She knew Tiago.

But the woman?

Rias’s eyes dragged slowly over Bianca, sharp and assessing.

“Weren’t you ever taught how to knock?” Romeo said calmly.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Rias snapped. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t tell the public we’re married? What is this?”

She slammed her phone onto his desk. Romeo glanced down at the screen.

🗞️ 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐄𝐎, 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎 𝐑. 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐈 𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃. 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐌? 𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐒 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐘, 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃-𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐍, 𝐑𝐀𝐅𝐀𝐄𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐘. 🗞️

“Hm.” Romeo looked up, unimpressed. “Tiago, you really did good work with the media. Impressive.”

“Are you listening to yourself right now?” Rias said, shaking with anger.

“What happened to what I asked you? We made an agreement that the public couldn’t know about our marriage. That was the one rule I emphasized.”

“Rule?” Romeo echoed. “And how many of my rules exactly did you obey?”

Rias bit her lip, fists clenching at her sides.

Romeo rose from his chair and walked toward her until he stood directly in front of her, his presence heavy, dominating.

“I didn’t know you liked obedience so much,” He said coolly.

“You wake up one morning and start lecturing me about rules you didn’t follow yourself. That’s rich coming from you, kiddo.” He said.

“This is too much, Romeo!” she snapped. “Why did they have to know we’re married?”

“Why not?” he replied. “Is anything in that article a lie? You are my wife, Rias. Aren’t you?”

“This is unfair!”

“Unfair?” His mouth curved into something dangerous. “All I did was put a label on what’s mine.”

Her eyes burned.

“That’s exactly the problem!” Rias burst out.

“You don’t see me as a woman, you see me as property, a child. Everything with you is control, rules, cages I never agreed to live in. I can’t breathe around you, Romeo. Every move I make, every word I say, you want to own it.”

She took a shaky step back.

Romeo’s gaze darkened.

“Why?” He asked softly. “Is it because this little announcement is going to stop you from fooling around with your lover boy, Haru?”

Rias let out a sharp, humorless laugh, her hands shaking at her sides.

“Do you even hear yourself?” she snapped. “Everything with you is possession.. You don’t talk to me like a person, Romeo, you talk to me like property you’re afraid might slip out of your grip.”

She took a step closer, her chest rising and falling fast.

“I can’t breathe in this house. You decide where I go, who I see, when I come home. You parade our marriage to the world without a word to me and then act like I should be grateful because you ‘claimed’ me.” Her voice cracked, anger layered over something rawer.

Romeo kept quiet, wanting to let her finish blabbing.

Her eyes burned as she glared up at him.

“I’m not your trophy, your investment, or your damn territory. I’m a human being. And every day with you feels like I’m shrinking just to fit inside whatever cage you’ve built.”

His expression didn’t soften. If anything, it hardened.

“It’s none of my business how you feel, you get that, Rias?” He said coldly. “You are mine. Now you better behave before I put a leash on you like a dog.”

“You…” she whispered, rage and disbelief colliding in her chest.

“Additionally,” Romeo continued, unbothered, “Tiago is going to be your personal driver from now on. Once it’s 7 p.m., he brings you home.”

“I thought my curfew was 10?!” she shot back.

“That was before you disobeyed me. You already misused your privileges.”

“I have a shift at the hospital. I can be done later than seven!”

“You’re still an observing doctor. You have all day for practice. And besides, they’ll let you off earlier. If they don’t, I’ll make sure they do.”

“You can’t do that,” She said, her voice trembling now.

“Not if I own the hospital.”

“You’re lying. I work at RRD Medicals.”

He tilted his head slightly. “And whose initials do you think that is?”

Her breath hitched. “You—”

Romeo grabbed her elbow, his grip iron-hard, and dragged her toward the door. He shoved her out into the hallway without another word and slammed the door shut in her face.

Rias stood there, frozen, her pulse roaring in her ears—rage, fear, and humiliation twisting together as the study door remained firmly closed.

Romeo’s gaze sharpened as he turned back to Tiago and Bianca, his tone low and commanding.

“Continue with what you were saying,” he said, each word clipped.

“That’s all for now,” Bianca replied quickly, sensing the tension in the room, her voice steady but cautious.

Tiago cleared his throat, stepping slightly forward. “Boss, the annual Yakuza blood bath party is coming up soon.”

Romeo groaned, running a hand through his hair. “F+k, that shit?! I don’t want to attend. Decline my invite.”

“But boss…” Tiago began, hesitant.

