The Billionaire's Brat Wants Me Chapter 235: Saturday, Finally

I woke up to sothing warm pressing against my stomach.

At first, in that hazy half-dream space, I thought it was Duchess using as a mattress again. But Duchess doesn’t have knees digging into my ribs... or hair falling down the sides of my face... or a voice saying my na like she already knows I’m pretending to be asleep.

"Kai," Val whispered.

I kept still. Maybe if I didn’t move, she’d let —

A sharp pinch on my nose.

I shot up with a muffled, "Ow—Val!"

She burst into laughter, still sitting on my hips like she’d claid territory. "You didn’t wake up, so I had to use advanced tactics."

"That was not a tactic. That was an attack."

"Mm. Precision attack." She wiggled her eyebrows. "And effective. My target is awake."

She looked far too pleased with herself. Her hair was loose and ssy, her eyes bright like she’d been awake for hours, and she was wearing one of my shirts — which was honestly one the many unfair advantages in this marriage.

I rubbed my nose. "Was the biting necessary?"

"You closed your eyes again!" she said, poking my chest. "I saw it. You were trying to slip away. You think I’d let that happen?"

"I was blinking."

> "You blink suspiciously slow in the morning."

"Because I’m sleepy."

> "Because you’re dramatic."

I sighed, defeated, and let my head fall back on the pillow. "Five more minutes."

> "Nope."

She leaned down suddenly, pressing her forehead to mine. "We’re going out today."

I blinked. "Out?"

"Yes." She nodded with so much determination that I almost asked if this was a hostage situation. "Outside. The world. Sunshine. Trees. Human activity."

"It’s Saturday."

> "Exactly! And we are going out. Do you know when last we did anything fun?"

"Last week, maybe" I said.

She rolled her eyes and slapped my chest lightly. "See? This is what I’m talking about. We’ve both been swallowed by work. Lucien. Benjamin Otavio. The ridian project. My dad might combust from stress at any mont. And you—" she poked again, "—you’re starting to look like soone’s overworked husband."

"I am soone’s overworked husband."

"Yes, but you should at least look cute while doing it. Overworking leads to wrinkles, Kai. Wrinkles lead to old age. Old age leads to having to push you around in a wheelchair."

"That escalated fast."

She grinned proudly. "I escalate efficiently."

I stared at her for a mont — at her smile, the way she sat there like waking up by force was a perfectly normal activity, the spark in her eyes that told she was in a ridiculously good mood.

"You’re impossible," I said.

> "And yet you married ."

"Bad decision in hindsight."

She gasped. "Rude."

"I’m allowed to be rude. You bit ."

She bit her lip, fighting a smile. "If you think that was biting, your standards are weak."

"...Val."

> "Yes, husband?"

"Are you planning to let up at any point?"

She tilted her head, pretending to consider it. "Hmm... No."

I groaned. "Fine. What do you want to do today?"

"I don’t know yet," she said. "But we’re doing sothing. Sothing not related to work, or cris, or suspicious billionaires, or corporate disasters."

"All my hobbies," I said.

"Exactly why I’m saving you." She lifted a finger in the air like a commander giving an order. "We are reclaiming Saturday."

"Okay," I said, smiling despite myself. "Where do you want to go?"

She tapped her chin. "Ice-cream place? Arcade? Museum? Beach? Zoo? Road trip? Coffee shop? Mall? Bowling?"

"That’s... a lot."

> "I contain multitudes."

"I noticed."

She put both hands on my cheeks and squeezed. "Pick sothing."

"Hmm..." I thought for a mont, then said, "What about visiting Trent and Marina? It’s been a while since we saw them."

"True," she said slowly, "but I want today to be just us." She leaned in and pecked my nose — very gently this ti, probably out of guilt. "I miss having you all to myself."

My chest ward a little at that. "Alright. Just us."

"Good." She sat up straighter, triumphant. "Now list options."

"Park?"

> "Too many joggers."

"Cafe?"

> "Too many noisy teenagers."

"Bookstore?"

> "You’ll vanish to the math aisle and forget my existence."

"I do not—"

"You do," she said, patting my shoulder. "Next."

"Downtown?"

> "Too crowded."

"Movie?"

> "No. I want to talk to you."

I blinked. "You want to talk?"

> "Yes. Don’t sound so shocked. I’m delightful to talk to."

She really was.

"Mini-golf?" I suggested.

She considered it. "Maybe."

"Aquarium?"

"Ooh." She perked up. "Actually... yeah. That sounds perfect." She grinned. "We haven’t been there since college."

I felt the smile tug at my lips. "Aquarium it is."

"Good choice." She finally climbed off , pulling the blanket away. "Now get up."

I reached for the blanket, but she yanked it out of reach.

"Val."

> "No."

"It’s cold."

"It’s not. You’re dramatic." She pointed to the bathroom. "Shower. Now."

"You’re ordering around a lot today."

> "I like when you listen."

"That’s debatable."

She narrowed her eyes. "Do you want to bite you again?"

I raised both hands. "I’m going."

> "Good."

I swung my legs off the bed, stretching. "Aline’s going to think I overslept."

> "You did oversleep. It’s almost nine."

"That’s early."

"For college students, maybe."

I shot her a glare over my shoulder. She only grinned wider... then stepped forward, grabbed my wrist, and tugged.

"Shower together," she said casually.

"Val—"

> "It’ll save ti."

"That doesn’t save ti."

"It does," she insisted. "And you know it."

Every ti you say ’save ti,’ we—"

Her hand landed over my mouth before I could finish.

"No," she said firmly, eyes narrowing with mock warning. "Whatever you were about to say? No."

I pulled her hand down. "You don’t even know what I was going to say."

"Sure," she said, already pushing another step. "Now co on. Teamwork."

I couldn’t help the quiet laugh that escaped as I let her drag along.

We did shower. And no, it did not save ti.

(I won’t explain. You’re welco.)

By the ti we finished, the room already felt lighter. She got dressed in a simple white top and denim shorts, humming under her breath, occasionally stealing glances at like she was making sure I didn’t escape back to bed. I threw on sothing casual, combed my hair, and t her by the door.

She looked excited — genuinely excited — like today was so big adventure.

"Ready?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. You?"

She hooked her arm through mine. "With you? Always."

We walked downstairs together. Aline was wiping the dining table when we entered, and Duchess lifted her head from the couch, stretching like she’d been working overti instead of napping.

"Good morning, sir," Aline said. "Ma’am."

"Morning," I said.

"We’re going out," Val added proudly.

Aline smiled like she’d expected that. "Enjoy your day."

"We will," Val answered, already tugging toward the door like she was scared I’d change my mind halfway.

And honestly?

As we stepped outside, hand in hand, sun warming the porch...

For the first ti in a long while, Saturday felt like Saturday again.

And I didn’t mind at all.

---

To be continued...