Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina)

"Kylan! Dear son. It's great to see you. You look well! Alois Morgan greeted Rylan with a hug, stepping away from his modest truck situated near the rurb of passenger pack up at the airport.

Kylan ignored the slight discomfort that came from hugging Karrina's father, choosing instead to give him a small smile. "You look well, too. Thank you for meeting me, Alois I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to help me." He moved to place his suitcase in the bed of the truck, but Alois shooed him away.

"Nonsense, fls. Lalways have time for you and ma fleur. How is she doing? Does she know yet why you're here?" Alois asked, opening Kylan's door for him.

Kylan climbed inside a bit awkwardly, waiting to respond until Alots was situated next to him. He adjusted the collar of his jacket after clipping his seatbelt in place.

"She doesn't have any idea," he admitted, his stomach churning with quiet guilt.

Alois hammed knowingly. "She will be happy, in the end, I know she will be." He entered the flow of traffic, switching the heat to life on the dashboard console. "Now, go over the whole plan with me once more, if you don't mind." He was serious now, and amidst the sounds of the warm aar blowing from the track's ancient vents, and the small city outside, Kylan divulged every minuscule and large detail he could think of to Katrina's father, omitting absolutely nothing.

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Kylan and Alois were busy the next few days, carefully enacting certain bits and pieces of the plan. Kylan dutifully responded to Katrina promptly each time she reached out to him, hoping to keep any possible suspicions at bay for just a while longer. At the end of every evening. Kylan was completely burnt out, but happy.

It was special, he couldn't deny the fact, having the opportunity to spend a few days with Katrina's father like this. He cherished the moments, he cherished each of the quirks the older man had. He could see bits of Katrina in his mannerisms, in the way he loved without inhibitions and genuinely cared about others.

He could see why Katrina was so special, so incredibly pure. Her father was the same way, easily switching between French and English while he boasted and bragged about his daughter, his precious one. The very being that gave him the will to lead a life that she could be proud of

When Kylan told Alois how proud he knew Katrina was of him, he only smiled, the gentle lines near his eyes drawing up and revealing years of laughter Kylan knew he had experienced with Katrina herself.

Three days came and went, and Kylan returned home a more peaceful, more nervous man. When he greeted Katrina that evening when he made love to her, he made sure to shower her in every bit of affection he held for her.

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December:

A fresh layer of snow, buried leaves long forgotten from a fall since diminished by the steel grips of winter, and a gloved hand tenderly carefully brushing the flakes of white away from a marble headstone Her headstone

Kylan sat back on the haunches of his boots, his cheeks wind kissed, his hair blowing in the bleary December weather. And still, he stared down at the words engraved on Yasman's final resting place.

The feeling, the atmosphere surrounding Kylan, surrounding him. It was different this time. Peaceful, if he didn't know any better.

His heart would always ache, always wonder, always regret.. But now? Now, after a full year of healing of loving and being loved... Kylan could breathe. Could exist in a world where Yasinin. Where she Didn't.

He never though, never dared to dream that it would ever be possible to be at this point. To feel this. This free. This light.

A part of him still wondered if he deserved this life, this grace. At the same time, the shackles that typically surrounded his wrists and bound his ankles together, had all but fallen away from his skin. Only scars remained, and those scars were constantly and consistently tended to by Katrina. and by Kylan himself.

Bowing his head, Kylan closed his eyes, his gloved hand gripping the top of Yasmin's headstone between cold fingertips.

"Damn it. Yasmin. I never thought I could, or would, forgive myself for what happened. For what I What I contributed to." He swallowed against the sandpaper coating the insides of his throat, opening his eyes, tears blurring his vision. "But L. Fck, I do, I do forgive myself. I hope that's okay with

you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, and I'll never f*cking forget you. I'll always miss you. But I need to.. Christ, I need to live my life. I want to.. I want to live my life for me, and for you. For all you missed out on because your f*cking heart was a plece of shin. Kylan wiped the pooling moisture I from his eyes, inhaling a shaky breath as he reached into his coat pocket, withdrawing a small pendant. The tip of a covered finger caressed wings and the body of a bird. Looking at the small reminder with piercing eyes and a gaping hole in his heart that he was finally, truly, allowing to almost close, he leaned the pendant near the foot of Yasmin's grave.

