CHAPTER 04

Adrian’s POV:

Last night, I was at Miracle Club, with a mask and goggles covering my face.

While I was sipping on a cocktail, the waitress on the other side of the table kept asking if I had any special plans for the night.

I ignored her and waited until one man came and sat next to me.

He was not as tall as me. Not as rich or handsome, either.

But he had somehow captured the heart of the girl I had longed for.

He was Ryan Miller.

He saw the cocktail glasses in front of me and said, “Can I take one?”

I nodded.

He finished it one go and ticked his tongue a few times. “Tomorrow is going to be a big day in my life.”

“Why?” I calmly asked, taking a sip of alcohol.

“I’m going to get a promotion and become the vice manager of the company,” he smiled. “My salary is going to go from 70K to 115K. Can you imagine that?”

“That’s a big jump.”

“It wasn’t easy. I had to sleep with my boss’ wife whenever she wanted,” he responded.

I was surprised enough that I wasn't able to swallow the wine for a few seconds. “I don’t get it. How would you get a promotion if you slept with your boss’ wife? Shouldn’t it be the opposite?”

“No, my boss is the manager, but his wife is the CEO of the company,” Ryan added.

“Oh…” I put the pieces together. “Are you planning on marrying your boss’ wife then?”

Ryan seemed surprised for a second. “You…” he looked at me for a good few seconds. “How did you figure out my intentions?”

I raised my eyebrows and said, “It was quite predictable to me, though.”

“Hahaha,” he laughed and jovially slapped my shoulder once. “Actually, I have a girlfriend. She’s a real beauty. I was planning on marrying her, but now I see a brighter future with my boss’ wife.”

“Mm… I wouldn’t trust a promiscuous woman if I were you,” I warned him.

“Who isn’t promiscuous these days?”

“This girlfriend you talked about…” I looked at him, “do you think she’s promiscuous, too?”

“Of course. She acts all innocent, honest and hardworking, but I don’t think she’s a virgin,” Ryan snorted. “And I bet that she slept with someone in the past year or so that I came to know her.”

“What makes you say that?”

“C’mon, it’s impossible for anyone to not fuck her boyfriend for an entire year if she wasn’t doing it with someone else. She must be relieving her stress somehow. That’s what boyfriends are for, right?”

He expectantly looked at me, probably hoping I’d nod.

I took out a couple hundred dollar bills, put them on the table and walked away.

“You haven’t answered me,” Ryan asked.

“You already seem to know everything, so my answer wouldn’t change anything,” I said and left the bar.

Back to the present.

“Give me a chance… Elena,” I asked, trying my best to not sound hesitant.

“A-A chance?” she paused.

I could see her eyes and tell that the memories of the past were probably playing in her mind right now.

‘“How did you find me?” she added. “Were you following me?”

“No, but I think you did the right thing by breaking up with your boyfriend,” I said. “Yesterday, I met him in a bar, and he talked about how he was sleeping around with his boss’ wife and how marrying her would change his life.”

Elena covered her mouth in shock.

“He was only after your body,” I voiced my mind. “He was probably never in love with you.”

Her expression changed. Anger suddenly filled her eyes.

“My bad. I spoke too much,” I softly said, “but… surely, he’s an opportunistic fellow. And I’m glad you found out his true side.”

I saw her throat tightening. “I don’t need help.”

“Maybe,” I stated softly, “you don’t, but I couldn’t just watch and do nothing.”

She crossed her arms, trying to hold herself together, as though the walls of the alley were narrowing and pressing on her.

Then she said, “Did my father send you?”

“No,” I calmly responded with certainty. “He doesn’t know I’m here,” I added after a pause. “This is my decision.”

My words seemed to unsettle her more than if I had admitted the truth.

“Why?” she raised her voice a little, almost demanding an answer. “Why now? After all these years…”

“I couldn’t forget you,” I said, to which her lips pressed together.

“I’m not going back home.”

“I will give you home,” I responded quickly.

Her eyes briefly froze.

“I don’t need your help. I can live on my own,” she blurted with mild annoyance.

“At least let my bodyguard Jericho stay with you,” I told her.

“Huh? I don’t need a babysitter.”

“You are mistaking protection for control,” I responded.

“My dad forced me to marry a playboy for his own benefit, but he said it was for my protection,” she retorted. “You sound just like him. You want to monitor me with the help of your bodyguard and get closer to me, right? Isn’t that your plan?”

I took in a deep breath, acting unhurt by her words. “The last thing I want for my woman, for you, to feel bad because of me. So many women approach me every day, but I’m here now… standing before you in this alley that has a suffocating stench of pastries and cinnamon. I’m not pressuring you to go back to your home or to hold my hand immediately. I will wait for you… again… if that’s what you want.”

And I saw her eyes wavering.