Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina)

The room was filled with Clarence's giggles as Katrina clapped her hands and then playfully smacked them against her tiny ones. Her daughter's laughter rang out like a melody, growing louder as Katrina scooped her up for a tickle attack. Her little body squirmed in her

arms, squealing with joy until Katrina leaned down and kissed her soft tummy.

"Mommy loves you," Katrina whispered, brushing her dark curls aside to kiss her forehead.

Just as Clarence settled from her fit of laughter, a familiar voice called out, "Kaaaate?" Katrina looked up to see her best friend, Aaron, bounding in with a very pregnant Maine at his side. The two of them had been married for years now, but their happiness was still contagious as they exchanged playful glances.

"Where's my pretty niece?" Aaron asked, scanning the room.

Katrina lifted Clarence, who immediately began flailing her little arms and legs. "Here she is!" Katrina cooed, setting her down on her feet. "Go to your Uncle Aaron!"

Clarence waddled toward Aaron with open arms and a face lit with excitement. Aaron scooped her up effortlessly, spinning her around like a superhero. "Oh, I love you, little girl!" he exclaimed, peppering Clarence's chubby cheeks with kisses. "You're my favorite princess!" Maine leaned in and gently poked Clarence's cheek. "She really is the cutest little girl. Look at those cheeks!"

Katrina smiled, folding her arms. "She's my little angel."

Maine glanced around. "So, where's the grumpy husband today?"

Sighing, Katrina began tidying up the clutter of toys scattered around the living room. "He had to pop into work for a bit."

Maine shook her head. "He works too much. He should be home."

Aaron scoffed. "That man, I swear. Always putting work before rest."

Katrina let out a soft laugh. "He's not so bad. Anyway, I packed a bag for you two." Katrina handed it to Maine, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Take good care of my daughter, or I swear I'll murder you both." Aaron feigned a shiver. "You're scarier than Kylan, and that's saying something."

"And we still need to pop this little balloon in a few weeks so please spare me," Maine added as she patted her proud bulging stomach.

"Good," Katrina teased. "Now go on, have fun. I'll see you in a few hours." Katrina kissed Clarence's head, her little hands reaching for her hair as Katrina said, "Be good for Uncle Aaron and Auntie Maine."

Once they were gone, the house fell silent. Katrina took the opportunity to tidy up further, letting the rhythm of organizing soothe her mind. Soon, Katrina found herself in her office, settling down at her desk. The draft of her first novel stared back at Katrina, an ambitious project born from the success of her short stories.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

Ever since she stopped working at the Ross Corporations, she decided to make short stories and eventually, it blew up. Maybe because Kylan and her were once the talk of the town, always the headlines of the local news. She thought that, eventually, they were going to die down but it seemed that they were still making the headlines once in a while, especially Kylan.

The sound of the front door opening interrupted her thoughts. Katrina paused, expecting Kylan to come to find her, but after several moments of silence, Katrina frowned. Rising from her chair, Katrina wandered into the hallway. The coat rack was empty, and the house seemed undisturbed. Confused, Katrina made her way to the bedroom-and froze.

Standing by the bed, holding one of Kylan's shirts, was Isabella Stone, his assistant.

"Miss Stone?" Katrina gasped, the surprise evident in her voice.

Isabella jumped, her face flushing as she clutched the shirt tighter. "Mrs. Ross! I-I'm so sorry for startling you!"

"What are you doing here?" Katrina asked, folding her arms.

She stammered, "Mr. Ross asked me to pick up a clean shirt for him...and some other things."

Her brows furrowed. "He could have asked me."

Isabella's cheeks reddened further as she hurriedly explained, "He didn't want to bother you. He said he wanted to look presentable for you. His shirt got dirty at work-my fault, really. He didn't want to come home looking like a mess." Katrina laughed softly, her excuse sounding exactly like something Kylan would say. "Typical of him." Katrina moved past her to the wardrobe. "That shirt won't do. He'll get grumpy about it."

Isabella stayed silent as Katrina picked out a better shirt and matching trousers, her gaze darting nervously around the room. Katrina grabbed a tie as well and handed everything to her. "Here, this should work. Give him these along with a smile from me." Isabella hesitated before nodding. "Thank you, Miss." Her voice was meek, her hands trembling slightly as she took the clothes and hurried out.

Unbeknownst to Katrina, Isabella had lingered longer than she should have, savoring the scent of Kylan's cologne on his clothes, imagining what it would be like to be in her place.

~0~0~0~

Isabella's heart raced as she left the house, the bag of Kylan's belongings clutched tightly in her hands. She had spent longer than necessary in his bedroom, basking in the faint scent of his cologne and imagining a world where she wasn't just his assistant but something... more. Something that Katrina and Kylan once had before they became husband and wife.

The thought of Katrina being the one in his life made her blood simmer, though she masked her feelings behind a polite smile when she handed him the bag.

"Sorry for the wait," she murmured.

Kylan glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "Tch. Took you long enough. What happened? You trip over your own feet?"

"N-no," Isabella stammered, her cheeks flushing. "I just got chatting with your wife."

Kylan's sharp expression softened slightly, and a rare, faint smile tugged at his lips. "She's a talker, huh?"

Isabella's stomach fluttered at the sight of his smile, but her heart sank when she realized it was meant for Katrina.

He opened the bag, pulling out the shirt, tie, and trousers Katrina had chosen. A smirk appeared as he examined them. "She knows me too well. Typical of her to overprepare."

