Rhys made sure that I took proper rests during those five days, getting enough sleep and eating enough food to regain all the weight I had lost in the last two weeks of my duties in the hospital.

And I did. Almost.

The day Rhys pleaded with me to start afresh, I slept like a child, feeling weightless as I freed myself from my own expectations. And goodness knows how long I had slept, because when Rhys woke me up that day, I realized it was almost 1 a.m. I had slept for more than sixteen hours.

I was surprised to see very typical Bangladeshi foods on the table. Boiled rice with regular fish curries and veggies.

"I have hired a Bangladeshi chef to cook for you," Rhys informed me as we both descended into the dining space.

"How will you eat all of this? These curries are very spicy," I asked him.

His response nearly brought tears to my eyes.

"If I can make everything right between us, I know that oftentimes I have to eat these foods. And if all the stars align, maybe my kids will eat all of these foods as well," he replied, looking directly into my eyes.

"What if I don't want kids?" I asked him. Rhys smiled kindly at me.

"Your body, your choice. I am happy as long as you are happy with me," he assured me without hesitation. I took a deep breath and exposed my vulnerability to him.

"What if I turn out to be a bad mother? What if I do something that hurts my kids?"

This question caused him to look at me deeply, and he sighed.

"Kay, you don't have to worry about anything as long as I am with you, if you allow me to be around you at all. If you want kids, you don't have to worry about them. I am here for you. If you don't want kids, you don't have to worry about them. As long as I am alive, you don't have to worry about a single thing on earth."

His words left me speechless. He smiled at me and served food onto my empty plates, then onto his own.

We ate silently, and I was surprised to see him eating the spicy curries without hesitation. So, I initiated a conversation.

"You should cook something your mother used to make," I commented.

"Maria's food? You want me to cook Italian for you?" Rhys asked, visibly confused.

"No, I was asking about your own mother's cooking."

Rhys stopped eating and looked at me with visible agony and confusion, as if I were crossing a line. I took a deep breath and asked him,

"Remember the Lebanese cuisine we had the night we first kissed?"

His expression didn't change much.

"Does Anubiah's cuisine have Lebanese influence? I've never had Anubian food in my whole life. You should feed me the foods you grew up eating," I added, hoping he would respond. Rhys started to finish his leftover food without answering me. Meanwhile, I remembered the thought I had on the night we experienced the Metro blast, that his mother might have died, and how everyone from his family was surprisingly hush-hush about it.

Before I could ask anything, he left his seat and took his empty plate to the sink. I decided to push him,

"How old were you when your mother died, Sameer?"

I could feel my heart pounding so loudly that it may rip out from my chest, and he stopped at his work.

He started to hyperventilate. But he closed his eyes for a while and answered me,

"I don't remember."

His velvety, deep voice sounded so depressing that it made me tear up. I stood up and walked to him.

"Do you hate me?" I asked him, while I tried to look into his eyes, and my own eyes wanted to burst out in tears. Rhys shook his head violently.

"Then why don't you tell me anything that's hurting you?" I begged him. His jaw clenched, and he looked at my tear-filled eyes.

"I can handle myself, Kay. You don't have to worry about me." His voice changed to firm and rigid. And this attitude of his angered a part of me, but I knew that my bottomless anger wouldn't solve anything.

"How did Naseer's dad die saving you, Rhys?" I asked him. He closed his eyes once again.

"Who told you all this?" he asked me once again, his voice laced with anger this time.

"It doesn't matter who told me what. What matters is," I cupped his face with my palms, "that I am trying as hard as you to give us a second chance, and I want to know you. I want to know what hurts you, what doesn't. I am trying my best to know you, Sameer. I don't care who you are, how much wealth you have or not. I am just trying to know the man who loves me." I started to cry, and I knew little Kay in me was confused by my behavior.

He opened his eyes to look at my face, then he held my hands to remove them from his face,

"You know that I love you, right?" he asked me, and I nodded.

"Then, the only thing you should know—your being safe, happy, and healthy makes me happy," he added. It made me shake my head in despair,

"Rhys, for the love of God, open up to me," I begged him. He removed his hands from me and walked away.

"Rhys!" I yelled at him. He stopped in his path and turned to me.

"Kay, if I tell you anything about me, you will think I am the weakest, worthless, most fragile piece of shit that has ever existed. And I am not ready to talk the talk. Please. Forgive me." 

"You think I'll judge you?" I was taken aback by his explanation.

"Yes. You will," his voice was firm, and I halted my tears at his accusation. Rhys continued,

"Have you never judged anyone in your life? Haven't you judged me for being an idiot to you?"

I nodded silently.

"You're aware of your anger issues, right? Understand that it's hard for anyone to open up to someone who struggles with anger."

Again, I nodded.

"Then, give me time. Please. Opening up takes time. Kay, you're a doctor; you understand human psychology better than I do. And I have been an idiot to you. I am correcting my behavior, for us. I am trying my best to behave like a man, and I need time to decide how to open up to you. Please."

