Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

She forced herself to keep hold of her pencil, drawing the familiar shape of her father's eyes.

Why d

did you not choose to pursue a career as an artist Kylan asked quietly.

She shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "New York is expensive, for one. For two, my father was always adamant that I choose something more practical, like a business. So, that's what I did. She used the pad of her finger to provide shading to the background of the sketch, pulling her bottom lip subconsciously between her teeth.

"You're uh. You know, that's not a shit drawing. It captures his eyes well, I think." Kylan's voice was still quiet and a bit awkward, but she appreciated the very kylan compliment from him.

"It was nice to see him laugh. There was plenty of happiness during my childhood, he made sure of that. But I know he worries about me being in a place like New York City. And I know he's. Well, he's lonely. He's out on the water by himself a lot of the time, and then when he comes back home, he's still alone. He never... After my mom um, left. He never tried to find anyone else. She didn't know why she was saying so much to Kylan, and part of her wanted to take it all back already. But there was also a small part of her that enjoyed the idea of opening up about her dad and her childhood with someone

"You never met her? Your mom, I mean!" Kylan asked softly.

She kept her eyes on her sketchbook, drawing out her father's hair with a relaxed hold of her pencil "She left when I was five. My father he never really talked about her, and I haven't asked many questions, to be honest. I don't really remember her, just vague flashes of lullabies she used to sing to me, or books she would read to me. She was happy, my mom. She openly showed me love, I also remember that. And then one day, she was just.. Gone. My father picked me up from school and he took me out for a hamburger and milkshake, which he never did.

Her voice was becoming strained as she recalled painful memories she hadn't thought about in years. "He tucked me into bed that night, told me he loved me and then he. He just held my hand until I fell asleep"

She forced herself to swallow, her eyes still downturned toward her sketchbook, but her fingers no longer drawing

and it had eventually caught up to her. He made sure I never blamed myself, but it

on the nightstand, along with her

and then laid down, looking aimlessly at the white bedroom

so quietly now, she almost didn't hear him in her half-tired, half inebriated

had gotten a glimpse of earlier in the night. She took notice of the fact that her previous guess about wings had been correct. The

she decided to ask him, ignoring his attempt at quelling the storm of feelings she would always have regarding

abent mother

set, and

head on her hand and looked at the tattoo more closely. "Why a cardinal?" she asked him curiously, unsure of what the possible symbolism for many birds was, or if he even got it for any significant reason in the first place. Behind the slight glare of the lenses in Kylan's glasses, she saw as his eyes turned an almost glassy hue of grey, a faraway expression passing over his face for a

remembered that Kylan's mother had

Rylan. It's a beautiful

him, watching him closely in the slim lighting of

shifted on the bed, looking down at his lap, the fringe of his bangs half-concealing his face from her. "I feel like I need to warn you about something. He didn't look at her as he

kylan with a frown back on her face. Warn? What could he have

I typically wake up shouting.

the man who was

Kylan had nightmares?

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Chapter 45

him up screaming? It pulled at her

turned her upper body toward him, her hand reaching out on instinct, but then she hesitated. Did he want her to comfort him? To show him any