Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime
Chapter 110: What Did Cassius Do?

Chapter 110: What Did Cassius Do?

The apartment was quiet, filled only with the soft clinking of spoons against porcelain and the occasional gentle exhale of steam from their cups.

Kendrick and Zephany sat side by side at the small wooden dining table, sipping tea in the kind of peaceful silence that had become rare lately.

The aroma of ginger and honey hung lightly in the air, a comfort after a day of bland hospital food and buzzing monitors. The warmth of the tea seeped into their hands and eased the lingering exhaustion in their bones.

Just as Zephany lifted her cup for another sip, both their phones buzzed simultaneously, slicing through the calm like a blade. The sudden noise startled them. Zephany flinched, almost spilling her tea. Kendrick jerked slightly, his mug tapping loudly against the saucer.

They both blinked and looked at their phones.

Kendrick frowned lightly. "It’s my mom," he muttered.

Zephany looked down at her own phone. "Pia messaged me," she said quietly.

Kendrick glanced at her, lips twitching as if he wanted to say something. Instead, he just gave a small sigh and turned his attention to the screen. Rather than stepping away, he stayed in his seat. He had a good guess about what was coming. If his mom called now, she would definitely ask about Zephany.

He tapped the screen and put the phone on speaker.

"Kenny?" Christy’s voice crackled through the speaker, bright and familiar. "Are you back now? Where’s Zephany?"

Zephany’s eyes widened a bit at hearing her name. Kendrick rubbed the back of his neck and replied, "Yes, we’re home now. Zeph is here with me."

Zephany smiled shyly. She hadn’t expected Christy to ask about her so soon. She picked up her cup again and took another slow sip of tea, hiding her small grin behind the rim.

Kendrick also lifted his mug, taking a sip while his mother kept chatting away.

"Oh good," Christy said with a pleased tone. "I was worried when neither of you replied. But I figured maybe you were just... busy."

Kendrick frowned slightly, not sure what she meant by that. Zephany, too, tilted her head a little, glancing at him.

Then Christy’s next words hit like a thunderclap.

"So? How was the honeymoon? A whole week just the two of you, enjoying your time. Will I finally have grandkids? Hmm?"

Kendrick nearly choked on his tea, coughing into his sleeve as his face turned bright red.

Zephany froze mid-sip, blinking rapidly as her face went completely pink. She gently placed her cup down, now very aware of how warm her cheeks felt.

They looked at each other in disbelief. For a few seconds, neither said anything. Just stunned silence. The realization dawned on both of them slowly but clearly.

Oh. So that’s why no one contacted them.

That was what Cassius told everyone. That they were on a honeymoon vacation.

And everyone believed it. Everyone left them alone, thinking it was romantic and respectful to give the newlyweds their space.

Zephany rubbed her fingers nervously over the ceramic cup, her shoulders slightly hunched. "I... I guess that makes sense now," she whispered, eyes not meeting Kendrick’s.

Kendrick nodded slowly. "Yeah. That damn Cassius," he muttered under his breath.

Honestly, it was the perfect cover. But still. Why honeymoon of all things?

They could both only reluctantly accept it for now. Telling their families that they had been hospitalized for collapsing from overwork would only worry them more. And besides, they had recovered. There was no point in stirring concern.

Still, the word "honeymoon" echoed between them like a bell that wouldn’t stop ringing.

Kendrick tried to speak but tripped over his own words. "M-Mom, stop asking that. I’m hanging up."

Before Christy could reply, he quickly tapped the screen, ending the call. His hand stayed hovering over the phone for a moment, as if contemplating whether to throw it out the window.

On the other side of the line, Christy blinked as the call ended. Then she chuckled softly to herself, shaking her head.

"Oh, Kenny. You’re feeling shy now?" she mused aloud with a smirk. "You just proudly messaged me last week that you were going on a honeymoon vacation with your wife. And now you’re all flustered? Hmm..." She giggled, her fingers resting on her cheek as she imagined his embarrassed expression. "Looks like I really will be a grandma soon."

Back in the apartment, silence settled again.

Zephany kept her gaze fixed on the tabletop. Her hands were now gripping her teacup tightly, and she could feel the heat rising all the way to her ears. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kendrick, equally red-faced, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

Neither of them dared to speak first.

Kendrick finally cleared his throat. "Well. That... happened."

Zephany laughed nervously, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah. Honeymoon, huh."

"I swear I didn’t tell her that," Kendrick said quickly. "Cassius must’ve—"

"I know," she interrupted, still not quite meeting his eyes. "It’s just... unexpected."

There was an awkward pause. Then they looked up at the same time, meeting each other’s gaze.

Something shifted.

Neither of them could explain it, but suddenly, as their eyes locked, there was this strange flutter. Like they were seeing each other for the first time. Maybe it was the soft light pouring in through the window, or maybe it was the way their flushed cheeks made them look somehow gentler.

Zephany blinked and looked away first, biting her lower lip. "You, um... you look different today," she murmured.

Kendrick tilted his head. "Different?"

"Not in a bad way. Just..." She waved her hand vaguely. "More... I don’t know. Handsome."

Kendrick looked genuinely taken aback. Then he chuckled softly. "That’s the tea talking."

Zephany shrugged, her smile small but honest. "Maybe. Or maybe I just never really looked at you properly."

Kendrick’s heart did a small leap he wasn’t expecting. He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached for the teapot and refilled her cup, then his own.

"Well," he said quietly, "you look beautiful, too."

Zephany’s hand froze on the handle of her cup.

"I mean, not that you didn’t before," he added quickly, stumbling over his words. "It’s just... different now. I don’t know. Maybe I’m still dazed from the hospital."

She laughed softly. "Maybe we’re both just delirious."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Let’s blame it on Cassius."

They both laughed then, a little too loudly, but it felt good to laugh. The tension melted just a bit.

"I still can’t believe he told them we were on a honeymoon," Zephany said, taking another sip of tea. "I’m never going to live that down."

Kendrick shook his head. "Neither will I. Mom’s probably already crocheting baby socks."

Zephany covered her face with her hands. "Don’t even joke about that."

"I’m not joking," Kendrick said. "She’s fast. I give her three days before she sends a photo."

Zephany groaned into her hands, then peeked through her fingers. "If Pia hears about this, I’m doomed."

"She probably already knows," Kendrick said with a wince.

They looked at each other again, and this time, the laughter that bubbled up was genuine.

The moment stretched between them, quiet but warm. Despite the awkwardness, despite the embarrassment, there was something else blooming beneath the surface. A familiarity that wasn’t there before. A comfort that came not from pretending to be a couple, but from actually getting to know each other through the chaos and quiet alike.

They didn’t say anything more for a while. They just sat there, sipping their tea, occasionally stealing glances at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking.

And somewhere beneath all that silence, the countdown continued.

[136 Days Left to Live]