I stopped pushing him at this point. My stale plates were lying aimlessly on the table.

"I am so sorry for behaving like an asshole, but a lot is going on. And it's definitely not the time for me to talk about something that I am not ready or very proud of," Rhys's voice was filled with genuine guilt and apologies. And I nodded at his plea, ensuring him that I wouldn't push him beyond his limits. I had my own secrets to share with him, and I was even unsure how I would open up to him.

Changing the subject seemed wise.

"What's happening?" I asked, and he sighed heavily.

"You really want to know?" he asked, a mix of relief and concern in his tone. I nodded eagerly.

"We replaced the director-general of MI5," Rhys revealed as we settled at the dining table.

"Wait, what? How did you manage to do that?" I was bewildered.

"We lobbied heavily for Bill taking the position a few years ago. Turns out he was being paid by one of our biggest rivals, Apex Group, behind our back. That explains his behavior when we met him at MI5 HQ."

"Apex Group? I remember hearing about them. But Bill seemed genuinely concerned about my security during our meeting," I murmured, still trying to piece it all together.

"He was just pretending to be loyal to us. When I told Bill that an attack was on its way in London, Bill took it lightly. Or, he thought that after the 2005 Tube attack, nothing of that caliber would have happened in London. He thought, even if a small attack happened, he could propose new security-related contracts in Parliament, then he would give these contracts to Apex group."

I almost gagged at this new information Rhys just told me.

"This is nasty and disgusting! How could he do that? How could he risk the lives of thousands of people?" I was livid and angry beyond what I could imagine.

"Bernard Cumberland was also very angry at the way Bill had dealt with the information. So, with Charles's order, we have removed Bill from that position. Now, a new woman would chair MI5, and she will be loyal to us," Rhys informed me. I was confused.

"Why is her loyalty important to you?" I asked him, Rhys gave me a sad sigh.

"Bill's disloyalty to us killed how many people, Kay?" He asked me, and I shook a bit.

"You think all the powerful men and women in these positions are independent of their actions? Honest? No. The world is not black and white; it's black, dark and musty, and everyone is corrupted. Nobody flicks a single finger without cash."

"So, you get yourself involved with their corruption?" I asked Rhys.

"You can't control hell sitting from heaven. Either you get your hands dirty when you do business or control the power..." Rhys was replying, but I stopped him in the middle of replying, and I asked him,

"What's the main purpose of Volkner's business ethics? Money or Power?"

"Controlling the power, with Money," Rhys answered calmly, I sighed.

"That's why everyone hates  Volkner Corp.'s Blackwater Inc.," I replied.

"Blackwater Inc. mainly earns from endowments, insurance companies, highly paid pension funds, private equity funds, and independent wealth funds from, you know... all the billionaires you see at our Caelus hotel in Como... We invest on behalf of them from Blackwater Inc."

"Your insurance policy sucks," I sneered at him. I was well aware that Blackwater's health insurance policies had caused significant problems for many patients in the USA over the past few years, often rejecting serious cases where costly surgeries were necessary.

"What are you talking about?" Rhys asked me with genuine concern, prompting me to explain my perspective on their insurance policies in both the USA and Canada. While my explanation seemed to agitate Rhys slightly, he remained composed as he responded.

"Kay, it takes almost 40 grand for a woman to give birth in America. How much does it cost here in the UK? How much does the NHS charge their patients?"

"Almost nothing, compared to that 40k bill," I replied.

"Exactly, that's precisely my point. The quality of care and medications are the same, and American doctors are just as competent as their European counterparts. Yet healthcare costs are substantially higher in the USA. How much do you think a vial of insulin costs in Bangladesh?" Rhys asked, prompting me to look it up. To my surprise, a 10-ml vial was priced at just under £2.

"Do you see the difference? Medications are far cheaper in places like Turkey, where people even travel for medical procedures. Meanwhile, US citizens are paying up to eight times more for the same medicines," Rhys elaborated.

"So, what does this have to do with Blackwater's healthcare insurance policies?" I inquired.

"My point is that the insurance landscape in the USA is beyond our control. If we genuinely want to address healthcare affordability there, we need to tackle issues within the pharmaceutical market and the healthcare system itself. Throughout Volkner Corp.'s history, we've never been involved in the healthcare sector. My ancestors were just warmongering pieces of shit who wanted nothing but to start wars, sell weapons to countries, store their money in their banks, invest in private equities, and that's it. If they were human enough, they would have cared about public healthcare systems. My dad started these insurance companies, especially in healthcare. And we had tried our best to deal with it moderately. I don't know whether we would be successful or not, we've struggled with claim denials. If we want to make a meaningful change, it would require my undivided attention, but with over 400 companies under Volkner's umbrella, it's an immense challenge for a COO to handle," Rhys explained.

Feeling overwhelmed, I shook my head, struggling to grasp the complexity of the situation.

"I can barely remember all 400 names myself," he admitted with an embarrassing chuckle.

"And you're also assisting Nas," I reminded him.

