Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina)

Katrina smiled softly as Clarence sat between her legs on the hospital bed. She was reading a colorful picture book to her daughter, who excitedly pointed at the animals and tried to name them. Katrina was healing steadily, though she still bore the marks of the attack- her bruises had shifted to dark purples and yellows, and bandages covered parts of her arms and legs. Clarence, too, had bandages on her arm, though the ones on her head had been removed. Despite everything, Clarence was in high spirits, giggling as she got another animal name correct. She wasn't having nightmares and found comfort in the familiarity of her mother's presence.

Kylan entered the room with a bag of food, a grin lighting up his face. "Well, look at my two favorite people up and at it!"

Katrina chuckled. "We're ready for a treat, and Clarence is doing really well."

"That's great to hear." He pulled the little hospital table closer. "I brought food because hospital meals are, well, not ideal." Katrina gave Clarence a playful squeeze. "Daddy is treating us, sweet girl!"

Clarence clapped her hands. "Yaaay!"

Kylan unpacked the food and sat down with them. Katrina smiled at the spread, a rare treat of fast food. "I'll help Clarence." She picked up a chicken nugget and fed it to her daughter. "Go ahead, honey, eat up."This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Clarence giggled, munching happily. "Thank you!"

Katrina ruffled her hair affectionately and took a bite of her fries. "Mmm, just what I needed."

Kylan sipped his drink. "Good. I got milkshakes for both of you too, a special treat."

Clarence held her cup with both hands, sipping eagerly through the straw. "Yummy, Daddy!"

Katrina laughed. "A solid ten out of ten."

"Seems like it," Kylan said with a grin, though his mood shifted as his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, frowning slightly. It was another update from Isabella, his coworker, who seemed overly attentive since the incident. Isabella had been unusually interested in his absence from work, sending constant updates. Kylan texted back, politely asking her to stop for now, only to receive another reply from Ryan saying the group planned to visit today.

"Heads up," Kylan said with a wry smile. "The gang is dropping by to see you."

Katrina grinned. "It'll be nice to see everyone. I've missed them."

"It'll be good for you to have company," Kylan agreed. "But no overexerting yourself, okay? Rest when you need to."

She looked at Kylan seriously. "You and Clarence should be resting at home now."

"No," Kylan said firmly.

"But-"

"We're not leaving you," he interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.

Katrina sighed but relented. "Alright."

Just then, Dr. Lee walked in. "Good morning, Mrs. Ross. You're showing excellent signs of recovery. If you're ready, you could go home today."

Katrina's eyes widened. "Really? Can I?" She turned to Kylan with hope.

Kylan smiled warmly. "Yeah." He stood up, already gathering their things. "Where do I sign?"

"This way," the doctor replied. "I'll also prepare a prescription for her medications."

Katrina lifted Clarence off the bed, setting her on her feet. "Want to go home, sweetheart?"

Clarence nodded enthusiastically. "Please!"

"Let's get moving then," Kylan said as he packed their belongings.

After Dr. Lee removed Katrina's IV and patched up the needle marks, Kylan carried Clarence and wrapped an arm around Katrina's shoulders. "Thank you, doctor," Kylan said before kissing Katrina's cheek. "Let's go home." On their way out, the doctor cautioned, "Be gentle with her. Her ribs are still fragile, so no strenuous activity and plenty of rest."

"I'll take care of her," Kylan promised.

Once outside, Kylan helped Katrina sit on a bench while Clarence bounced on her lap, her little hands patting her mother affectionately.

"Wait here," Kylan said, heading to bring the car around.

"I like sitting here in the sun," Katrina said softly, her eyes closing briefly as she enjoyed the warmth.

Kylan returned, securing Clarence in her car seat before helping Katrina into the front. "Let's get you home," he said, concern flickering across his face as he noticed her wince. "Are you okay? Do you want to go back inside?" "No," Katrina replied firmly. "I don't want to go back. Just a little sore-I'll be fine." She smiled faintly. "All I need is rest and my husband."

Kylan gave her hand a squeeze. "I can do that."

After a stop at the pharmacy for her medications, the family finally arrived home. As Kylan guided Katrina inside, she froze, her breath catching.

"It's like... nothing ever happened," she whispered.

Kylan smiled gently. "I cleaned up and had someone fix the place while you were resting."

Katrina's lips trembled into a smile. "You did an amazing job."