Isabella watched as Kylan undressed, her face growing redder with each layer he removed. She tried to avert her eyes, but her gaze betrayed her, flicking to his toned physique as he reached for the clean clothes.

"Do you mind?" Kylan's sharp tone snapped her out of her thoughts, and she hastily turned away, embarrassed.

"Of course, Sir!" She backed out of the office but couldn't resist sneaking a glance through the slightly ajar door as he continued.

Kylan finished buttoning his shirt and glanced at the bento box Katrina'd packed for him. He opened it and found the note Katrina had written, complete with a drawing from Clarence. He chuckled softly as he ran a finger over her handwriting. "Kylan, come home soon. I miss you loads. Love, your loving wife."

"Cute," he muttered to himself, his expression softening further.

He took a few bites of the baked treats before stepping out of the office. Isabella sat at her desk, pretending to type, though her flushed cheeks betrayed her thoughts.

"Oi, Isabella," Kylan said, breaking her reverie.

She jolted upright. "Yes, Sir?"

"Do you like sweet things?" he asked, holding out the box.

Isabella nodded eagerly. "I love them!"

He handed her one of the treats. "Try it."

She bit into the pastry, her eyes widening. "This is amazing! Did you bake these?"

Kylan shook his head, a rare warmth

d to

in his voice. "My wife did. She's always been a lover of sweets. Back when she worked here, she used bring treats to the office. I'd pretend I wasn't interested, but I always hoped she'd save a piece for me. Now, I get to enjoy it every day."

Isabella's smile faltered, jealousy twisting in her stomach. She forced a polite nod as Kylan continued, "Anyway, I'm heading home. My wife and daughter are waiting for me." Isabella watched him leave, her heart sinking. She had hoped for more time, more of a chance to steal his attention.

~0~0~0~

At home, Katrina was immersed in her writing when Kylan arrived. The sound of his footsteps and the faint rustle of his coat were enough to tell Katrina he was back. She felt his hands slide onto her shoulders,

massaging the tension that had built

up during the day.

"You've been working too hard, beautiful," Kylan murmured, his voice low in her ear. "Thank you for the note and the treats. You always know how to make me feel special."

Katrina tilted her head back to look at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'm glad you liked them."

He kissed the top of her head before wrapping his arms around Katrina. "By the way, you picked out my outfit, didn't you? Isabella only does what I ask-never more. You always go the extra mile." Katrina laughed softly. "So, you want her to do more for you? What's next, making out in your office or desk-chair escapades?"

Kylan rolled his eyes and turned Katrina to face him. "I'd never cheat on you. You know that."

"I do," she said, cupping his cheek. "I trust you, Kylan."

"Good," he replied, leaning in to kiss her. "Besides, the only assistant I've ever kissed-or anything else with-is now my wife."

Katrina giggled. "You got male assistants before me, Kylan."

He smirked as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. "Lucky me." He moved slightly to look at her. "Isabella borrowed my key today; she doesn't have one of her own."

"That's good," Katrina said, frowning slightly. "But it was a little unsettling to walk in and find her in our room. She looked like she was sniffing your shirt."

Kylan froze, his eyes narrowing. "She was what?"

Katrina shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I mean, you do smell nice." Katrina leaned in to inhale his scent, grinning. "I can't blame her."

Kylan growled playfully, pulling her closer. "You're better."

As the evening progressed, Aaron and Maine returned with Clarence, who squealed in delight at the sight of his father.

"Dada!" Clarence cried, reaching out.

Kylan's face lit up as he scooped his daughter into his arms. "Hey, little princess!" He spun Clarence around, making her giggle uncontrollably.

After a shared dinner and some tea, Aaron pulled Kylan aside for a serious conversation. When they rejoined Katrina, Kylan seemed thoughtful, his gaze lingering on his wife. Later, as Katrina sat on the sofa with Clarence bouncing on her legs, Kylan knelt beside Katrina, resting his arms on the cushions. "You really miss me today?" he asked softly. "I miss you every day," Katrina replied, brushing her fingers through his hair.

Kylan sighed, pulling himself up to kiss her gently. "Aaron talked to me and said I shouldn't have just run in today."

Katrina looked at Kylan as she patted Clarence's bum. "Thought we were going to forget it all?"

He sighed. "I know, but I still feel bad especially when Aaron put it into perspective. I'll try not to let work get in the way so much. You and Clarence are my world."

Katrina smiled and kissed Kylan's

forehead. "It's fine, Kylan. I know and

completely understand that you have a very important job with the company and don't want to come in between you and it." Clarence turned around, then stood on her hips and played with her necklace. She smiled and kissed her cute puffy cheeks. "When I started dating you, for real, I knew things like this would happen, where you'd have to run into work on days off. It's okay, really. Just know me and Clarence are always here at home waiting for you and we'll give you all the love in the world when you come home." Katrina winked at Kylan. "I know how much you love me saying welcome home honey."

He leaned up on the sofa and growled making Clarence giggle, then he kissed her. "I love it."

He leaned in, kissing Katrina again, his touch lingering with promises of love and devotion as Clarence yawned, settling against her chest.

"Nap time for this little girl," Katrina said, stroking Clarence's hair.

"I've got her," Kylan said, lifting his daughter into his arms. "I missed her too much today."

Katrina watched as he carried Clarence to her room, feeling a warmth spread through her. No matter how busy or complicated life became, this was her family-a life built on love, trust, and a little chaos.