For Better, For Worse: The Serpent's Contract Wife

Chapter 119: No Boundaries [1]

"No," Zade answered so easily, I was convinced he was gonna stay right here until I finished.

I hope not!

"But nice try, kitten."

My heart leaped when he rose to his full height, kissed me on my forehead, and then left.

I breathed a sigh of relief, running a hand through my hair, and the straight strands fell back with ease.

Thank God he left because I really needed to be alone right now.

A nightmare. I haven’t had any for so long.

Shortly after Annabeth’s death, I could barely sleep, and memories of my sweet, loving sister plagued me.

I missed her so much it hurt every time I thought about her. I would just randomly explode in tears at any time.

I shut myself in for so long, and at that time, Jacob was all I had, or so I thought. He was just helping me grieve because Father paid him to. I bet if Father hadn’t requested, he’d have left the moment after Annabeth’s funeral.

My pain... it ran so deep, tearing me from the inside out. I thought about her murderer, too, and that made me so angry and bitter all the time. I couldn’t find happiness anymore. There was only so much hate and pain I could shoulder. I’m just one girl with a buttload of it.

I buried my face in my hands, somehow deflecting the hot throb in my ass and the heaviness on my forehead.

The tricky thing in all this was that the pain I had carried with me for two years was different. It wasn’t directed at Zade. This pain was sharp, cutting into my chest like a razor.

Annabeth’s expression was the main nightmare. I have never seen her like that, so much hate for me. She had always loved me, and I do too, so why is my mind playing tricks on me?

That wasn’t the only thing making me feel as if I was losing my mind. This familiarity with Zade was like I had known him before, and this feeling inside me wasn’t just about the desire; it ran deeper than that.

I stroked my wrist in thought, and realizing the action, I blinked, looking at my wrist.

Bracelet.

In that nightmare, I was wearing a bracelet and stroking it the same way I was now. I had a bracelet once, the same one that Jacob had given to me for my birthday, a thin bracelet with blue stones. But in that dream, it was emerald.

It’s not real.

I heard a voice in my head.

Yes, it wasn’t, just like the expression in Annabeth’s face. I have been through so much pressure that I’m basically seeing and dreaming things that aren’t there.

I rested my hand on my forehead. That’s right. It’s the stress getting to me.

This familiarity or whatever with Zade, this was probably just my horny body fighting its way through the last line of my defense.

Then what about what that woman said? Mrs. Allen. She didn’t look like she was lying; she was genuinely telling the truth.

I groaned, my head getting heavier. I need to stop thinking right now, or else my head would explode before I even have the chance to figure out what is wrong with me.

Something is obviously wrong with me, and I don’t wanna end up in the psych ward.

I finished my business and flushed the toilet.

My feet tapped against the cool tiles as I neared the mirror, but I paused midway when I saw the lingerie on me.

I don’t remember having this one. This must be among the new collections I picked from the store.

Did Zade undress me, bathe me, and wear me this? And I was fucking sleeping through the whole process. God.

So much for always being alert whenever I’m around him. I have been doing a poor job lately, and particularly, everything relating to Zade Salvero has been a failed mission.

Take what happened on our date, for instance. Date. It went as something you could assume as a normal couple’s activities. That was terrifyingly pleasing. For a minute there, everything felt so real and intimate.

It took out the fact that I wasn’t a purchased wife or that there wasn’t a contract signed that labelled me anything less than a human being.

I’m starting to feel way less than a purchased wife.

I groaned, rubbing my forehead. I waited for the migraine to stop, but it seemed like it wasn’t anytime soon.

I rested my palm on the island, shivering from the cold.

Okay, I need a fucking aspirin. I checked the cabinet, and thankfully, found one.

I turned to leave, but I stopped in my tracks when I saw Zade. My eyes widened, jaw dropping.

"W-Why are you naked?" I found my voice.

"I’ve been naked."

"I-I’m sorry... W-What?"

"Are you just realizing now?" he asked with amusement dancing in his eyes.

Holy... Wait! The covers conceal his lower half, and I must have been consumed when he interrupted me peeing that I didn’t realize either.

That explained a lot, and also brought me back to this very intense situation of a walking naked man in my midst, one I have been trying to get out of my head ever since he showered in front of me.

If the headache doesn’t kill me soon, this will.

"D-Do you usually sleep naked, or are you doing this to spite me?"

"I always sleep naked." He came closer, held my wrist up to his eye level, and saw the aspirin.

I gulped. "Jeans or sweatpants will do."

"It’s still my bedtime, and yours too."

I snatched my wrist from his hold. I wanted to say something, but I shut my mouth and scampered past him.

Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe!

I found a carafe of water on the nightstand, and I rushed to it, filled up the glass, and took the pill, quickly chugging the water.

I swallowed hard, hating the lingering chalky taste in my mouth. Yikes! I hate taking pills. It always made me feel...

"Irritated?"