Page 57 of Claws and Controllers

“It’s over,” Zy murmured into her hair. “You’re safe now. We both are.”

Ellie pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze. “Zy, what are we going to do about the code? My game...”

To her surprise, a soft smile played at the corners of Zy’s mouth. “Ellie, I love you. And I want you to be my wife – not just my mate, but Mrs. Ashford in every sense of the word.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “What? Zy, we’re already mated. Why?—”

He silenced her with a gentle kiss. “Because I want the world to know that you’re mine, and I’m yours. In business and in life.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I love you too, Zy. But the code?—”

“Is yours,” he finished. “There’s no such thing as proprietary information between husband and wife, right? What’s mine is yours, including that code.”

The weight of his words hit her, and Ellie felt her knees go weak. “Zy, you can’t... that’s your company’s intellectual property. I can’t ask you to?—”

“You’re not asking,” he said firmly. “I’m giving it to you. Your game, our future – they’re one and the same now.”

Overwhelmed by the magnitude of his gesture, Ellie buried her face in his chest, letting the tears flow freely. In the span ofa single night, she had nearly lost everything, only to gain more than she ever thought possible.

TWENTY-THREE

Zy stood at the head of the ornate dining table in his parents’ Upper East Side mansion, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his family. The room buzzed with a nervous energy, a stark contrast to the usual warmth and laughter that filled their weekly Sunday dinners. Tonight was different. Tonight, everything had changed.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Zy began, his voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside him. “I know you’re wondering why I’ve called this meeting, and I promise I’ll explain everything.”

He felt Ellie’s presence at his side, a source of strength he hadn’t realized he’d been missing all these years. Her small hand slipped into his, and he gave it a gentle squeeze before continuing.

“First, I’d like to introduce you all to Ellie Madden,” Zy said, his tone softening as he looked at her. “She’s not just my business partner or my girlfriend. Ellie is my mate, and soon, she’ll be my wife.”

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Zy’s mother, Mara, was the first to react, her eyes sparkling with joy as she rose from her seat.

“Oh, my darling boy!” she exclaimed, rushing to embrace them both. “I knew it! I just knew when I saw you two together that she was the one.”

Zy’s father, Tarian, remained seated, but a rare smile graced his usually stoic features. “Well done, son,” he said with a nod of approval.

As the initial excitement settled, Zy’s brother Azure spoke up, his brow furrowed with concern. “Not that I’m not thrilled for you both, but I’m guessing there’s more to this impromptu family gathering than just announcing your engagement?”

Zy nodded grimly. “You’re right, Az. I’m afraid I have some difficult news to share.” He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what came next. “Corbett is dead.”

The room fell silent, shock evident on every face. Zy’s youngest sister, Aria, let out a small gasp. “What? How?”

“I killed him,” Zy said, his voice heavy with the weight of his actions. “He left me no choice.”

Over the next hour, Zy recounted the events of the past few weeks – the stolen code, the plot against both his and Ellie’s companies, and the final confrontation that had ended in tragedy. As he spoke, he watched the expressions of his family members shift from disbelief to anger to sorrow.

“Corbett was working with Ellie’s ex-husband, Grant,” Zy explained. “Their plan was to sabotage both our companies, using stolen proprietary information. When we confronted them, things... escalated.”

His father, Tarian, leaned forward, his eyes sharp. “And you’re certain there was no other way?”

Zy met his father’s gaze steadily. “He attacked first, shifting and going for my throat. I defended myself and Ellie. It was him or us.”

A heavy silence fell over the room as the family processed this information. Mara broke it, her voice gentle but firm.

“You did what you had to do to protect your mate and our family’s legacy,” she said. “Corbett made his choices, as painful as they are for us all.”

Zy felt a wave of relief wash over him at his mother’s words. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed to hear them until that moment.

“Thank you, Mother,” he said softly. “I want you all to know that moving forward, Ellie’s safety and well-being will be my top priority. She’s part of this family now, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her and our future together.”

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