The Tyrant's Stolen Bride-Chapter 112: Confusion and Compliment

Lyra closed the door behind her and went straight to the bathroom.

She eased herself into the bathtub, let the water close around her and lingered there far longer than she realized, completely unaware that Rowan had already returned to the room.

Rowan needed to head back to the meeting, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave without seeing her directly.

He stood outside the bathroom door, his hand lifting before stopping short. For a moment, he considered opening it, then her soft singing reached him from inside.

To him, it sounded like an attempt to soothe a wounded heart. His expression darkened as Kane’s earlier words resurfaced.

He was so lost in thought that he failed to notice when her singing stopped.

The door opened suddenly, and Lyra came into view, her face fresh and relaxed. A soft pink flushed her cheeks, the lingering warmth of the bath still clinging to her skin. A towel was wrapped around her head, and she was dressed in a robe.

Her eyes widened in slight surprise when she saw he standing there.

"Rowan, you startled me..."

She stepped closer, cupping his face with both hands, gently smoothing the furrows between his brows.

"Why do you look so worried? Did the meeting not go well?"

Rowan said nothing, simply lifting her into his arms and easing her onto his lap on the bed.

He looked at her, his gaze searching her face, as he asked, "Did she hurt you?" Concern laced his words.

"Who would hurt me?"

"Kane told me everything about Nova."

Lyra let out a small amused breath. "Oh... her?" She shook her head lightly.

"No. Well, yes, she crossed the line, but she doesn’t deserve the power to hurt me."

Her fingers tightened around his hand as she continued, "If she’s important to your business, don’t involve me."

Rowan shook his head. "She was just seeking help. She’s not important to me at all. Besides, she did something unforgivable to you."

He meant every word. Nova didn’t deserve his help.

Seeing Lyra unaffected by it all eased his mind. He slipped his arms around her waist and shifted the topic.

"So... will you join me at the meeting this afternoon?"

The words wiped the smile from her face. She shot up from his lap. "No thanks!"

Rowan reached out to catch her, but Lyra moved faster, slipping easily from his grasp.

"You might get bored waiting here, stuck in the room."

"It’s fine. I can read here. Just go, don’t worry about me."

She pushed him toward the door before he could drag her along to the meeting.

At the doorway, Rowan caught the door just as Lyra was about to close it.

"Don’t forget, we have an event tonight."

Lyra opened the door wider, blinking. "What event?"

"You don’t remember? It’s Mr. Axel’s birthday."

Lyra swallowed. Hearing Mr. Axel’s name brought back memories of how enthusiastic he’d been teaching her the day before.

Seeing the worry on her face, Rowan let out a soft chuckle. "Don’t worry. He’ll be busy entertaining the guests. Besides, I already explained everything to him about yesterday."

"He knows?" Lyra asked.

"Yes, he knows you’re not my staff."

Rowan couldn’t help but continue chuckling as he left, while her face turned pink. She felt embarrassed and knew she would have to face Mr. Axel that night.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the city lights began to sparkle. Lyra adjusted her outfit one last time, mentally preparing herself to face the very person she had lied to yesterday at his birthday party.

Whatever the case, she knew she owed him an apology for her lack of honesty.

As they arrived at the event, Rowan helped her out of the car before they made their way into the ballroom where Mr. Axel’s birthday celebration was underway.

She wore a simple dress, paired with delicate earrings and a matching necklace. Her hair was styled in a neat updo, and her face was touched with light makeup that softened her features.

Axel approached them from a distance, smiling broadly, clearly eager for her arrival. He shook Rowan’s hand first.

Then his gaze settled on her, the smile disappearing as he put on an almost exaggerated seriousness.

"Mr. Axel... happy birthday." She handed him a small box wrapped with a ribbon.

"Thanks—and anything you’d like to say?" he teased, hiding his grin.

"And... I apologize for yesterday, for pretending to be a staff member and making things confusing."

Seeing her apologetic look, he couldn’t help but laugh. It left Lyra confused, and she peeked at Rowan, who only smiled without a word.

"What apology? You were amazing. Rowan told me you’re not in the business field, but you understood quite a lot yesterday, even when you were clearly overwhelmed."

He laughed again, remembering how she had rubbed her temples the day before.

"I think you have a real talent for business, just needs a bit of polish," he added.

"Really?" Lyra raised her brows, amused by the thought, and shifted her gaze to her husband, who nodded in agreement with Axel.

Rowan leaned in just enough and said, "Mr. Axel is someone with vast experience and remarkable skill in the business world. It’s not easy for him to share his knowledge with others the way he taught you yesterday."

Axel waved it off when he heard the praise. "Not at all."

He moved closer to her, lifting a hand as if sharing a secret, and said, "Your husband isn’t any less impressive either. Just learn from him. In two years, you’ll be on the same level as him. I guarantee it."

He finished with a confident wink that left Lyra momentarily speechless.

For a moment, she wasn’t sure if they were serious or just teasing. Their tone, however, left no doubt.

In truth, she had no intention of switching careers and couldn’t understand why they were encouraging her, as if business had ever been something she cared about.

An elegant middle aged woman made her way toward them with a pleasant smile, gently interrupting the conversation.

She reached for Lyra and pulled her into a light hug.

"Now, now, let’s put business aside for the moment. We have guests waiting."