Chapter 402: Being A Gentle Man

REBECCA’S POV

One week had passed since Kaden and I agreed to stop fighting and try being friends, and surprisingly, things had been going better than I expected. For the first time since our ridiculous ninety-day marriage began, we could actually sit at the same table without insulting each other every five minutes. We still argued occasionally, of course, but our arguments had become more playful than serious. Sometimes, Kaden would deliberately say something annoying just to get a reaction out of me, and I would respond with something equally ridiculous. Somehow, we always ended up laughing, and I wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or worried about that.

Thankfully, we had both been too busy to spend much time together. Kaden had been traveling between different countries, attending royal meetings, and handling matters concerning the packs under his authority. Some days, he left the palace before sunrise and didn’t return until late at night. On other days, he was away for almost the entire day. I was grateful for his busy schedule because the less time we spent together, the easier it was to forget what had happened between us that night. At least, that was what I kept telling myself.

As for me, I had returned to working at my mother’s Stone Pack. Although she was still in charge, she had begun allowing me to handle more responsibilities, especially those involving the family business. I spent most of my days assisting her with administrative work, meeting with pack officials, reviewing business proposals, and learning everything I needed to know before eventually taking over. It was exhausting, but I enjoyed it. For the first time in a long while, I felt as though I was finally doing something meaningful with my life.

My teleportation ability also made things much easier. I could travel between the Stone Pack and Kaden’s palace within seconds, which was fortunate considering one of the ridiculous rules Kaden had insisted on keeping. According to His Royal Arrogance, I was required to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the palace every single day. I had complained when he first reminded me of the rule, especially since I couldn’t understand why it mattered where I ate. But Kaden had refused to change his mind, claiming that as long as we were married, we were expected to maintain certain appearances.

I suspected he simply enjoyed finding new ways to annoy me. Nevertheless, I had eventually stopped arguing about it. I ate breakfast before leaving for work, teleported back for lunch whenever my schedule allowed, and returned in the evening for dinner. Sometimes Kaden joined me, and sometimes he didn’t. Either way, I was slowly becoming accustomed to the arrangement.

There was only one thing I hadn’t become accustomed to, and that was the guilt I felt whenever I thought about Melvin. We still spoke on the phone every day. Sometimes he called during my lunch break, and other times we talked late in the evening after I had finished working. Our conversations were usually pleasant, and hearing his voice always made me happy. But whenever I remembered what had happened between Kaden and me, an uncomfortable feeling settled in my stomach.

I knew I should tell Melvin the truth. He deserved to know. Yet every time I considered bringing it up, I became frightened of what his reaction might be. What if he hated me for it? What if he decided he no longer wanted anything to do with me? I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him, and so, like the coward I apparently was, I kept postponing the conversation.

That afternoon, I was sitting behind my desk at the Stone Pack headquarters, reviewing a contract my mother had asked me to examine, when my phone suddenly rang. I glanced at the screen and smiled when I saw Melvin’s name.

"Hello, handsome," I greeted, leaning back in my chair.

"Hello, beautiful," he replied warmly. "How’s my favorite woman doing today?"

"Exhausted. My mother is determined to turn me into a businesswoman before the end of the month."

He chuckled. "I thought you said you wanted more responsibilities."

"I did. I just didn’t realize responsibilities came with so much paperwork."

"Well, you can’t expect to inherit an entire business without learning how to manage it."

"Whose side are you on, exactly?"

"Your mother’s, apparently."

"Traitor!"

Melvin laughed, and I found myself smiling. It felt good to hear him sound so relaxed, especially after everything that had happened recently. We talked for several minutes about my work before I asked how things were going on his end.

"Everything’s fine," he replied.

"And how are things with Rola?"

The silence that followed was immediate, and I frowned when he didn’t answer.

"Melvin?"

"Rebecca, can we please not talk about Rola?"

"Why? Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened. I just don’t feel like discussing her."

I hesitated. "Are you two still having problems?"

"Rebecca," he said, sounding slightly impatient. "Please."

"Alright, alright. I won’t ask again."

He sighed. "Thank you. Anyway, how are things between you and Kaden? Is he still giving you trouble?"

My smile faded slightly as I thought about Kaden and how much our relationship had changed over the past week.

"No. Actually, we’ve been getting along surprisingly well."

"Really?"

"Yes. We agreed to stop fighting and try being friends until the ninety days are over."

"Friends?" Melvin repeated.