A cardinal

A cardinal signifying grief, change. Growth.

"I love poч Yas. Rest easy, my friend. With one more squeeze of the marble, one more flash of memories covering the internal landscape of Kylan's mind, he stood from his crouched position. Knees aching, heart lifting, he walked with his hands in his pockets to the second grave the came here for.

"I'm doing this because it's almost your birthday y and because I'm hopelessly in love with you, Kylan Ross," Katrina huffed, buckling the seat belt on her first-class cabin chair, hands visibly trembling.

Kylan fought back a rare smile, instead reaching into the bag at his feet. He withdrew a container of sour cherries, along with a book of puzzles.

"For you." He handed her the pair of items, chuckling at the open look of wonder that caressed Katrina's beautiful features.

"Ded I mention that I'm hopelessly in love with your She breathed, taking hold of Kylan's hand and giving it a gentle squeez

Kylan hummed, nodding his head in feigned consideration. "Mmm, once or twice, if I'm not mistaken," he whispered, bringing her knuckles to his lips to place a kiss along the tops of them. "Twelve hours and fifty-five minutes, darling. I'll be here for each one. Kylan promised, eyeing the safety video that clicked to life on the small TV monitor along the back of the chair in front of him.

"That's Well, that's acceptable, I suppose." Katrina grumbled, flashing Kylan a grateful smile.This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Kylan allowed himself to smile at her, unable to stop himself now, even if he wanted to. -0-0-0-

"Oh. Kylan... This is magnificent" Katrina stared up at the large, aging, stone building in awe, her eyes raking over the vast water fountain filling the space near the valeL

Kylan watched her carefully, taking in each of her small and large reactions alike, and committing each moment to his memory.

-Worth the twelve hours and fifty-five minutes?" Kylan asked, handing a few bills to the driver that helped empty their suitcases onto the cobblestone near the hotel.

"It was even worth the drive from the airport, and I have a feeling it'll be worth the jetlag, too," Katrina confirmed, moving to grab the handle on one of their suitcases.

Kylan brushed her away, glaring at her when she tried again. "Stop, Katrina. Thirteen hours on a plane is enough to ask of you. Let's go get checked in and showered." He jerked his chin in the direction of the beautiful behemoth that was the InterContinental Marseille- Hotel Dieu.

Thirty minutes and a steaming hot shower later, Kylan took hold of Katrina's hand, leading her out of their top floor villa and down to the world below

Katrina glanced at her phone, smiling at Kylan when she caught his eye. "It's nearly Christmas. Five more hours," she mused happily, her eyes twinkling in the glow of the twilight sky outside.

"Five more

more hours of me being thirty-three. Shall we?" Kylan gestured to a waiting car that he had already called, helping Katrina into the back seat before sliding in after her.

You know you're bordering on being too old, Kylan. I mean, look at all that grey," Katrina teasingly brushed at the very few sprinkles of grey that scattered in bits of his hair and he swatted her prying hands away.

"Is that any way to talk to your boyfriend that just brought you to France, hun?" Kylan draped an arm over Katrina's shoulders, pulling her against his side as much as their seatbelts would allow

Katrina sighed and nodded. "You're right. Thank you for bringing me here. I fear my French is probably too rusty to get by, so I'm glad you're with me. I'm also glad you want to show me where your mother grew up, Kylan. It means a lot to me." She squeezed his hand, her eyes swimming with the unter truth of her soft-spoken words.

Even in the dark, Kylan was certain Katrina would be able to see the w

way the tips of his ears flushed pink at her admission

"Yeah, yeah, You're welcome. He cleared his throat, shifting in his seat a bit. He turned to face their driver, passing along instructions about where 10 go in near perfect French.

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