"I owe him my life, Kay," Rhys admitted with humbleness.

"You're spilling every single one of your business secrets to me, yet you're not telling me a single thing about the deaths of your mother and your uncle?" I questioned him. Rhys smiled nervously.

"That's a fucked up issue for me, Kay. Business feels simpler to talk about."

"And yet, I'm clueless when it comes to business," I admitted, earning a concerned look from him.

"But remember when you mentioned wanting to change your profession? I'm doing my best to teach you the ins and outs of business dealings so you can venture into it if you ever wish..." Rhys voice was full of innocent concerns.

"Your parents offered me a role at Jas's robotics company, as president," I chuckled, and Rhys seemed pleased with my amusement.

"Yeah, I told them that. I thought your anger issues might improve if you actually started working with Jas and Emilie," Rhys playfully teased, earning an eye roll from me.

"So you think working in robotics will be my anger management therapy?" I burst into laughter, and he joined in.

"There's more to it. Remember the letter you wrote me?" Rhys brought up.

What letter?

I gave him a puzzled look as my laughter faded.

"The one from Lake Como. You called yourself a peasant and thanked me for the stay at Caelus," Rhys recalled, now laughing hysterically.

OH

MY

GOD!!!

So he did get that letter.

"I laughed for a solid hour when I read it. But your handwriting was so beautiful. And whatever you were up to in Lake Como, the way you danced through the streets when we first met, strolled around my hotel reading your books—that's what drew me to you, Kay," Rhys confessed.

My cheeks turned crimson as I blushed.

"You spent 6 hours on that quay, lost completely in your book on your birthday, and I couldn't take my eyes off you the entire time. Trust me, if you hadn't attempted to eat that entire 2-pound cake solo that night, or tossed out my books and the flowers I gave you—I probably wouldn't have gone searching for your details in your hometown in Bangladesh, in London. I wanted to be near you so badly. When Julia talked about you, I was so jealous of her. And your distaste for billionaires—I didn't want to be just another rich guy vying for your attention. I wanted you to see me for who I am. I wanted us to be comfortable around each other, like any ordinary adults. And those 7 days with you in Paris were the best moments of my life, Kaya."

My entire being tingled with joy, every fiber dancing with delight like wild dandelions in the summer breeze.

I couldn't contain my wide grin, though a small part of me resisted fully succumbing to Rhys Volkner's charm. So I composed myself and shifted gears in our conversation.

"Did you figure out who was behind the attacks? I mean, AHAM was not behind it," I asked.

Rhys's innocent, happy face faded into his previous gloom,  as he steadied himself to respond, "Our team is on it. But according to my CIA friend, Director Rory McCrory, his assets in China suggest a Chinese business entity funded the attack. They likely bankrolled a small militia team to execute the plan."

This was by far the most shocking, fucked up revelation of the night. I felt my jaw hit the floor when he dropped this bombshell on me.

"What the fuck?" The words slipped out involuntarily.

"Yeah, what the fuck," he echoed my sentiment.

"What do they want from you? How messed up are they to do something like this?"

"You have no idea about Tokushima Group. They're our biggest rival."

"Wait, Tokushima? That's the name of a Japanese city. How can it be a Chinese company?" I was utterly baffled.

"Yes, it's a Chinese-owned company, but they operate under the guise of a Japanese entity. It's a brilliant move by Youn Chaing, the founder," Rhys explained with a somber smile.

"What's their deal? What the fuck is wrong with them?" I seethed with anger and disgust. Rhys sensed my emotions but remained composed.

"I'll tell you everything, but on one condition," he said.

I shot him a questioning look, and he flashed a mischievous grin.

"You have to go on a date with me," he proposed with a sly smile, instantly melting away the anger that had consumed me moments before. I could feel the blush creeping up my cheeks.

"Seriously, Rhys? Is this..." I started to protest, but he cut me off.

"Kay, you're beyond stressed. I can't let you get any more worked up. You need sleep and rest, and tomorrow we'll have dinner wherever you want. Then we'll relax. After that, you can ask me anything about Tokushima Group, and I'll tell you."

"But..." I began again, but Rhys silenced me with a gentle shush, placing a finger on my lips.

"Kay, sleep as much as you need. It's already 3 a.m. Trust me, you need rest. Because the day after tomorrow, Emilie will be in London, and she'll drive you crazy."

Emilie!

My heart danced with joy at the mention of her name.

Rhys sensed my happiness and mirrored it with a smile of his own.

"Yes, Emilie. And you'll be busy with her a lot, so I need your undivided attention tomorrow, please," Rhys pleaded, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

We made our way back to my bedroom, and as I closed the door, Rhys lingered outside.

"Now, sleep tight, my good girl," he said softly.

This triggered my memory of him explicitly telling me how much he was into the daddy kink, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter, a loud, hearty sound echoing through the hallway.

Rhys scratched his messy hair with a sly smile, that could trick anyone into thinking he was the most innocent guy to walk the earth.