I laughed awkwardly. "I know. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?"

"A little," he admitted. "But if it makes things easier for you, then I’m glad."

I swallowed, feeling that familiar guilt return. Hearing him sound so understanding only made me feel worse about what I was keeping from him. For a moment, I considered telling him everything, even though I had absolutely no idea how to begin.

"Melvin?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

The words were right there, waiting to come out, but fear held me back. I opened my mouth, hesitated, and eventually changed my mind.

"Nothing," I said quietly. "I just miss you."

His voice softened. "I miss you too, Rebecca. More than you know."

We spoke for a few more minutes before ending the call. I placed my phone on the desk and stared at it, feeling terrible. How much longer was I going to keep this from him? I rubbed my forehead and forced myself to return to work. Whatever I decided to do about Melvin, I couldn’t afford to let my personal problems interfere with my responsibilities.

By the time I finished reviewing the contracts and attending the last meeting of the day, it was already evening. My mother had left the office earlier, and most of the employees were preparing to go home. I gathered my documents, said goodbye to the remaining staff, and teleported back to the palace.

When I arrived in my bedroom, I immediately kicked off my shoes and collapsed onto the bed.

"Moon Goddess, I’m exhausted," I muttered.

I lay there for several minutes before remembering that I still had to go downstairs for dinner. Wonderful. As if spending the entire day working wasn’t enough, I now had to obey His Majesty’s ridiculous dining schedule. I dragged myself into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and changed into a comfortable dress. Then I headed downstairs, fully expecting to find the dining room empty.

But the moment I stepped inside, I stopped. Kaden was sitting at the head of the table, looking at something on his phone. I blinked in surprise because I hadn’t expected him to be back so early.

"You’re back?"

He looked up from his phone and raised an eyebrow. "No, Rebecca. This is my ghost."

I rolled my eyes. "Good evening to you too, Your Royal Annoyance."

"You’re late," he replied, putting his phone aside.

I glanced at the clock. "By seven minutes!"

"Seven minutes is still late."

"Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty. Next time, I’ll teleport directly into my chair so you won’t have to suffer the terrible inconvenience of waiting."

Kaden chuckled. "That would actually be impressive."

I shook my head and walked toward the table, wondering why he always seemed to enjoy provoking me.

"Honestly, I thought you were still out of the country."

"I returned this afternoon."

"And nobody thought to inform me?"

He gave me an amused look. "Were you expecting a royal announcement?"

"Don’t flatter yourself. I was only asking."

"Of course you were."

I pulled out a chair and sat down, trying to ignore the irritating smile on his face. One of the maids approached and began serving my dinner while Kaden continued eating. For a few minutes, we talked about ordinary things. He asked about my mother’s business, and I told him about the contracts I’d spent the afternoon reviewing. To my surprise, he seemed genuinely interested in what I was saying.

"What kind of contracts?" he asked.

"Supply agreements. My mother wants to expand one of our businesses into two neighboring territories, but the proposed terms aren’t particularly favorable."

"What are the main issues?"

I explained the problem, expecting him to lose interest halfway through. Instead, Kaden listened carefully and asked several questions. When I finished, he nodded thoughtfully, looking as though he was considering everything I’d told him.

"Have you considered negotiating a shorter initial term?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If you’re entering a new territory, committing to a long agreement before you understand the market could be risky. Start with a shorter term, evaluate the results, and renegotiate once you have stronger bargaining power."

I stared at him in surprise, wondering why I hadn’t considered that possibility myself.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. I’m just surprised."

"By what?"

"That you actually said something intelligent."

Kaden placed a hand against his chest. "Ouch. That was unnecessarily cruel."

I burst out laughing. "Sorry, but you walked right into that one."

He shook his head, smiling. "You’re welcome, by the way."

"Thank you," I replied, still laughing. "Seriously, though, that’s a good suggestion."

"Well, I do run a kingdom, Rebecca. I know a thing or two about negotiations."

"Don’t let it get to your head."

"Too late."

I laughed again, and we continued eating. Strangely enough, I found myself enjoying the conversation. There was no tension, no shouting, and no desperate need to prove who was right. We were simply two people having dinner together, discussing ordinary things without turning everything into an argument. And I liked it, perhaps a little more than I should have.

After dinner, I returned to my bedroom, intending to finish reviewing the remaining documents before going to sleep. Unfortunately, the more I studied one particular agreement, the more frustrated I became. The figures weren’t adding up, and several clauses seemed deliberately complicated. After nearly an hour of staring at the same pages without making much progress, I decided I needed a change of environment.