“No buts, Tiago,” Romeo interrupted sharply, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Tiago nodded immediately, understanding that pressing further was futile.

—–
[𝐉𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐧] – Don Aizawa’s Suite

Don Aizawa sat comfortably in his massive leather chair, a golden frame clock ticking quietly behind him. Kai entered the room, tossing an envelope onto the mahogany desk.

“Blood bath invite from the head Yakuzas,” Kai said.

Aizawa opened it and chuckling.

“This year’s party is sure going to be messy,” Aizawa commented, a faint smirk on his face.

“What if Romeo doesn’t attend, as usual? Last year it was Hunter who went in his stead,” Kai said, eyebrows raised.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll come. I have a good feeling about it,” Aizawa replied confidently.

“Daddy!!” Yuki’s high heels clicked across the polished floor as she strutted into the suite.

“My princess,” Aizawa smiled warmly as Yuki wrapped him in a tight hug before sitting beside him.

“How’s my sweet granddaughter?” he asked, his voice gentle.

“Bella’s fine, she’s at school right now,” Yuki said, then turned her gaze toward Kai. “Hi, big brother.”

Kai scoffed. “So you still remember that I exist.”

“Don’t start sulking,” Yuki teased, rolling her eyes.

A shadow crossed Yuki’s face as she leaned closer to her father, her voice trembling slightly with anger.

“Daddy… it’s Haru. I can’t… I can’t believe he’s cheating on me with another woman! I mean… how is this fair? I can’t let Bella grow up in such a toxic environment.”

Kai’s brows furrowed, a smirk playing on his lips. “Wait… why are you forcing yourself on that loser? You really still care about him after everything?”

Yuki’s eyes blazed as she turned to him. “I… I love him! I can’t help how I feel. I know it’s complicated, but I… I just want us to be a family—even if he’s being a fool right now.”

Aizawa’s expression softened, his hand resting on hers.

“Whatever Yuki wants… she gets. No one in this world can stop you from protecting your happiness, princess. If that means eliminating this Haru’s other woman, then so be it. You have my blessing.”

Yuki’s lips curled into a relieved smile, her fists unclenching.

Kai shook his head slightly, muttering under his breath, but Yuki only laughed softly, feeling a little vindicated in her battle for love and family.

Don Aizawa’s eyes shifted, sharp and assessing.

“Where’s Mio?” Aizawa asked coolly.

Almost on cue, the doors opened. Mio stepped in, posture straight, head bowed low.

“Boss,” she greeted.

Aizawa leaned back slightly. “What’s the status at the Ryukai?”

Mio lifted her head, confidence flickering in her eyes. “They haven’t detected a thing. The hijacked cargo hasn’t been traced back to us. As far as they know, it was an external hit. No one is suspicious.”

Aizawa’s lips curled faintly.

“Good. Then we push forward.” His tone hardened. “On the night of the blood bath party, we ambush the Ryukai. Romeo Dragoni has to be taken out of the equation. There’s no way in hell I’ll allow his syndicate to stand above mine.”

Kai crossed his arms, unimpressed. “So you’re actually admitting he’s tougher than he was back when Rafael, Dante(Romeo’s Grandpa), and Angelo were running the clan?”

“Shut up,” Aizawa snapped instantly, his voice slicing through the room.

“Touchy.”Kai scoffed, a crooked grin on his face.

Aizawa ignored him and turned his attention back to Mio. “One more thing. Look into what Yuki wants. Find out who the woman is. The one Haru’s been seeing.”

Mio nodded without hesitation. “Yes, boss.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” Yuki said sweetly, standing from her seat. She glanced at Mio with expectation. “Get to work now.”

Mio bowed once more and turned to leave, already calculating her next move as the room settled into a heavy, dangerous silence.

—
[𝐊𝐚𝐢’𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞]

Kai pushed the door shut behind him, the soft click barely stirring the woman sprawled across his bed.

She was half-awake, hair tangled against the pillow, eyes fluttering open as he shrugged off his jacket.

“You slept here last night?” he asked, loosening his tie.

“Not really,” she murmured lazily. “I came in this morning. I went to see him.”

Kai paused, then glanced at her. “Hmm. That’s good. Did he believe you?”

She let out a quiet, amused scoff and turned onto her side. “Of course he did. He’s a dumbass.”

A faint smile tugged at Kai’s lips. He moved to the bed and lay beside her. She immediately snuggled closer, draping an arm over his chest, pressing a soft kiss to his jaw.

