CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31: WHISPERS IN HIS ARMS

They both blurted out at once, "He what?"

Nuala sat up straighter, her brows raised in disbelief. "Wait, Nicki? That Nicki?"

Chrisly leaned forward, a knowing look in his eyes. "I knew it. I just knew he was going to contact you."

Nuala’s mouth dropped open in shock. "As in, the same guy who ghosted you after all that drama?"

I nodded slowly, my expression unreadable.

Chrisly scoffed and shook his head. "Unbelievable. What did he want?"

"He said he’s back in town and that he wants to talk," I replied, shrugging like it didn’t affect me. But the truth was, it did. A lot more than I was willing to admit out loud.

Nuala narrowed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Talk about what? After the way he left things?"

I sighed, leaning back against the couch. "He said he wants to talk about what happened four years ago."

Chrisly raised a brow. "Now he wants to talk? After all this time, he suddenly decides it’s the right moment to bring that up?"

I looked between the two of them, just as confused as they were. "I know... I don’t understand it either, but a part of me wants to hear what he has to say."

Nuala didn’t look convinced. "So, what are you planning to do?"

"I’ve decided I’ll meet him, but only in a public place. Somewhere open. I’m not risking anything."

"Nice idea," they both said at the same time, nodding in agreement.

Nuala pointed a finger at me. "I still don’t trust him, though. He might be trying to worm his way back into your life."

"No matter what trick he plays," she warned, "just don’t fall for it."

I met her gaze and said firmly, "I won’t."

The tension in the room softened a bit after that. Wanting to shift the mood, I turned to her with a smile. "So, what are you going to eat?"

She smirked and leaned back dramatically. "Nothing in this house fits my stomach. Your house doesn’t have anything I can eat."

I laughed. "Nuala, are you for real? Just name anything and I’ll ask the maid to prepare it for you."

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I want nothing from your house."

Chrisly chuckled. "I know what’s on her mind. Just let her say it."

Nuala glanced at him before turning to me with a sly smile. "I heard Zayn owns a restaurant."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise, then gave her a knowing nod.

"Take me there," she said with a grin. "That’s where I want to eat."

Chrisly snorted. "Like I didn’t see that coming."

I looked up from my phone and eyed her across the table. "Nuala, just eat here. Don’t go..."

She didn’t let me finish.

"I just want to go there and eat. That’s all," she said, flipping her hair with unnecessary flair. "And please... don’t say no."

I held her gaze for a beat, then exhaled. "Fine. I’ll take you there. But you’re eating from home first. I have work to handle before anything else."

A satisfied smile spread across her face like she’d won a court case. "Understood, Mr. CEO of Draeven Holdings. Owner of half the city, and Zayn’s favorite man."

I narrowed my eyes at her, unimpressed. She always knew how to push just enough to get her way.

Chrisly, who had been lounging on the other end of the couch, shook his head with a scoff. "All these titles... just because you want to go eat at someone else’s man’s restaurant? Nuala, it’s about time you got your own man. Maybe then you’d mind your business for once."

Nuala turned to him like a bullet finding its target. "Excuse me? Don’t drag me when your own love life is a ghost town. Girls don’t want you. Boys can’t stand you. You’re emotionally bankrupt and terminally single."

She flipped her hand dramatically. "I’m still young. I have time. You, on the other hand..."

Chrisly didn’t let her finish. "One more word and I swear, you’ll end up in the hospital."

She gasped theatrically and spun toward me, clutching her chest. "Brother! Did you hear that? He’s threatening me! I’ve done absolutely nothing and now my life’s in danger!"

I rubbed my temples. Nothing wrong? I could list ten things she’d done just today, but I stayed quiet. Instead, I stood between them and raised a hand.

"Enough. Both of you. Can we go one day without some ridiculous drama?"

Chrisly gave her one last glare, then stood abruptly. "I should’ve known better than to come with you," he muttered. "Such a walking headache."

He left the room without waiting for a reply.

Nuala wasn’t done. Her mouth kept moving, throwing complaints into the air like confetti until I shot her a look sharp enough to cut.

"Hey," I said, calmly. "You’re not a child anymore. Stop getting into it with Chrisly over nothing."

"I’m not!" she snapped. "He started it, and you know it."

I didn’t respond. I just picked up my tablet and walked out of the room, shaking my head.

