Ceres woke to the softest kisses pressed against her cheeks, jaw, and neck.
"Hmmm," she murmured, refusing to open her eyes.
She was too comfortable, too warm, and far too exhausted to move.
A deep chuckle rumbled against her back.
"Love," Zeus's voice was low and affectionate, his lips brushing against her skin between words. "I know you're still sleepy and tired."
Ceres scoffed, still half-asleep.
"And whose fault is that?" she muttered, making no effort to move.
Zeus laughed softly, tightening his hold around her.
She was still lying on her side, and he was snuggled behind her, one arm draped possessively around her waist.
"Guilty as charged," he admitted before gently nipping her shoulder.
Ceres had lost count of how many times he had done that since last night... since they stepped into the room as an engaged couple.
At this point, she wasn't even bothered anymore.
"Your phone has been ringing non-stop," Zeus murmured. "Your nanny's been calling."
That finally made Ceres stir.
She blinked one eye open, still feeling sluggish. "What time is it?"
"Eight a.m.," Zeus answered.
That made both of her eyes snap open, a deep frown settling on her face.
Eight in the morning?
Her nanny knew she wasn't a morning person.
The earliest she could function properly was ten a.m. Anything before that, and there was a high probability she'd be irritable all day.
Which could only mean one thing.
The call was important.
Sitting up slightly, she pulled the blanket up to cover her bare skin. "Give it to me."
Zeus handed over her phone immediately. It had stopped ringing, but when she checked the call logs...
Her nanny had called five times.
That was enough to fully wake her up.
Zeus sat up beside her, watching her face closely. "Take a sip of your coffee first. It'll help wake your brain up."
She glanced at him, and sure enough, he was holding out a cup of coffee...
Above room temperature. Exactly how she liked it.
Without a word, she took it and sipped.
Then, with a deep breath, she called her nanny back.
Zeus stood up, stretching before leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead.
"I'll prepare our bath while you talk," he said before walking toward the bathroom.
Ceres rolled her eyes at his unbothered confidence, watching as he walked around completely naked like it was the most natural thing in the world.
She shook her head, pressing the phone to her ear as the call connected.
"Nanny? What's wrong?" she asked immediately.
The familiar, concerned voice of her nanny came through. "Ceres, I'm sorry, honey. I know you're having some quality time with Zeus, but I think you should come home."
That made Ceres sit up straighter.
"What?" she asked, her heart picking up speed.
"Your parents didn't want to wake you this early, but... they need you right now."
At that moment, whatever traces of sleepiness still lingering in her body vanished.
She was fully awake now.
"What happened to Mommy and Daddy?" Ceres's voice turned sharp with worry. "Are they okay?"
Her fingers tightened around the phone as she swung her legs over the bed, completely forgetting she wasn't wearing anything.
Without another thought, she rushed into the bathroom.
Zeus had just finished adjusting the water temperature in the bathtub when he turned...
Only to see the clear worry on her face.
His expression immediately darkened.
"Physically, they're fine," her nanny assured her. "But I think it's best if you hear everything in person."
That wasn't comforting at all.
"Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can," Ceres said before ending the call.
She exhaled, trying to steady her nerves.
"Love," Zeus's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.
His entire demeanor had shifted.
The teasing, playful man from earlier had disappeared...
In his place was Zeus Falcon, the man who didn't take problems lightly.
Especially when it came to Ceres.
He stepped closer, his presence demanding her full attention.
"What's wrong?" he asked, tilting her chin gently so she would look at him.
Ceres sighed, frustration and concern evident in her expression. "Nanny wouldn't tell me what it is. But she said Mommy and Daddy needed me. I have to go home."
She hesitated before adding, "I know we were supposed to spend the day together... "
"It's okay, love." Zeus cut her off before she could even finish. His voice was understanding. "Let's shower quickly so we can get to your place right away."
Despite her worry, Ceres felt a warmth bloom in her chest at how naturally Zeus adjusted for her.
They showered together, though Zeus had to restrain himself from prolonging it... especially since today was supposed to be a special day. He had plans to celebrate their first full day as an engaged couple, but it looked like he would have to postpone them for now.
In no time, they were already on the road.
Zeus's BMW sped down the highway, cutting through the early morning traffic with ease.
He glanced at her every few seconds, concern evident in his expression.
"Hey, don't worry too much." He reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Maybe your nanny is just exaggerating. If there was really a serious problem, your parents would've told you directly."
Ceres let out a small scoff.
"I doubt that." She shook her head, staring out the window. "Knowing them... especially Daddy... he'd only tell me about the problem once it's already been solved. When everything is already over."