“So,” she said lightly, fingers tracing slow circles against his shirt, “are your plans still going to be in motion?”

“Yes,” Kai replied without hesitation. His voice hardened. “First, I need to come up with a proper strategy. It won’t be easy to ruin his career, but I’ll think of something.”

She tilted her head, studying him. “Do you really have to go through with it?”

“Yes, Emma,” Kai said, his tone dropping.

“He’s the reason she died. I treated her like a sister back in high school. And Sky, with his stupid playboy lifestyle, pushed her over the edge of suicide. She didn’t deserve that.”

His jaw tightened, anger simmering beneath the calm. “I’ll get revenge for her.”

Emma was quiet for a moment. Then she leaned in, kissing him softly, as if sealing his resolve.

“Sure,” she whispered.

Kai closed his eyes briefly, the weight of old memories pressing down on him, even as her warmth lingered beside him.

—–
[𝐑𝐑𝐃 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬]

Tiago eased the car into the parking lot and killed the engine.

“We’re here, mistress,” he said.

“Tiago.” Rias looked at him, tone casual but precise.

“Yes, mistress.”

She shifted slightly in her seat, eyes narrowing just a fraction. “The woman from earlier… who is she?”

Tiago hesitated. “Um… you mean Bianca? Well, she’s part of…” He stopped himself, knowing how much he could reveal.

“She’s boss Romeo’s woman,” he finally said.

Rias’s fingers tapped lightly against her thigh, the motion small but sharp, as if testing her own patience.

“His woman,” she repeated slowly, letting the words hang in the air.

“Yes…” Tiago said cautiously.

Rias’s gaze drifted past him, out the window, her lips pressing together. “Like… he sleeps with her?”

Tiago stayed silent. The question was outside his league.

Rias exhaled, leaning back slightly, crossing her arms. “Never mind. Just pick me up later.”

She opened the car door and stepped out, heels clicking sharply against the floor, her back straight.

Each step was deliberate, controlled, but the slight stiffness in her shoulders betrayed the ripple of tension beneath her calm exterior.

•~•~•~
—

Rias strode into the interns’ room, her shoes hitting against the floor. Sasha was already there, sorting through some papers.

“Girl, what’s up? Was it Romeo who leaked the marriage news to the media?” Sasha asked without looking up.

“Who else? That jerk,” Rias muttered, tossing her bag onto the chair.

“Wow. I thought he didn’t care about the marriage as much as you did,” Sasha said, finally meeting her eyes.

“Actually, no. He wants the marriage to control me. The guy’s a possessive freak,” Rias replied, rolling her eyes.

“Rias…” Sasha’s voice was cautious.

“Do you know he moved my curfew up to seven o’clock? Can you believe the audacity?” Rias snapped, her hands flying up.

“Was it because of your date with Haru?” Sasha asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes. And get this—I found out he has a woman he’s sleeping with, and he expects me to be a saint?” Rias exclaimed, pacing slightly.

Sasha sighed, leaning against the counter. “Honestly, Rias, I get why he’s mad. Haru’s Romeo’s business rival. It doesn’t make sense for you to be with him.”

“He’s Romeo’s rival, not mine,” Rias shot back, her tone sharp.

“Well… he’s married and has a kid. Rias, you’re being really petty here,” Sasha said, crossing her arms.

“What are you trying to say?” Rias demanded, stopping in her tracks.

“I’m saying you didn’t know the kind of man Haru is. What if, after you’re done playing with him, he refuses to let go? What if he starts pestering you?” Sasha warned gently. “You know how much you hate that kind of mess.”

Rias clenched her fists, staring out the window. “I don’t need anyone telling me what I can or can’t do,” she muttered.

Sasha shook her head, half amused, half exasperated. “Just… think about it. I don’t want to see you stuck in a situation you can’t handle.”

Rias let out a short, frustrated huff, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. I’ve got this under control.”

Sasha rolled her eyes but didn’t press further, letting Rias stew in her own fire.

“Anyway, enough talking about your toxic marriage. I finally met my HD guy in person, and you would not believe it,” Sasha said, excitement lighting up her face.

Rias, now slipping into her ER clothes and crocs, paused mid-motion. “Really?”

Sasha squeaked, unable to hide her grin.

“So… is he handsome?” Rias asked, curiosity piqued.

“Well… I guess all Dragoni’s have insane genes,” Sasha admitted, laughing softly.

“Dragoni?” Rias repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Yup. He’s your husband’s cousin. Looks like we’ll be in-laws in the future,” Sasha winked.

