THE BLEEDING HEART

THE COLD MORNING

Chapter 8: EMERGING POSSESSIVENESS

The next morning, the bright sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse. Ian woke up with a pounding headache. As he tried to shift his body, a sharp ache spread through his lower back.

He pulled the heavy silk sheets up, only to realize with absolute horror that he was completely naked. He frantically clutched the blanket to his chest, his face burning a bright crimson as the chaotic, passionate memories of the previous night came rushing back into his mind..

The bedroom door clicked open, and Kenneth walked in, fully dressed in a crisp black suit, looking completely composed, though his eyes were dark and unreadable. He carried a glass of water and a painkiller, placing them on the nightstand.

"Drink this for your hangover," Kenneth said, his voice flat, devoid of any emotion.Ian swallowed hard, clutching the blanket tighter. "Mr. Anthers ... about last night—"

"Forget about last night, Ian," Kenneth interrupted coldly, cutting him off before Ian could say anything more.

"We both drank too much. It was a massive mistake, a lapse in judgment that should have never happened. We will return to our professional relationship, and I expect you to never mention this again."The words pierced through Ian’s heart like a freezing dagger. Tears pricked the corners of his sky-blue eyes, but he forced them back, nodding slowly.

"I... I understand, sir. It was a mistake."But despite his cold words, over the next few days, Kenneth found it completely impossible to forget. Every time Ian walked into his office to deliver a file, Kenneth’s eyes would automatically drift to Ian's lips, remembering how soft they felt, and how Ian had cried out his name in the dark.

The memory of Ian's and him last night haunted him, fueling a dark, intense possessiveness inside him.Kenneth’s behavior toward Ian began to change drastically. He stopped giving Ian overnight work.

In fact, if Ian stayed even ten minutes past 5:00 PM, Kenneth would personally walk out and command him to pack up and go home.On a Wednesday morning, a male manager from the marketing department was leaning over Ian’s desk, laughing loudly and playfully touching Ian’s shoulder while discussing a project.

Ian smiled softly, his sky-blue eyes crinkling.Suddenly, the door to the CEO’s office flew open. Kenneth stood there, his aura radiating pure, terrifying hostility. His dark eyes were locked onto the manager's hand on Ian's shoulder.

"Mr. Gomez," Kenneth’s voice sliced through the air like ice. "If you have time to flirt with my secretary, you have time to revise the quarterly marketing budget. I want it on my desk in ten minutes. Get out."The manager turned pale, apologized frantically, and practically ran down the hallway.Ian looked up at Kenneth, confused and startled.

Kenneth walked over to Ian’s desk, leaning down until he was hovering over the smaller youth. He reached out, his thumb firmly wiping away a small stray smudge of ink from Ian's cheek, his touch lingering far longer than necessary.

"Don't smile at other men like that in this office, Ian," Kenneth muttered, his voice deep, possessive, and thick with an unspoken jealousy. "You are my secretary. Your focus should only be on me."Before Ian could even process the sudden wave of intense caring and possessiveness, Kenneth turned around and walked back into his office, slamming the door.

Ian sat at his desk, his heart hammering wildly against his ribs as he touched his tingling cheek. Kenneth still hadn't admitted his feelings, and he still claimed it was a mistake—but Ian was already completely, irrevocably in love with his fiercely protective boss.