Intergalactic conquest with an AI

For a moment, the two of them lay there in silence, the air between them warm and peaceful. Sharon shifted slightly, her fingers brushing against his before she gently took his hand in hers. She intertwined their fingers, her thumb lightly stroking his calloused skin.

The motion was hesitant at first, as though she was working up the courage to speak. Finally, she broke the silence, her voice soft but steady. "Say... what do you think of our relationship?"

Carlos blinked, his grin fading as her words hung in the air. He turned his head to look at her, his expression thoughtful.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Sharon's green eyes met his, and for the first time that night, there was a flicker of vulnerability in her gaze. It wasn't a question she had asked lightly; it carried weight, as if she had been holding it back for far too long.

Carlos let out a small sigh, his free hand coming up to rest on his forehead as he thought. "Well..." he began, his tone softer than usual. "That's a loaded question, isn't it?"

Sharon's ears twitched nervously, and she bit her bottom lip, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. "I know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But... I need to know."

Carlos turned onto his side, facing her fully as his eyes searched hers. For once, his usual cocky demeanor was gone, replaced by something more genuine. He reached out with his free hand, tucking a straystrand of her golden hair behind her ear.

"I think..." he started, his voice steady but gentle. "That what we have is... complicated. But that doesn't mean it's not real."

Sharon blinked, her heart skipping a beat at his words. "Complicated how?"

Carlos chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, for starters, we're from completely different worlds. You're a bigshot, someone important, someone with a future already laid out for them. Me? I'm just a guy trying to survive, patching up machines and shooting things when I have to."

Sharon frowned slightly, her ears drooping. "That doesn't mean it can't work."

Carlos smiled, his thumb brushing against her hand. "No, it doesn't," he agreed. "But it does mean we'll have to figure it out. Together."

Sharon's eyes widened slightly, and her cheeks flushed once more. "Together?" she echoed, her voice soft.

Carlos nodded, his smile growing. "Yeah. Together. Because, Sharon..." He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully. Then, with a small chuckle, he added, "You're kind of stuck with me now."

Sharon let out a laugh, her nervousness melting away as she rested her head on his chest. "I guess I can live with that," she said, her voice teasing but affectionate.

Carlos wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. "Good," he said, his tone light again. "Because I'm too lazy to try and win you over all over again."

Sharon giggled, her tail swishing lightly against the bed. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly at ease. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she knew she wouldn't be facing them alone.

As Sharon rested in Carlos's arms, feeling the warmth of his presence, she found herself growing more at ease. The vulnerability she felt around him was terrifying but also freeing. It was a sensation she'd never experienced before. And so she decided it was time to come clean.

"Carlos," she said softly, her voice almost trembling. "I really love you. You're... really special to me, so I don't want to hide anything from you."

Carlos shifted slightly, gazing at her with curious but gentle eyes. "Mmm? What is it?" he asked, his tone calm but attentive.

Sharon bit her lower lip, hesitating for a few seconds before finally speaking. "I'm the daughter of one of Nexum Dynamics' viceroys," she said slowly, the weight of her confession hanging heavily in the air.

Carlos raised an eyebrow but didn't seem particularly fazed. "Mmm, I see," he said, nodding slightly. "But... what's a viceroy?"

Sharon blinked, caught off guard by the simplicity of his question. "They're... the high executives of the company," she explained. "They're basically second only to the CEO."

"Ah, now that makes sense," Carlos said, rubbing the back of his head nonchalantly. "I already knew you were a rich lady, so it's nothing new. Was that what was making you so uneasy? Because, honestly, it's not that big of a secret."

Sharon stared at him, her golden eyes wide with disbelief. "No," she said nervously, shaking her head. "That's not all."

She let out a heavy sigh, her gaze dropping to her lap as she fidgeted with her fingers. Finally, she gathered the courage to speak again. "Since my father is a viceroy... I was chosen to marry the CEO of Nexum Dynamics. We've been married for five years already." Her voice grew quieter with each word, and she couldn't bring herself to look at Carlos.

Carlos tilted his head slightly, blinking in mild surprise. "Oh," he said after a moment, scratching his cheek.

But before he could say anything else, Sharon quickly added, her voice laced with panic, "Please don't misunderstand! I don't love him or anything. It was all my father's orders; it had nothing to do with me! Even though I was expected to give him an heir, but every time we..." She hesitated, her face flushing with shame. "Every time we did it, I always took a pill so I wouldn't get pregnant."

Her voice cracked slightly, and her green eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. She felt the weight of her shame pressing down on her, but before she could spiral further, Carlos pulled her into a firm hug.

"Hey," he said softly, his arms wrapping around her protectively. "It's okay."

Sharon froze for a moment before burying her face in his chest, her tears finally spilling over.

Carlos gently stroked her back, his voice steady as he continued. "To be honest with you, Sharon, I already found out who you were after a while. As you know, we're not exactly'simple folks' either."

He paused, feeling a bit awkward as he prepared to share his own confession. "And, well, I have something to confess too."

Sharon tilted her head up slightly, her teary green eyes meeting his. "What is it?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Carlos let out a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Well," he began, "we've been at... let's call it 'war' with Nexum Dynamics for years now. And, uh... being completely honest with you, cucking the boss of our enemies felt way better than blowing up one of their supply convoys." Discover hidden content at empire

He laughed awkwardly, his brown eyes glancing at her nervously to gauge her reaction.

For a moment, Sharon just stared at him, her tears forgotten as her brain processed what he had just said. Then, to Carlos's surprise, a small laugh escaped her lips.

"Oh, but don't misunderstand me!" Carlos quickly added, his tone earnest. "I really like you, Sharon. The first time I spoke with you, I had no idea who you were. So, rest assured, I'm not using you or anything. This..." He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "This is real, for me."

Sharon's heart swelled at his words, and she smiled softly as she wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks. "It's okay," she said quietly, her voice steadier now. "I trust you, Carlos."

She nestled closer to him, her head resting against his chest as she intertwined her fingers with his. The warmth of his touch grounded her, and for the first time in years, she felt truly safe.

But then Sharon's expression grew serious again, and she tightened her grip on his hand. "There's also... something else I have to say," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Carlos's eyes narrowed slightly, his thumb brushing against her hand in a soothing gesture. "Alright," he said gently. "Take your time."

Sharon hesitated for a moment, her cat ears drooping as she struggled to find the right words. Whatever she was about to say, Carlos could tell it was something that weighed heavily on her. He waited patiently, giving her the space she needed.

Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up at him, her green eyes filled with a mix of fear and determination. "Carlos... there's something about the CEO that you need to know."

"And what would that be?" Carlos asked, his playful tone gone, replaced by a steady seriousness. His brown eyes focused on Sharon, his expression unreadable but attentive.

Sharon hesitated, biting her lower lip as her cat ears twitched nervously. Her green eyes darted down to their intertwined hands before she finally gathered the courage to speak.

"The CEO..." she began, her voice trembling slightly. "He pretty much wants to get rid of me."

Carlos's eyebrows furrowed slightly, his grip on her hand tightening in silent support. "Why?"

Sharon let out a shaky breath, glancing at Carlos before continuing. "Because he can't handle me. He likes his girls to be obedient, submissive, and, most importantly, head over heels in love with him. You know, the kind that worships the ground he walks on."

She scoffed lightly, the bitterness in her voice clear. "But as you can probably guess, I'm none of those things. I'm... me."

Carlos raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet, letting her continue.

"I've always defied him," Sharon admitted. "Every time I was forced to be around him, I made it as unbearable for him as possible. I'd escape to luxury cruisers or parties whenever I could, anything to avoid spending time with him. I think that's probably why....."