[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice-Chapter 244: The Best Man in the World

~Zayn’s POV~

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. It was Evric. I picked it up, surprised he wasn’t waiting until noon.

"Baby!" he chirped immediately.

"I’m here," I answered, already sensing his good mood.

"Do you wanna go out with me?" he asked, his voice suddenly bright and hopeful.

I chuckled. "For real?"

"Yes, baby! I want to take you out," he insisted, the desperation fading into something sweeter and more focused. "I realized yesterday that you are losing love for me because you were so harsh. And I know why."

"Oh? Why?"

He sighed dramatically. "Because the love you have for me now is too little. And it’s okay. So I have been thinking."

"You have been thinking of what?" I asked, already smiling.

"I’ve been thinking about winning you over again," he said with a playful yet mature tone. "But this time, I want to do it right—openly, romantically. I don’t have to hide who I am anymore. I don’t have to hide you anymore."

He paused, and when he spoke again, he sounded like the earnest, powerful man I fell in love with, but with a new layer of humility.

"Okay then. Can I start over? Can I try to win you over again? I want to show you that I’m a better man now, and that I can love you the way you truly deserve."

"What are you trying to say, Evric?" I asked, my voice suddenly soft.

"I’m asking you to give me a chance to prove my love to you," he said, his voice steady but full of emotion. "Let me woo you, Zayn—like it’s our first date, only better. Just give me this one chance. Don’t give up on me, baby. I’m not the same man I was before... please, say yes."

The proposal lingered in the air, a surprising turn after all the tension between us. He was asking for a fresh start, a chance to prove he’d changed by winning me back.

"Evric," I began, fighting a smile. "You are ridiculous."

"I know," he responded instantly, his voice brimming with a childlike, relieved joy. "But am I ridiculous with a date on Friday night? Say yes, baby. Say you’ll let me take you out and spoil you."

"A date?" I repeated, savoring the word. "Like, you’ll pick me up, open the door, and actually talk about something besides global finance or who I’m talking to?"

"I promise, I will be the man you want me to be," he vowed, his tone serious now, deep and firm. "I promise to treat you right and only talk about the beautiful man sitting across the table from me. Is that a yes?"

"Yes," I finally relented, letting the tension go. "Yes, Evric. I’ll let you take me out."

He let out a loud, victorious sigh. "I love you, Zayn! I’ll call you later with the details. I need time to plan a date worthy of my future husband."

And with a joyful snap, he hung up, leaving me smiling at the ceiling.

After a while of just savoring the moment, the smile slowly faded, replaced by the realization of the threat outside our bubble. I pushed myself out of bed and immediately called Evans.

"Nicki showed up last night," I briefed him, keeping my voice low and quick. "He didn’t confess, but he made two critical slips. First, he denied deleting the CCTV, screaming that someone else was involved. Second, he neither denied nor confirmed the video was fake, which only reinforces what we already knew, it was fabricated to frame Evric."

Evans listened intently. "I see."

"I’m certain now there’s an accomplice, Evans. Someone no one notices. And someone who hates me or Evric enough to risk everything."

"Understood," Evans said. "We’ll find the real face, and when we do, this will finally end."

I agreed, and after a few more conversations detailing specific instructions, the call ended.

I walked into the kitchen and started making breakfast. When Kai finally emerged, he noticed the shift immediately.

"You look ridiculously happy for a man who had a screaming match last night," Kai observed, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I replied, a renewed smile fighting its way back. "Just good news."

I didn’t elaborate. We ate our breakfast, and shortly after, we both went our separate ways for work.

True to his word, Evric called exactly at lunchtime with the details.

"Tonight at eight, baby," he announced, his voice smooth and confident. "I’m picking you up. Be ready for the most important date of our lives."

"A bit dramatic, don’t you think?" I teased.

"It is dramatic because it is real," he insisted. "Oh, and a driver should be arriving at your door in thirty minutes. You need to wear what they deliver. No arguments."

The clothing arrived promptly: a dark, custom-tailored suit that felt impossibly light and luxurious. Evric hadn’t forgotten a thing about my taste.

Getting dressed felt different tonight. In the past, we were always hiding. But as I fastened my cuffs and smoothed my lapels, I felt completely free. This time, it wasn’t about being careful, it was about proudly, openly being his. I looked in the mirror and saw something I hadn’t seen in months—a bright, hopeful happiness shining back at me.

I stepped out of my room making a final adjustment on my jacket. Kai, who was reading on the sofa, looked up and whistled low.

"Well, damn, Zayn," he said, setting his book down. "You clean up nice. It looks like you’re going to the Oscars, not just a dinner."

I rolled my eyes, feeling heat rush to my cheeks. "Shut up, Kai. He sent this over. It’s just a suit."

"A suit that makes you look like a magazine cover," Kai countered, a mischievous glint in his eye. "So, you can stop pretending this separation was some grand, strategic plan. Look at you. You’re beaming. You missed your man."

"I did not miss..." I trailed off, unable to maintain the lie as I caught my reflection again. The anticipation was too real.

Kai chuckled, standing up and walking toward me. "Oh, you totally did. And that’s okay! He’s a mess, but he’s your mess, isn’t he? You just wanted him to realize he couldn’t get away with being a spoiled dude forever."

I sighed, shaking my head but finally admitting the truth, the words a soft, shy confession. "He is the best man in the world, Kai. Even if he’s a little... over-the-top sometimes, I love him so much. I just want him to finish evolving for me. That’s all. I love my man."

Kai threw his hands up in mock surrender. "You are hopelessly in love, my friend."

The doorbell chimed then, sharp and clear.

My heart leaped.

"Go," Kai whispered, giving me a gentle shove toward the door. "Go melt your man’s brain."

I leaned closer and whispered to him one last time, He’s the best man in the world. We shared a grin and a playful, teasing "Fuck you" like only we could. I smoothed my suit one final time, took a deep breath, and went to answer the door.

I threw the door open, and there stood Evric, looking breathtaking in a complementary suit. He didn’t just rush me out. He took a purposeful step forward, his eyes drinking me in.

"You are the most beautiful sight I have ever seen," he breathed, his voice rich with sincere adoration.