"Are you okay staying here?"

She nodded resolutely. "It's our home. I won't let what happened ruin that."

"That's my girl," Kylan said proudly, kissing her softly.

As Katrina settled on the sofa, Clarence toddled over with her stuffed panda. "Here, Mommy," she said sweetly. "Get better!"

Katrina hugged the panda and smiled. "Thank you, Clarence."

Clarence peppered her mother's face with kisses. "Love you, Mommy!"

"Love you too," Katrina said, feeling her heart swell with hope.

Later that afternoon, Ryan, Max and Eleanor, Harry and Emily, and Aaron and Maine arrived at the hospital. They came bearing flowers, balloons, and an assortment of gifts. Clarence ran to them, arms wide open. "Hello, sweetheart!" Aaron scooped her up, making her giggle. "How's my favorite little girl?"

"Love you, Uncle Aaron!" Clarence said, hugging him tightly.

Aaron laughed. "Love you too, little one."

Aaron smiled as Clarence hugged him tightly. "Love you too," he said warmly, kissing her forehead before carrying her over to Katrina. "Hey, sis."

Katrina smiled at the sight of her brother. "Good to see you all."

Ryan settled into the chair beside her. "How are you feeling? Though, I guess that's a silly question."

Katrina giggled softly. "It's okay. I'm doing much better, actually."

"It's such a relief to see you smiling," Ryan said, his tone tinged with emotion. "We were all so worried. It was painful to hear how badly you got hurt." He then handed her a present. "I brought you flowers, but I bet Kylan's going to give me a death glare for it." Katrina laughed lightly. "Thank you, Ryan." She carefully opened the gift, her eyes lighting up at the sight of a soft teddy bear blanket. "Oh, it's so cozy! Thank you so much."

Ryan smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I thought it'd be perfect for snuggling up while you recover. Plus, it'll come in handy when the baby arrives."

Katrina pressed the blanket to her cheek. "I'm a sucker for soft, comfy things."

Ryan chuckled. "I know-Kylan let us in on that little secret."

She turned to Kylan with a playful grin. "You told everyone what I like?"

Kylan blushed slightly and nodded. "I might've mentioned a thing or two." He then noticed Katrina giving him a teasing look. "Stop staring at me like that," Kylan muttered, his voice soft but feigned in exasperation. Katrina laughed. "You're adorable."

Max stepped forward, handing her another gift. "This one's from me."

She opened it and smiled brightly at the fluffy hoodie inside. "For comfort," Max explained.

"Oh, I love it. Thank you so much!" Katrina said.

As she continued opening gifts, she marveled at their thoughtfulness-there was even a replacement tea set for the one that had been broken. "You guys are amazing. Thank you for everything."

Isabella stepped closer, holding out a stuffed bear. "This is for you," she said with a warm smile.

Katrina took the bear and hugged it. "It's adorable. Thank you, Isabella. And thank you for holding down the fort at Kylan's work while he's been with me. You're incredible."

Isabella hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Of course. I'm glad you're recovering."

Her eyes flickered toward Clarence, who was playing with Kylan and Aaron. A pang of guilt swept over her-she hadn't intended for the little girl to get hurt.

"How's Clarence doing?" Isabella asked.

Katrina smiled softly. "She's doing really well. Her bandage should come off tomorrow. She's such a brave little girl."

"She is," Isabella said, her tone almost wistful.

Meanwhile, Ryan and the other men exchanged cautious glances. They had noticed Isabella's frequent calls and texts to Kylan when they were still back at the company and couldn't shake off their suspicions anymore. Harry, who had noticed the signs later than everyone else, leaned toward Ryan and whispered, "There's something off about her." Ryan nodded. "Agreed. She's a little too interested in Kylan's life."

Harry added, "I don't like how she looked at Katrina the last time we saw her. Like she's hiding something."

Kylan, overhearing their conversation, stepped over. "Alright, you two-what's going on?"

Harry hesitated but finally admitted, "We think Isabella's up to something. She's too invested in all this, and it's setting off alarms."

Kylan folded his arms, his gaze sharpening. "I appreciate you looking out for Katrina, but I've got it handled. Let's not jump to conclusions."

The group exchanged uneasy looks but nodded, trusting Kylan to protect his family.

"How's the investigation going?" Ryan asked when they were left alone.