Talking to Nuala was like arguing with a storm, loud, pointless, and likely to leave me drenched in regret.

Just as I reached the hallway, her voice followed me, low and bitter.

"So, everyone’s just going to leave me alone in this room, right?"

I paused. The silence hung for a second before I turned back and stepped into the doorway again. Her back was to me now, arms crossed tightly.

I softened my tone.

"Dear sister," I said gently, "let’s go and eat."

We made our way downstairs, where the maid had already laid out something warm and inviting for lunch. The aroma filled the space, but it still wasn’t enough to satisfy Nuala. She picked at the food with an unimpressed expression, letting out a soft, dramatic sigh.

"It’s good," she muttered, "but it’s not Zayn’s."

She whined for a bit longer about going to Zayn’s restaurant, but I was already juggling too much to argue. I pulled out my phone and called Mr. Karl and James, summoning them back to help me wrap up the files and reports for Draeven Holdings, along with a few pressing matters concerning the new properties I was handling.

After we finished everything, I handed the final documents to James and sent him back to Draeven Holdings. Mr. Karl, meanwhile, was tasked with overseeing the site visits and ensuring all reports were filed. Once the house quieted down again, I stepped out of my home office, and that’s when Nuala caught me.

She clung to my arm with a wide, expectant smile.

"Can we go now?"

I stared at her in disbelief, unsure if she was serious.

"Can we go now?" she repeated, more eagerly this time.

I exhaled quietly. There was no point resisting.

"Fine," I said. "Get ready, we leave in thirty minutes."

But before I could even finish my sentence, Nuala was already halfway up the stairs, her mood instantly lifting. She practically skipped to her room, humming a tune I didn’t recognize.

Chrisly sat slouched on the living room couch, one leg crossed over the other, watching the whole scene unfold. When Nuala disappeared, he shook his head slowly.

"For what reason is she even excited?" he muttered, clearly annoyed.

I glanced at him, then shrugged.

"That’s enough," I said. "You act like you don’t care, but you can’t bear to see her cry."

He didn’t deny it. Just nodded once, eyes still lingering on the stairway.

"I know," he admitted. "But she keeps stepping on my toes."

"She’s just being Nuala," I said, already turning toward the stairs. "Try not to take it personally."

Chrisly didn’t say anything else. He just sank deeper into the couch, letting silence fall between us.

I headed upstairs to get dressed, letting the temporary calm settle over the house.

Moments later, we stepped outside. Nuala clung to my side, visibly excited, her phone in hand as she scrolled through pictures of food she planned to order. Chrisly, on the other hand, moved at his own pace, unlocking his car with a flick of his wrist.

Before getting into mine, I turned to him and asked, "Are you going with us, or heading straight to your place? The restaurant is in the same direction as your house."

He didn’t look up right away, just checked his phone, then said casually, "I’ll follow you guys. After that, I’ll head home."

Just like that, his car pulled out behind us, and my driver started ours.

Inside the car, Nuala wouldn’t stop talking. She jumped from one topic to another gossip I didn’t care about, stories I never asked to hear. All I could do was nod occasionally, pretending to listen while my mind drifted elsewhere.

Thankfully, we arrived at Zayn’s restaurant before I lost my patience.

We stepped out of the car and made our way into the restaurant, this time careful not to cause a scene like last time.

Nuala and Chrisly headed straight to a table, chatting as they walked. I paused and glanced around, scanning for Zayn. But he was nowhere in sight. I approached a group of waitresses near the counter.

The moment they spotted me, a wave of hushed giggles erupted.

"Aww, that’s Evric," one whispered, nudging the other.

"I think that’s his girlfriend," another chimed, eyes flicking to Nuala who still had her arm looped around mine just before we entered.

I ignored them.

"Where’s your boss?" I asked casually.

One of the girls, flushed with excitement, pointed toward the office door. "Inside. He’s in there."

Without another word, I turned and walked straight in.

The door creaked softly as I entered. My man was fast asleep on a single couch, his head tilted back, lips slightly parted, the day’s exhaustion still clinging to his features.

I stood there for a moment, just watching him his chest rising and falling steadily, his brows still faintly furrowed like he hadn’t fully let go of the day.

Then I moved closer, quietly climbed onto his lap, straddling him gently.

Leaning in, I whispered against his ear, "Zayn."