“What the…? What are the odds! So, is he a good guy?” Rias asked, her tone a mix of surprise and interest.

“Yeah, he’s really great. We’re already dating, and I’m so excited to spend more time with him. Sadly, it can only be in the evenings because of our work shifts, then on weekends. ” Sasha said with a small sigh.

“I’m happy for you, girl. Hold your man tight—don’t be like me,” Rias said, a soft smirk tugging at her lips.

“There’s nothing wrong if you and Romeo actually work things out,” Sasha added lightly.

“Oh, Sasha…” Rias muttered.

“What? You’re stuck with him, Rias, deal with it. For example, stop making him angry and try listening for once. Like… being early for your curfew,” Sasha teased, rolling her eyes.

Rias scoffed, shaking her head.

“I’ll leave now. Have a stressful… good day,” Sasha said, turning toward the door, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm.

Rias stood alone in the office, arms crossed, staring at nothing.

Her and Romeo? Actually working things out?

Ridiculous.

They were parallel lines, destined never to meet. He was arrogant, controlling, suffocating. Every breath around him felt like a time bomb, every glance a warning.

She scoffed softly.

I’d rather die.

—–
[𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐮 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬]

Haru slammed his fist onto the desk, the screen of his tablet rattling as the headline glared back at him:

📰 YOUNGEST TRILLIONAIRE CEO, ROMEO R. DRAGONI, IS MARRIED. AND TO WHOM? RIAS GREMORY, GRANDDAUGHTER OF LEGENDARY BUSINESSMAN, RAFAEL GREMORY.

“Are you kidding me?!” he roared, standing abruptly. “What the hell is this?!”

His staff froze, then slowly filed out of the office, knowing better than to stay in the office.

Haru took a deep breath, trying to contain the fury threatening to spill over. He quickly pulled out his phone and tapped furiously, composing a message:

Haru → Rias:
“Rias. We need to meet. Text me where you are.”

He hit send and stared at the ceiling, the anger boiling beneath his skin. His mind raced.

Why now? Why him? And why with that idiot Romeo?

—–
[𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐤𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞]

The lecture hall buzzed with chatter as students fidgeted in their seats. The professor, a tall man with wire-rimmed glasses, tapped on the podium.

“Alright class,” he began, his voice carrying easily across the room,

“For this semester, we’ll have a group project as part of your extra-curricular assessment. Each group will work together to design a small-scale health campaign for the campus community. You’ll be responsible for researching, planning, and presenting your campaign in both a written report and a short video.”

A collective groan echoed through the hall.

“Group project? I hate projects,” Ginger muttered under her breath, scribbling notes lazily.

“I wish Levi was taking the same course,” she added, sighing quietly to herself.

The professor continued, “Please log into the class site and check which group you’ve been assigned to. You’ll find your teammates there.”

The students pulled out their phones and laptops, tapping into the online portal. Nancy opened her group page and froze.

Sky. His name was listed right there, beside hers.

Her stomach twisted. A sinking feeling spread through her chest, and she stared at the screen, unwilling to breathe.

She wanted to reject the pairing—wanted to run away and pretend it wasn’t happening.

Ginger, noticing her friend’s distress, leaned over. “Nancy? What’s wrong? Isn’t this good? You get to spend time alone with Sky for the project.”

Nancy shook her head, voice barely above a whisper. “I… I don’t want to give him any reason to hate me more.”

“Hey.”

Nancy turned, startled. Sky was standing behind her, tall and calm, his expression unreadable.

“Sky… about the project…” she began, her voice trembling.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Meet me outside,” he said simply, then walked past her toward the exit.

Nancy’s chest tightened. She turned to Ginger, eyes wide.

“Just go,” Ginger urged softly, nudging her toward the door.

Nancy took a shaky breath and followed, leaving the classroom behind.

—
Outside

“I’ll do the project alone,” Sky said, his voice firm, but Nancy’s hands trembled slightly.

“I agreed to do it with you because I can easily discard you. I’ll do it… and I’ll even include your name.”

“Don’t you have an album coming out next week? You’ll be busy, right?” She asked.

“I won’t.”

“I can help. It’s our project.”She said.

Nancy shook her head quickly.

“I said… I’ll handle it.” His words came out sharper than intended.

He straightened, taking a step forward as if to leave, but she reached out and held the tip of his shirt, stopping him.

Sky froze for a moment, then slowly turned, his gaze sharp, piercing.

