Break…
One…
Break…
Two…
Break…
Three…
But it didn't stop at three. Zeus had lost count of how many things had shattered inside his bedroom while he stood in the kitchen, cooking hangover soup for Ceres.
'This is my fault.'
He overslept.
For the first time since he was twelve, he overslept... because for the first time, he had slept beside her.
And the sheer bliss of knowing he was the first man to ever share a bed with her had completely wiped out his self-discipline.
In his dreams, he had seen their wedding day. Ceres was wearing the ten-million-dollar gown he had personally commissioned from Sweden... the one she was supposed to wear in her wedding with Ryzel.
Then he woke up with the sun glaring through the windows and Ceres screaming in pain from her hangover.
He had bolted out of bed, rushing to the kitchen to make her something to eat. He couldn't give her pain relievers on an empty stomach... it would only make things worse.
Break…
Zeus sighed as he stirred the soup, tasting it one last time before pouring it into a fine porcelain bowl. He moved quickly, making her coffee next, because Ceres couldn't function without caffeine.
Of course, he knew this.
He had known every tiny detail about her for the past four years, since the moment he first laid eyes on her at her grand debut. From that moment on, he had devoted himself to her, quietly ensuring he was always in the background, watching, learning, waiting.
"Zeus!" her furious voice rang out from the bedroom.
"I'm coming, love! I'm coming!" he called back, balancing the tray with precision.
The tray held the steaming bowl of hangover soup, a fresh cup of coffee, and two pain reliever tablets. With careful but swift movements, he made his way back to the bedroom... where chaos awaited him.
And yes.
It looked like a hurricane had torn through his room.
Every single item within Ceres's reach from the bed was either shattered or strewn across the floor. Broken glass, clothes, night lamp... it was a disaster zone. Even his massive flat-screen TV had not been spared. The screen was cracked, looking as though she had thrown something at it with full force.
"Ahhhh!" Ceres screamed in frustration.
She was still in bed, curled up on her side, her head buried beneath a pillow as if the soft fabric could shield her from the pain splitting through her skull.
And she was naked.
Not that she seemed to care.
Zeus swallowed hard, forcibly pushing down the heat crawling up his spine.
"Love," he called carefully.
"I hate you!" she threw the pillow off her head and shot him a death glare. "Why did you let me drink that much?!"
Of course, it was his fault.
He had already accepted that fact last night. That was why he had called his secretary and told her to clear his schedule for today. He had known exactly how this morning would play out.
Zeus silently placed the tray on the nightstand before turning to her.
"I'm sorry. It was my fault," he said softly, reaching out to help her sit up. "I made you soup."
"No!" Ceres groaned, gripping her head. "My head is going to split open!"
In her frustration, she grabbed the nearest object... her discarded pillow... and smacked him with it.
He caught it easily.
Wrong move.
Ceres's golden eyes flared with renewed fury, and she hit him again. And again.
He didn't bother stopping her. He let her take out her frustration on him.
Then, as if the pillow wasn't enough to satisfy her, she let it drop and... completely unbothered by her nakedness... launched herself at him, sinking her teeth into his shoulder.
Zeus froze.
Her bite was fierce, like she was pouring every ounce of her pain, her frustration, and her headache into it as if transferring her agony onto him.
He let her.
A low chuckle rumbled from his throat, the sound deep and warm despite the sting of her teeth against his skin.
With careful hands, he reached for the blanket tangled at the foot of the bed, gently draping it around her shoulders, cocooning her in warmth.
Ceres was still latched onto him, her breathing heavy, her lips pressed against his skin.
Even in her current state... throwing tantrums, hungover, disheveled, and reckless... she was doing things to him.
Her bare skin against his, her messy platinum hair, her flushed cheeks, her very presence in his bed first thing in the morning…
Zeus exhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus.
"Love," he murmured, his voice thick with restraint.
She finally released her bite, pulling away just enough to glare at him again.
"You deserved that," she grumbled, her voice husky from sleep.
He grinned.
"I probably did."
Ceres narrowed her eyes at him but didn't argue. Instead, she let out a dramatic groan and flopped back onto the bed, burying herself beneath the blanket he had wrapped around her.
Zeus chuckled, settling beside her.
"Eat first, love. Then you can take your painkillers."
He reached for the blanket she had wrapped around herself, gently tugging it away.
