Free Web NovelChapter 168: Chapter 168 Public Declaration
Sylvia’s POV
The Instagram post I’d uploaded earlier today featured a stunning sunset silhouette photo of Caesar and me locked in an intimate kiss. His chiseled profile captured perfectly against the golden backdrop had caused quite the stir online. The accompanying caption was simple yet powerful: "To address recent rumors: Yes, I found my mate. Yes, I’m happily married. No, I’ve never been involved with my sister’s fiancé."
Exhausted after a full day of damage control at Frostline Enterprises, I finally allowed myself to collapse on the sofa in Caesar’s penthouse. The company’s stock had plummeted following the scandal, and I’d spent hours in emergency meetings trying to stabilize investor confidence. My position as Miss Frost hung precariously in the balance—Alpha Astra’s ultimatum still echoing in my ears.
I heard the front door open and close, followed by Caesar’s familiar footsteps. Without opening my eyes, I felt the couch dip beside me, then his warm, strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me against his chest.
"Rough day?" he murmured, his lips brushing against my temple.
"The worst," I sighed, turning to face him. "The stock dropped nearly twelve percent. If we don’t recover soon..."
Caesar silenced my worries with a gentle kiss that quickly deepened, his tongue parting my lips with practiced ease. The familiar heat built between us as his hand slid up my spine, fingers tangling in my hair.
"You did what you had to do," he whispered when we finally broke apart. "The rest will fall into place."
I nodded, reaching for my phone. "I haven’t checked the responses to our announcement since this morning. Let’s see what the damage is."
As we scrolled through the comments together, I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the reactions.
"Your mate is absolutely gorgeous!" one comment read. "Is he an Alpha? He must be with those shoulders and that jawline!"
"Where have you been hiding him, Sylvia? That’s one hell of an upgrade from Zane Thorne!"
Caesar chuckled, his chest rumbling pleasantly against my back as I leaned into him. His obvious pride at the attention made me roll my eyes affectionately.
Then we stumbled across a thread that made my blood run cold:
"Is anyone else thinking what I’m thinking? Dark hair, commanding presence, never seen in public... Could Caesar be the Wolf King everyone’s been speculating about?"
My heart hammered against my ribs as I read the response:
"Don’t be ridiculous! The Wolf King is practically ancient—like 80 years old or something. This guy looks like he’s in his thirties."
"Well, if the Wolf King looked like THAT," another user replied, "I’d gladly be his willing slave every night in my dreams."
I felt Caesar tense behind me, though his expression remained neutral when I glanced back at him. Relief washed over me as the conversation moved on from that dangerous speculation. The thought that someone might connect Caesar to the Wolf King—even jokingly—sent shivers down my spine.
"I’m sorry I had to expose you like this," I whispered, turning to face him fully. "But it was the only way to convince everyone."
"You did what was necessary," Caesar replied, brushing a strand of hair from my face. His silver-blue eyes held mine with unwavering intensity. "I don’t mind the world knowing you’re mine."
The possessive note in his voice sent a delicious shiver through me.
As we continued scrolling, however, the comments turned increasingly hostile:
"This doesn’t make sense. If she was married all along, why did she try to seduce her sister’s fiancé?"
"Why wait days to clarify? She could have shut down the rumors immediately if this were true."
"Anyone claiming they saw her husband at the gala is lying."
"Show us proof it’s the same man from the gala! Pictures or it didn’t happen!"
I winced at the vitriol, my earlier confidence wavering. Caesar gently took the phone from my hands and set it aside. "That’s enough internet for today," he said firmly, covering my eyes with his warm palm. "Focus on me instead."
His other hand slid around my waist, pulling me closer as his lips found the sensitive spot just below my ear. "Let them talk," he murmured against my skin. "You know the truth. I know the truth. Nothing else matters." freewebnovёl.ƈom
I shivered as his teeth grazed my earlobe, my body instantly responding to his touch. "But the stock—" I began, only to be silenced by his fingers pressing gently against my lips.
"Will recover," he finished for me. "Trust me on this." frёewebnoѵēl.com
My thoughts scattered as Caesar’s hands slid beneath my blouse, his warm palms tracing paths of fire across my skin. "I can hear you thinking too hard," he whispered, nipping at my bottom lip. "Let me help you forget, just for tonight."
My wolf stirred within me, eager and wanting. The bond between us pulsed with need as Caesar lifted me effortlessly, carrying me to the bedroom.
"What if someone finds out?" I whispered against his lips as he laid me on the bed. "About you, I mean. I saw comments speculating about the Wolf King—"
"Let them speculate," he growled, his eyes flashing with primal intensity as he hovered above me. "Some secrets are better left buried." He began unbuttoning my blouse with deliberate slowness. "Besides, I’ve been hiding in plain sight for years. One Instagram post won’t change that."
I reached up to touch his face, tracing the strong line of his jaw. "Why do I feel like I still don’t really know you?"
Instead of answering, Caesar captured my mouth in a kiss so passionate it stole my breath. His hands skillfully removed my clothing piece by piece, his lips following the path of each newly exposed inch of skin.
"You know everything that matters," he whispered against my inner thigh, his breath hot against my sensitive skin. "You know how much I want you. How much I need you."
My back arched as his mouth found my center, my fingers tangling in his dark hair as waves of pleasure washed over me. Each stroke of his tongue sent lightning through my veins, building a pressure that threatened to consume me entirely.
When I was trembling on the edge, he rose above me, shedding his own clothes with fluid grace. The bond between us vibrated with shared need as our bodies joined, moving together in perfect synchrony.
"Mine," he growled against my neck, his rhythm intensifying. "Say it, Sylvia. Say you’re mine."
"I’m yours," I gasped, my nails digging into his back as the pressure built to an unbearable peak. "Always yours."
As our bodies climaxed together, I felt the mate bond pulse with brilliant intensity, binding us tighter than before.
Later, as we lay tangled in the sheets, Caesar’s fingers lazily tracing patterns on my bare back, I found myself wondering again about the comments connecting him to Vertex.
"Caesar," I murmured sleepily, "why do so many people mention seeing you at Vertex headquarters?"
His hand paused momentarily before resuming its soothing motion. "As I told you, I have business with their CEO occasionally."
"Occasionally seems like an understatement, according to those comments."
He chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest against my ear. "Perhaps I should be more discreet in my comings and goings."
I propped myself up on one elbow to study his face in the dim light. "Is there something you’re not telling me? About Vertex?"
For a moment, something vulnerable flashed in his dark eyes—so quickly I might have imagined it. Then his trademark confidence returned as he rolled us over, pinning me beneath him with a playful growl.
"There are many things I haven’t told you yet," he admitted, his voice low and seductive as his lips traced the curve of my neck. "But we have a lifetime for revelations, don’t we?"
As his mouth claimed mine once more, I surrendered to the pleasure, pushing my questions aside for another day.