“I don’t get it,” Nancy said, her voice trembling with frustration.

“Why? Why do you hate me? Why is it so easy for you to look at me and just… hate everything about me? Won’t you try getting to know me first?”

Sky’s lips curled into a bitter scoff. He slapped her hand off with deliberate force, letting her fingers sting from the impact.

“I don’t hate you,” He said, voice low, icy, but every word dripped with disdain.

“I just… don’t want anything to do with you. So don’t think your existence matters to me.”

He turned sharply and walked away, each step heavy, leaving Nancy standing there, heart pounding, and the sharp sting of rejection burning in her chest.

—–
[𝐑𝐑𝐃 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬]

Mio adjusted her mask, slipping it into place as she trailed Haru through the streets. She kept a careful distance, eyes sharp, waiting for the right moment.

When he drove into the underground parking lot, she followed silently, pulling her own car into a shadowed corner and shutting the engine off.

From there, she could see everything.

Haru sat in his car, tense and alert. Moments later, the elevator doors opened, and Rias stepped out.

She wore her ER blue outfit—fitted, professional, yet somehow alluring. Her messy bun hair framed her face perfectly, and her gaze was sharp as she spotted Haru.

Haru got out of his car, closing the door behind him. His stride was confident, yet there was a visible tension in his shoulders as he approached her.

“You wanted to see me?” Rias asked, tilting her head slightly, her voice light but teasing.

Haru stopped in front of her, eyes burning with frustration. “Is the news true? You are married to Romeo Dragoni?”

Rias let out an exaggerated sigh, her eyes glinting. “Ugh… yeah, it’s true.”

“Why? How come you didn’t tell me?” His voice was sharp, almost wounded.

“I didn’t see the need to,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “That marriage is none of my concern.”

Haru’s jaw tightened. He could feel the tension rising, his mind a chaotic mix of desire and anger.

Rias stepped closer, brushing her hand lightly against his chest.

“Are you jealous?” she whispered, her lips curving into a playful smirk. “Don’t be. It doesn’t matter that we’re both married… nothing will stop us from seeing each other.”

Her fingers traced a slow path across his chest, deliberately lingering. Haru’s heart raced. He tried to form words, but all he could do was stare at her, captivated.

Rias chuckled softly, sensing his weakness. “Relax… just enjoy the moment,” she teased, tilting her head as if daring him to act.

Haru’s mind spun. He couldn’t lose her—this intoxicating, teasing woman. He clenched his fists, trying to maintain control, yet every instinct in him screamed to pull her closer.

“You’re mine, Rias. I don’t care if you’re married.”Haru mumbled.

He leaned in to kiss her lips but she turned her cheeks instead and he kissed her cheeks.

“You’re so hard to please.”He said.

“I know. Let’s continue this some other time, I’m in the middle of work.”She winked, walking away from him.

And all he could do was stare at her lovely a+s.

F+k.

•~•~•~

📱 Mio → Yuki:
The woman Haru is seeing… it’s Romeo Dragoni’s wife. Rias Gremory.

📱 Yuki → Mio:
The nerve… of that woman.

📱 Mio → Yuki:
What do you want me to do?

📱 Yuki → Mio:
Do whatever it takes. Get rid of her. Don’t let her interfere with what’s mine.

—–

[𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞] – 6𝐩𝐦

“Just like I suspected, boss… Mio is a snake,” Bianca said, her tone sharp.

“How?” Tiago asked, eyebrows furrowed.

“I did an investigation on her. She’s been seen countless times with a certain Kai… Don Aizawa’s son from the Jaguar Clan,” Bianca explained.

“So she’s a spy, huh?” Romeo muttered, his jaw tightening.

“Yes,” Bianca confirmed.

“Hold on… that bastard Haru’s wife—Aizawa is her father, right?” Romeo’s eyes narrowed.

“You mean Yuki? Yeah. But I don’t think they’ve been in contact for long. It’s her brother in the Yakuza, not her,” Bianca added.

“Also, boss… since Mistress is supposedly having an affair with Haru… do you think—” Tiago hesitated.

Romeo’s eyes widened.

“Shit, that Kiddo.”

Without another word, he stood abruptly and stormed out of his office. Bianca and Tiago exchanged glances, then followed quickly behind him.

—–
[𝐑𝐑𝐃 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬]

Rias shifted impatiently, glancing at her watch for what felt like the hundredth time.

Sasha’s shift had ended hours ago, and now it was already 6:30 p.m. Tiago was nowhere in sight.

