Forbiddenly Bound To You
Chapter 92: Silent Longings

Chapter 92: Silent Longings

The saleswoman’s eyes sparkled with amusement, and Mira could barely suppress her laughter.

"Absolutely!" she replied, embracing the moment. This shopping trip turned out to be more fun than she had expected, and it made her heart feel warm, something she hadn’t felt in a while.

After they finished shopping, James had already loaded everything into the car. Before they drove back, Lily and Mira giggled as Lily repeated the lady’s words, mimicking her playful tone. It was actually funny, and Lily felt relieved that Mira was no longer looking sad.

Lily noticed the genuine happiness on Mira’s face and smiled to herself. "We’ll start the decorations after you get back from the hospital," Lily said, her tone light and cheerful. Mira’s smile grew gentle, and her heart fluttered at the thought. She was grateful for Lily’s constant presence during this difficult time.

After the drive, the car came to a smooth stop in front of the mansion. Mira stepped out, feeling a calmness wash over her, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. She breathed in deeply, her hand gently resting on her baby bump, and allowed herself to simply enjoy the peace.

"I’ll be going now, Mimi. Bye!" Lily called out cheerfully from the car window, waving at her with an infectious energy. Mira’s smile widened further—Lily had started calling her "Mimi" this past month, and the nickname had grown on her.

It was special. Apart from her late parents and grandpa, no one else had ever called her by that name. Now, Lily had become the only other person to use it, and it made Mira feel an overwhelming sense of happiness, something she thought she’d lost for good.

"Okay, bye," Mira replied, giving a small wave before stepping into the mansion.

Once inside, Nana greeted her and informed her that dinner was already ready. Mira smiled gratefully, feeling the day’s emotions catch up with her. She sat down to eat, but this time, something felt different. Her mind wasn’t racing with the usual anxious thoughts that always seemed to consume her during meals. Instead, there was a surprising sense of calm that settled over her, and it left her feeling a bit shocked. She couldn’t help but wonder why she felt this sudden peace.

Was it the baby’s first kicks that reassured her? The excitement of the upcoming baby shower and the gender reveal? Or perhaps it was Zamian finally calling her for the first time in months? It had been so long since she’d heard his voice that soft and reassuring though it had always been soft but today was just different for some reason, and that brief call had stirred feelings she hadn’t realized were still there.

But what was the real reason behind her sense of peace? Mira decided not to dwell on it too much. After finishing her meal, she made her way to her bedroom to unwind. Nana had already prepared her bath, and the warm water was waiting for her. She undressed and sank into the soothing bath, letting the warmth ease her muscles and relax her tense body.

Once she was done, she slipped into a comfortable, baggy, white silky nightwear, the soft fabric brushing gently against her skin. Recently, she had noticed many changes in her body—her breasts had grown larger, her belly more pronounced, and her skin seemed to glow in a way that was distinctly new to her. Of course, all of this was due to the pregnancy, but each change still surprised her.

As she padded over to the bed, she grabbed her laptop from the nightstand and decided to unwind by watching the final season of Keep the Talk with Granny, a reality show she had grown fond of over the past few months. The show followed elderly couples as they shared advice on life and love. Recently, Mira had found herself envying older couples. They seemed to have a deep understanding of each other, a bond forged through years of companionship. She often wondered how they managed to keep their relationships strong for so long.

The show began, and Mira silently watched, her mind wandering to thoughts of Zamian and how distant their relationship had become. But one particular question posed by the host caught Mira’s attention and pulled her back to the screen.

"So, Gran Gran, could you please tell us the secret to a long-lasting relationship?" the host asked, leaning in with clear curiosity.

The elderly woman chuckled softly, her eyes lighting up with warmth and wisdom. "I would say communication," she answered, her voice steady and filled with the weight of experience.

Mira’s body tensed slightly, her attention fully captured. Communication? She hadn’t thought about it much, but the more she listened, the more it seemed to make sense.

The woman continued, "Good communication helps. It may not be the only reason, but it’s definitely one of the most important factors people tend to overlook in relationships. If you and your partner get into an argument, you both need to settle it. I feel that’s one of the main reasons relationships fall apart."

Mira sat there in silence, the words echoing in her mind. Was that what was happening to her and Zamian? Were they slowly falling apart because they hardly communicated anymore? Their phone calls had grown less frequent, and with each passing day, it seemed like they were slipping further away from each other. The realization hit her harder than she expected. But could today’s call with him truly make up for all those previous times when their conversations felt more like obligations?

After the show ended, Mira closed her laptop and placed it on the bedside table. She laid back, staring at the ceiling for a long moment. Her mind swirled with thoughts of Zamian, their relationship, and the baby. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she whispered into the quiet of the room, "I hope he’s safe."

With that, she closed her eyes and let sleep slowly claim her.

---

Meanwhile, Zamian sat at his desk, still immersed in work after the long meeting. He had eaten a little earlier, but quickly returned to his office, burying himself in more tasks. It had become a routine—drown himself in work to avoid thinking about everything else.

John, had just received another report from James. Normally, reports only came at the end of the week, so receiving two in one day had caught him off guard. He had planned to inform Zamian about it tomorrow, but seeing how focused his boss was, John decided to bring it up today. Perhaps it would remind Zamian that he needed to rest—though he knew getting Zamian to slow down was nearly impossible.

Clearing his throat, John tried to catch Zamian’s attention. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, as Zamian was intensely focused on the documents before him.

"Mrs. Mira..." John began hesitantly, but stopped immediately as Zamian’s sharp gaze flickered towards him. His eyes were cold, sending a clear warning. Zamian didn’t like hearing his wife’s name spoken so casually, especially by someone that is not him.

"I... I mean, Mrs... your wife’s report... has just been sent," John stammered, quickly correcting himself under Zamian’s intense stare.

"Go on," Zamian said, his voice impatient and low.

John swallowed nervously and continued, " The baby shower will be celebrated tomorrow night, It seems your wife was sad this afternoon when she arrived at the baby mall... because you weren’t with her."

Zamian’s eyes widened slightly, though his expression remained unreadable. John, oblivious to the growing tension in the room, continued, "But you don’t have to worry. Miss Lily took good care of her. In fact, she did so well that even the shop attendants thought they were dating... even called them a couple."

John had become so engrossed in recounting the details that he failed to notice the darkening of Zamian’s expression. This wasn’t the kind of report his boss would take lightly, but John had been so curious about the situation that he had forgotten to edit out the parts that could irritate Zamian.

"Also—"

"SHUT UP!" Zamian thundered, his voice booming across the office.

John froze, his heart pounding in his chest. It was only then that he realized the grave mistake he had made by reading the entire message verbatim. Normally, he would cut out the parts he knew would anger Zamian, but today he hadn’t. Sweat began to form on his brow as he silently cursed James for not filtering the message better. Now he was going to take the full brunt of Zamian’s wrath.

"What couple?" Zamian asked, his voice cold and dangerous, leaving no room for hesitation.

"Um... they, I mean... s-she thought they were in a relationship..." John stammered, his mind racing. What was he supposed to do now? He didn’t want to be on Zamian’s bad side. No one wanted that.

Zamian’s face darkened further. His irritation was palpable. "Who is she?" he asked, his tone sharp.

John’s body shook slightly. Oh no, the saleswoman had unknowingly put herself into trouble. But it wasn’t her fault—it was James’s fault for sending the report in this way, and partly his fault for reading it aloud without thinking.

Before he knew it, Zamian’s cold, ruthless voice cut through the air. "Get her fired."