Zeus chuckled, finding truth in her words.
Romos was that kind of man.
And in a way, Zeus understood him.
Because if he could help it, he wouldn't want Ceres to worry about anything either.
It wasn't about distrust.
It was about protecting her from unnecessary stress.
He wanted to give her the best of everything.
Problems? Those were his to deal with. She didn't have to carry that weight.
Thirty minutes passed, filled with silent worry. No matter how many times Zeus tried to reassure her, Ceres remained tense, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
And soon...
They arrived at the Monteverde Mansion.
The moment the car stopped, Ceres wasted no time.
She stepped out quickly and entered the house, her heels clicking against the marble floors.
Immediately, she was met by her nanny... who looked visibly worried. Even the two maids standing behind her looked uneasy.
That wasn't a good sign.
"Nanny, where are Mommy and Daddy?" Ceres asked urgently.
The older woman hesitated for a moment before answering. "In their room."
Ceres's brows furrowed.
Without asking further, she turned and headed toward their bedroom.
But as she passed through the living room, she froze.
Her steps halted... not because of Ciena, who was sitting there looking worried.
But because of the three unfamiliar people sitting in the lavish space.
Zeus, who had just stepped in behind her, also came to a sharp stop.
His eyes narrowed, his entire posture turning rigid.
Ceres slowly took in the strangers...
Two women and one man.
The older woman, who looked around Cielo's age or older, had a tense expression.
The younger woman, who seemed around Ceres's age, gawked at their surroundings. Her face filled with awe, as if this were her first time stepping into such a luxurious home.
Then there was the man.
He was around Romos's age, and something about his features struck a nerve.
Because he looked too much like Ciena.
A strange feeling settled in Ceres's chest.
Zeus, who had been standing behind her, observing the entire situation, was quick to react.
His expression darkened with realization.
Without saying anything, he pulled out his phone and immediately sent a message to Damien.
His friend owned one of the country's most powerful security and intelligence firms. If anyone could get information quickly, it was him.
Zeus didn't even need to explain what was happening.
Damien would know exactly what to do.
As soon as Ciena noticed Ceres and Zeus, she visibly paled.
The three guests also turned toward them.
And then...
Ceres's eyes narrowed.
Because the moment the younger woman saw Zeus...
Her cheeks flushed bright red.
Ceres saw it immediately.
The way the girl's eyes sparkled with admiration...
The way she clasped her hands together shyly, sneaking glances at Zeus like he was some prince from a fairytale...
It pissed Ceres off.
"Sis…" Ciena's nervous voice broke through the tension.
She had clearly seen the way Ceres's golden eyes had narrowed in pure irritation.
Ceres didn't even bother looking at her.
"Save it."
Her voice was sharp, clipped with annoyance as she turned and headed straight up the stairs toward her parents' room.
Zeus, of course, immediately followed.
But as she walked away, Ceres still caught the way the younger woman's gaze stayed glued to Zeus.
Like she was in some ridiculous romantic fantasy.
Ceres's movements slowed slightly, aligning her pace with Zeus's... forcing herself into the woman's line of sight.
Because it was painfully obvious that she wasn't even acknowledging Ceres's presence.
Ceres waited.
And just as expected, the moment their eyes met...
The girl instantly turned red.
This time, not out of admiration for Zeus...
But from sheer embarrassment.
She knew she had been caught.
Ceres didn't even bother hiding the mockery in her expression, the taunt in her smirk, the undisguised warning in her golden eyes.
She wasn't one to be insecure... she knew exactly who she was, what she had, and what she meant to Zeus.
But that didn't mean she liked dealing with clueless, doe-eyed girls who didn't know their place.
Zeus, who had been watching everything, let out a quiet chuckle.
It amused him how territorial she could be.
And honestly?
He liked it.
But that didn't mean he would ever give her a reason to be jealous or upset.
As much as he enjoyed seeing this side of her, he only ever wanted to assure her.
To make her feel secure.
To let her know that he was...
And would always be... hers.
So, without a second thought...
He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her just slightly closer to him.
Then, in full view of their audience, he pressed a lingering kiss to her temple.
As if that wasn't enough, he tilted her chin toward him and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
A gentle reminder.
A silent reassurance.
Ceres blinked at him, momentarily caught off guard.
Zeus smirked slightly, his voice low and teasing.
"Love, we're on our way to your parents' room." He reminded her.
As if saying, 'Now isn't the time to get distracted by small things.'
At that, the irritation in her eyes faded, replaced by worry again as she remembered the reason they were here in the first place.
This time, Zeus took the lead, gently guiding her forward toward the Monteverde couple's bedroom.