"Ahh, give me the medicine first," she whined, her voice thick with pain, her golden eyes glistening with unshed tears from her pounding headache.
"You haven't eaten yet," he said firmly, helping her sit up again. "You need something in your stomach first."
Ceres pouted. "Coffee."
"Not yet. Soup first," he insisted.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You're saying 'no' to me?!"
"I said 'not yet.' That's not a 'no,' love," he replied, barely holding back his laughter.
Ceres narrowed her eyes at him like a spoiled cat, clearly displeased with the turn of events.
Zeus smirked, fully aware that getting her to eat right now would require the same negotiation tactics he used to close million-dollar business deals.
"How about this... ten spoonfuls of soup, and then you can have your painkiller and coffee," he bargained, his voice smooth and coaxing. "And while you're having your soup, I'll massage your temples to help ease the pain a little."
Ceres eyed him warily, lips pressed into a stubborn line.
"And once you're feeling better, we'll go shopping," he added with a smirk. "You can buy anything you want."
That did the trick.
With an exaggerated sigh, she crossed her arms. "Fine."
He placed the tray between them, carefully handing her the spoon. She snatched it from his grasp with a huff, still sulking like a child being forced to eat vegetables.
He smiled, shaking his head at her antics, before reaching out to gently massage her temples, his fingers applying just the right amount of pressure.
"Only ten spoonfuls. No more," she warned, giving him a pointed look.
Zeus nodded, amused. "I promise."
She dipped her spoon into the soup, only taking the clear broth, deliberately avoiding the solid ingredients.
He raised an eyebrow, catching on to her loophole immediately. Of course, she would try to outsmart him. She was, after all, as sharp as he was.
But the moment the warm, flavorful broth touched her tongue, she froze.
It was good.
She took another spoonful, this time adding a few small bits of vegetables, her expression softening as she savored the taste.
Zeus continued massaging her temples, watching with satisfaction as she ate without further protest.
A few minutes later, much to his surprise, Ceres suddenly scooped a spoonful of soup and held it out to him.
He blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
She rolled her eyes. "Just eat it."
He chuckled but leaned forward and took the offered spoonful without hesitation.
The two fell into a comfortable rhythm... Ceres ate steadily, occasionally feeding Zeus, while he continued to soothe her headache with gentle, rhythmic movements of his fingers.
Before she realized it, the bowl was nearly empty.
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared down at the last remaining spoonful of soup.
"Hey, that's unfair," she pouted.
He chuckled. "Finish it, love, so you can have your medicine and coffee."
She huffed dramatically but obediently took the last bite.
Zeus, satisfied that she had eaten, handed her the two painkillers, which she immediately swallowed with a sip of her coffee.
Ceres was particular about how she took her coffee. She didn't like it piping hot, nor did she enjoy it ice-cold. Instead, she preferred it prepared hot and then naturally cooled by the air.
It was an odd preference but one Zeus had long memorized. That's why he wasn't worried about whether she'd like the coffee he had made... it had already reached the perfect temperature for her.
As she sipped her drink, he pulled out his phone and called his housekeeping staff, instructing them to come up to the penthouse to clean up the mess caused by her earlier tantrum.
Just as he ended the call, Ceres felt herself being lifted effortlessly into the air.
"Hey! What are you doing?" she protested, gripping his shoulders in surprise.
"Shower," Zeus answered simply, carrying her toward the bathroom as if she weighed nothing. He expertly maneuvered around the broken furniture and shattered objects on the floor.
She rolled her eyes, already seeing through his so-called 'shower' plan.
"Right. Just a shower," she muttered sarcastically, but she didn't resist. She knew exactly where this was going.
And she was right.
Midway through lathering her body with soap, Zeus's lips began their slow, deliberate descent along her shoulder.
Ceres let out an exasperated sigh, though her body betrayed her, tilting slightly to give him better access.
"Shower my ass," she grumbled, but she didn't stop him. Instead, she leaned into him, her golden eyes darkening with desire.
Zeus smirked against her skin, his hands traveling lower as the steam from the hot water surrounded them.
And under the cascade of the shower, with the water running over their entwined bodies, he took her once more... unbothered by the knowledge that his housekeeping staff had already arrived to clean up the aftermath of her earlier rampage.
Let them hear.
Let the whole damn world hear.
Ceres was his now.