Gosh, she muttered under her breath. I actually wanted to be early for this stupid curfew… and he’s not here?

From a distance, Mio sat hidden in her tinted car, finger hovering on the trigger. Her laser sight landed squarely on Rias’s chest.

“Bingo.” she thought, eyes narrowing.

But her focus wavered as another car pulled into the lot.

“Why’s he here?” Mio whispered to herself, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

Rias froze, heart skipping a beat as she saw him—Romeo. The cold glint in his eyes immediately set her on edge.

“Why are you here? I’m not doing anything wrong! Can you leave me alone? Where’s Tiago?” Rias demanded, her voice sharp but trembling slightly.

“I’m taking you home… myself,” he said, stepping closer.

Rias tensed and struggled, backing away. “I don’t need you! Let go of me!”

Romeo paused, scanning her with a sharp glance, and then noticed the red laser dot resting on her chest.

“Shit!!” He muttered, his eyes flashing as he tried to move her away from that spot, but her stubborness drove him to just shield her instead.

BANG!!

The sound echoed violently through the parking lot, making Rias’s heart lurch into her throat.

Chaos erupted around the hospital as the gunshot echoed, sending everyone, visitors, and staff into frantic screams.

“Get down! Someone’s shooting!” a security yelled, pulling people to the floor.

“Stay back! Security!” another voice shouted as hospital guards scrambled toward the parking lot.

“Romeo..!” Bianca’s voice rang out, sharp and urgent.

She bolted from the car, her heels clacking against the asphalt.

“Boss!” Tiago shouted, sprinting beside her.

They froze momentarily as they looked across the street—Mio, masked and poised in her car, ready to flee.

Mio slammed the ignition, tires screeching, and tore down the lot.

“Bianca, take care of boss. I’ll deal with that bitch!” Tiago barked, jumping into his own car and giving chase.

Rias stood frozen, eyes wide as they locked on Romeo. The bullet had struck his shoulder, and the sight of blood made her stomach twist.

He was shaking slightly—not from fear, but from controlled fury. The thought of being hurt even slightly enraged him more than anything else.

“Stubborn as ever, kiddo,” Romeo muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

“I didn’t ask you for this! I didn’t want this!” Rias snapped, crossing her arms and stomping her foot like a brat, her face twisted in frustration.

“Can you stop, Rias?!” Bianca finally yelled, hands on her hips, glaring at Rias.

“What the- who the f+k are you to yell at me? Huh?!”Rias moved instantly, pushing Bianca slightly with both hands.

Romeo quickly intervened shoving Rias away from Bianca with brutal force, Rias’s back slammed against a pillar outside.

Rias gasped. Bianca rolled her eyes at Rias.

It’s a good thing she held herself back or Riad would be bleeding right now if not for the respect Bianca has for Romeo.

Romeo whipped his gaze toward Rias, huffing.

“Do you think I did this for you? Pathetic!” He sneered.

Romeo’s jaw tightened. He inhaled sharply through his nose, suppressing the fury bubbling beneath the surface.

In all his years of being a Yakuza, this is the first time he has ever gotten shot. Cause he’s always careful 100% of the time on a mission, he’s too deadly in a fight that you can’t get even a scratch on him.

But nothing prepared him for the audacity of this brat standing there whining at him while a bullet had just pierced his shoulder.

“Romeo, we need to get your wound treated,” Bianca said, her voice firm but calm, trying to drag him to a safer spot.

He hates this so f+king much. I mean, who wouldn’t when it’s the first time a bullet is piercing your skin.

And this brat is whining at me? The thought made his blood boil.

“Where should we go? Your fortress or the Ryukai?” Bianca asked, stepping closer to support him.

“I’m driving to the fortress. Tiago left with the car, right? Ride with me,” Romeo said, his voice sharp, all patience evaporating.

“And… your wife?” Bianca asked cautiously, her gaze flicking to Rias.

Romeo’s eyes darkened, and he finally snapped.

“She should figure out what to do with her pathetic self. I don’t really give a f+k.”

Rias’s mouth opened in protest, but no words came out.

She stomped her foot, pouted, and crossed her arms tighter, but Romeo didn’t look at her.

Instead , he pulled Bianca by her wrist, heading to the car as they both got in on both sides.

As the car doors shut, Rias’s little tantrum felt meaningless, Romeo has had enough, and she knew it.

The sound of the engine roared to life, and the car sped off, leaving Rias standing all by herself.

.

𝐓.𝐁.𝐂.