I gathered my documents and headed toward the palace library. The room was quiet when I entered, with rows of bookshelves stretching toward the high ceiling. I settled at one of the large wooden tables, spread out my papers, and resumed working, hoping the peaceful surroundings would help me concentrate.

I had barely been there for twenty minutes when the door opened.

"Rebecca?"

I looked up and saw Kaden standing in the doorway, wearing a black T-shirt and gray sweatpants. His hair was slightly damp, as though he’d recently taken a shower.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

He glanced around the library. "Last time I checked, this was still my palace."

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean."

"I came to get a book. What are you doing?"

"Trying to finish some work."

He approached the table and glanced at the documents scattered across it, apparently recognizing some of the papers we’d discussed during dinner.

"Still working on those contracts?"

"Unfortunately."

"Having trouble?"

"No."

Kaden raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced by my answer.

I sighed. "Fine. Yes."

He pulled out the chair beside mine and sat down, looking far too pleased with himself.

"Let me see."

I immediately moved the documents away. "Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"Because I don’t need you making fun of me."

He laughed. "Rebecca, I’m offering to help."

"And since when do you offer to help people without expecting something in return?"

"Since I became a generous and compassionate king."

I stared at him, waiting for him to admit that he was joking. He grinned when he realized I wasn’t convinced.

"Fine. Since about five minutes ago."

I couldn’t help laughing. "You’re impossible."

I shook my head before reluctantly sliding the documents toward him. Perhaps allowing him to help wouldn’t be such a terrible idea, especially considering how useful his advice had been during dinner.

"Fine. But if you start acting arrogant, I’m taking them back."

"Understood, Your Ladyship."

For the next hour, Kaden helped me review the agreement. To my surprise, he was incredibly patient. He explained several clauses I hadn’t fully understood, pointed out potential problems, and suggested ways to strengthen our negotiating position. Occasionally, we disagreed, but instead of arguing, we discussed our opinions until we reached a conclusion. By the time we finished, I felt considerably better about the agreement and much more confident about discussing the proposed changes with my mother.

"Well," I said, gathering the papers into a neat pile, "I suppose you’re not completely useless after all."

Kaden laughed. "That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me in years."

"Don’t get used to it."

"Wouldn’t dream of it."

I leaned back in my chair and stretched, groaning as a sharp ache ran through my shoulders. I’d spent almost the entire day sitting behind a desk, and now my body was beginning to complain.

"Moon Goddess, my back is killing me."

Kaden glanced at me. "You’ve been sitting at a desk all day, haven’t you?"

"Pretty much."

"Then you need to stop working so much."

I gave him an incredulous look. "That’s rich coming from a man who spent the entire week traveling between countries."

"At least I know when to take a break."

"Oh, please. You nearly worked yourself into the ground last month."

He chuckled. "Fair enough."

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to ease the stiffness, but the muscles were so tense that even moving my shoulders had become uncomfortable. Kaden watched me for a moment before speaking.

"Come here."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Let me help with that."

"Help with what?"

"Your shoulders. They’re obviously bothering you."

I stared at him, wondering whether I’d heard him correctly.

"Are you offering to give me a massage?"

"Unless you have another explanation for what I just said."

I burst out laughing. "Since when did the mighty Alpha King become a masseur?"

"Since a certain stubborn woman decided to work herself to death."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, wondering whether accepting his offer was really a good idea after everything that had happened between us.

"You’re not going to do anything ridiculous, are you?"

Kaden gave me a look of exaggerated disbelief.

"Rebecca, I offered to massage your shoulders, not propose marriage."

"Good, because I’ve already made that mistake once."

He laughed loudly, shaking his head as though he couldn’t believe what I’d just said.

"Moon Goddess, woman! Must you insult me every chance you get?"

"Only when the opportunity presents itself."

He shook his head, still smiling. "Do you want the massage or not?"

I hesitated, suddenly unsure whether I should accept. There was absolutely no reason to agree. I could simply return to my bedroom, take a warm bath, and go to sleep. That would probably be the sensible thing to do, especially considering what had happened between us the last time we’d been physically close. But my shoulders were aching, and Kaden was looking at me expectantly.

"Fine," I said eventually. "But just my shoulders."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

I rolled my eyes and turned my chair slightly, allowing him to stand behind me. A moment later, his hands settled on my shoulders, and I immediately stiffened. Oh, Moon Goddess. Why had I agreed to this?