Kylan frowned as he gazed at his wife surrounded by their friends. "There's no lead yet. It seems that the burglar who wanted to harm Kate disappeared in thin air. But I will catch him no matter what."

Ryan nodded. He glanced at Isabella who was standing seemingly awkward among the group. "You might want to consider our suspicions, Kylan. It's good to be vigilant around her. Even the PR move she did was suspicious."

Kylan sighed and nodded. "Alright. I will." He went to scoop up Clarence and glanced at the group. "Sorry, everyone, but Katrina's due for her medication soon, and it'll make her sleepy."

Ryan moved forward, nodding in understanding. "Alright, let's give her some rest. We'll get out of your hair." He came over and patted Katrina's head gently. "Take care, Kate. We'll see you soon."

Katrina gave each visitor a hug and a kiss goodbye-except Isabella, who declined the affection with a polite smile.

Once the house was quiet again, Kylan brought Katrina her medication and helped her lie back on the sofa. "Time to sleep," he said gently.

Katrina shook her head playfully. "Not yet."

"Why not?"

"I need a kiss first."

Kylan leaned down and kissed her softly. "Better?"

She nodded, a smile gracing her lips. "Better."

He draped the blanket Ryan had gifted over her, tucking it around her snugly. "We'll be here when you wake up. Promise."

"I love you both," Katrina murmured, her eyes already drifting closed.

"We love you too," Kylan whispered, brushing her hair back.

Clarence toddled over and kissed her mother's forehead. "Love you, Mommy."

Katrina smiled as she let sleep take over, her heart full despite the trials they'd faced. She felt a renewed sense of strength. Surrounded by her husband, daughter, and friends, she knew she wasn't alone in this fight-and that she would overcome anything for the sake of her family.

~0~0~0~

Isabella arrived at her apartment. As

soon as she got inside, she threw her bag at the wall as she couldn't hold back her anger. She went straight to her kitchen and got a glass of wine. She then sat on the couch her hand clutching a glass of wine as her free hand held her phone. She scrolled through an email from one of her "contacts." Her knuckles were white from gripping the glass too tightly, and her lips were pressed into a thin line as the reality of her failure sank in.

"She survived," Isabella hissed under her breath, her voice trembling with fury. She slammed the glass onto the coffee table, wine sloshing over the rim and staining the polished wood. "How does someone come back from that? And her of all people? That fragile, naive little-"

She stopped herself, pacing the room like a caged animal. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor, echoing in the silence. She ran a hand through her hair, yanking at it in frustration.

Dominic, her lover who had been leaning casually against the doorframe from the guestroom, decided it was time to speak. "Getting worked up won't fix this, Isabella. What's done is done."

She spun to face him, her eyes blazing. "What's done is done?" she snapped, her voice dripping with venom. "Do you have any idea how close I was? How perfect everything had to be? And now..." She gestured wildly. "Now she's back home, alive, probably playing happy family with Kylan and that brat of theirs!"

Dominic crossed his arms, unfazed by her outburst. "It's not like anyone knows you were involved. You're safe."

"Safe?" Isabella barked out a humorless laugh. "That's not the point! The point was to get rid of her-permanently. She's the only thing standing in my way, Dominic. With her gone, Kylan would be free from his ridiculous sense of obligation, and everything would be mine. Ours, if you'd show a little initiative."

Dominic raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his silence only fueling Isabella's anger.

She leaned on the couch, her manicured nails tapping against the surface as she stared at the spilled wine. "I should've handled it myself she muttered. "Relying on someone else was my mistake. Idiots can't follow simple instructions-don't hurt the child' was very clear! Now, Clarence getting hurt makes it look like some random attack instead of

a well-planned accident."

Dominic finally stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "You're losing focus, Isabella. We'll regroup, but for now, you need to stay calm. If you start spiraling, people will notice."

Isabella straightened, brushing

imaginary dust off her blazer. "You're

right," she said after a long pause, though the fire in her eyes hadn't dimmed. "I'll need to be smarter.f can't break her physically, I'll destroy her in other ways. Piece by piece, I'll take everything she holds dear. Her reputation, her family, he precious Kylan-I'll make her wish she'd never survived."

Dominic smirked slightly. "That's more like it."

Isabella downed the rest of her wine in one gulp and set the empty glass on the desk with a decisive clink. "Let her think she's won for now. But she has no idea what's coming."