"Relax, Rebecca," Kaden murmured. "You’re making it difficult."

"I’m relaxed."

"Your shoulders feel like rocks."

"Maybe that’s because I’ve been working all day."

"Then stop arguing and let me help."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the moment his fingers began working gently against the tense muscles near my neck, I forgot what I was going to say. Oh. That actually felt good. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax as he continued massaging my shoulders. His hands were warm, and he seemed to know exactly where the tension had settled. Slowly, the stiffness in my neck began to ease, and I found myself enjoying the massage far more than I had expected.

For several minutes, neither of us spoke. The library remained quiet, and the only sounds came from the occasional rustling of papers whenever I shifted in my chair. I was beginning to feel completely relaxed when I suddenly became aware of how close Kaden was standing behind me.

His familiar scent reached me, and an unwanted memory flashed through my mind. I remembered his arms around me, the warmth of his body against mine, and the sound of his voice whispering my name during the night we had agreed never to discuss again. My eyes flew open as the memories returned with embarrassing clarity.

Fuck. Not again.

I tried to concentrate on the documents in front of me, but it was impossible to ignore the warmth of his hands against my shoulders. Every movement seemed to remind me of how close we were, and the comfortable atmosphere we’d been enjoying only moments earlier suddenly felt completely different.

"Rebecca?" Kaden asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright?"

"Of course."

"Then why are you holding your breath?"

I immediately exhaled, realizing that I had indeed been holding my breath without noticing.

"I’m not."

He chuckled softly. "You really are a terrible liar."

I turned my head to glare at him, intending to tell him to mind his own business, but the movement brought our faces unexpectedly close. Too close. Kaden stopped smiling, and for several seconds, we simply stared at each other without saying a word.

My heart began beating faster as I looked into his eyes. Oh, no. I knew that look. Worse, I remembered exactly what had happened the last time he looked at me that way, and the memory made it difficult to think clearly.

"Kaden..." I whispered.

His gaze dropped briefly toward my lips before returning to my eyes. Neither of us moved, and I suddenly became painfully aware of how little distance separated our faces. I should have turned away. I should have stood up, gathered my documents, and returned to my bedroom before things became awkward. Instead, I remained exactly where I was, unable to bring myself to move.

Kaden slowly withdrew his hands from my shoulders.

"Rebecca," he said quietly, "I think we should stop."

I blinked, momentarily confused by his words.

"What?"

"The massage."

"Oh." I swallowed. "Right. Of course."

He stepped away from my chair, putting some distance between us, and I immediately felt the absence of his hands. For some ridiculous reason, I was disappointed that he had stopped. What the hell was wrong with me? Hadn’t I been the one insisting that what happened between us was a mistake that should never happen again?

Kaden cleared his throat and glanced toward the documents on the table, apparently deciding that it would be better to change the subject.

"You should get some rest. You’ve been working all day."

I nodded quickly. "Yes. You’re right."

He gave me a small smile. "Goodnight, Rebecca."

"Goodnight."

I watched as he turned and walked toward the library door, wondering why I suddenly felt so reluctant to see him leave. Just before stepping out, he glanced back at me.

"And Rebecca?"

"Yes?"

"Don’t stay up all night working."

I rolled my eyes, grateful for the opportunity to hide my embarrassment behind our usual teasing.

"Yes, darling husband."

Kaden laughed. "Goodnight, wifey."

Then he disappeared through the doorway, leaving me alone in the quiet library.

I remained seated for several seconds, staring at the empty space where he’d been standing. What the hell had just happened? A week ago, I had convinced myself that what had happened between Kaden and me had been nothing more than a mistake. We had agreed to forget about it, and for seven days, I had done everything possible to keep that promise.

Yet tonight, he hadn’t even kissed me. He had simply helped me with my work, massaged my shoulders, and walked away before anything could happen between us. That was exactly what I should have wanted. He had respected the boundaries we’d agreed upon, and I should have been relieved that neither of us had allowed things to go any further.

So why the hell was I wishing he had stayed?

I groaned and buried my face in my hands, feeling utterly frustrated with myself. I had spent the entire week trying to convince myself that I was perfectly happy with the arrangement we’d made, yet one innocent massage had apparently been enough to make me question everything.

"Rebecca, you are in serious trouble," I muttered.

And the worst part was that I was beginning to think the problem wasn’t Kaden anymore.

It was me.