LOGINShe stared at him with a confused expression plastered on her face. “I bet its because of that woman you call your finacee.” she stated.
As soon as those words came out of Veronica's mouth, Adrian began to wonder if her attitude the day before had all been part of a carefully planned act.
It suddenly made sense to Adrian. Veronica had deliberately behaved as though Evelina did not belong in their social circle, making herself appear like the victim while subtly painting Evelina
She stared at him with a confused expression plastered on her face. “I bet its because of that woman you call your finacee.” she stated.As soon as those words came out of Veronica's mouth, Adrian began to wonder if her attitude the day before had all been part of a carefully planned act.It suddenly made sense to Adrian. Veronica had deliberately behaved as though Evelina did not belong in their social circle, making herself appear like the victim while subtly painting Evelina as the outsider.In that moment, Adrian felt guilt heavier than anything he had ever experienced. He had spent his entire life despising the arrogance of wealthy people, yet without realizing it, he had slowly begun to resemble them."Why do I feel as though you planned this entire thing?" Adrian asked calmly, his sharp eyes fixed on Veronica. "Yesterday, when you were speaking to me, you intentionally ignored my fiancée, didn't you?"Veronica remained silent.She neith
In the end, both Adrian and Evelina opted for a red velvet cake for their wedding. After Evelina had told him that during her first wedding she never had a celebration or even got to choose a wedding cake because there simply wasn't one, Adrian could not help but feel guilty. For the remainder of the appointment, he became far more involved, offering his opinions on everything from the flavor and decorations to the colors and finishing details.Once they had finalized their order, the two thanked the baker before saying their goodbyes.As they stepped out of the bakery, Adrian instinctively reached for Evelina's hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.The gesture immediately drew the attention of other couples walking through the luxurious mall. Several people smiled warmly as they looked at them, believing they were witnessing a couple deeply in love.Evelina forced herself to smile, if only they knew the truth.More than anyone else, she knew e
FlashbackAdrian stood frozen as he watched his stepbrother, James, collapse onto the floor after being shot. For a split second, his mind went completely blank before instinct took over. He rushed toward James, who lay on the floor with blood pouring from his mouth after being shot multiple times in the stomach.Beads of sweat rolled down Adrian's brow as he cradled his step-brother in his arms, gently shaking him in the desperate hope that he would open his eyes. All Adrian could hear were the painful gurgling sounds escaping James's throat. Looking across the room, he saw the woman who had pulled the trigger. She was a complete mess. Her face was swollen from crying for what seemed like hours, and her trembling hands slowly released the gun, allowing it to fall onto the floor with a loud clatter.Realizing that she would be of no help, Adrian repeatedly screamed, "Somebody call 911!"
The Next DayBeaumont Urban EstatesAdrian sat through yet another board meeting as he listened halfheartedlyto the young executive explaining how well the company had been performing over the past few weeks. These were the types of meetings Adrian had always looked forward to attending. He enjoyed hearing about the company's growth and discussing future strategies. However, today was different. He found himself unable to concentrate. At best, he could only focus on half of what was being said.His eyes remained fixed on the charts projected onto the whiteboard. Various lines, graphs, and colorful shapes illustrated the company's impressive growth, yet Adrian was not truly paying attention to any of it. Across the table, Alex watched him carefully, wondering what had gotten into him. Adrian had remained in the same position for several minutes, staring blankly at one particular spot on t
While walking toward the exit, Adrian stopped when he heard his stepmother call out to him. He knew she was upset about what he had told her, but he had already made his decision. It was the best way to punish his stepbrother for humiliating his fiancée in front of everyone.He slowly turned around, only to find Beth breathing heavily, looking as though she wanted nothing more than to wrap her hands around his neck and choke him."What is it, Beth?" he asked, making it quite obvious that he was not in the mood for a conversation with her. His decision was final.All it took was one look from Beth and all the servants had scattered. No one wanted to be anywhere near her whenever she was upset.Beth finally turned her attention toward Adrian, who stood with both hands buried inside his trouser pockets. He looked at her confidently, as though he had just done a good deed."Whatever it is you want to tell me, say it quickly. I have things to do,
Adrian had spent almost the entire morning and afternoon thinking about Evelina. She had not called or sent him a single message to tell him how things had gone with his stepmother, and that alone terrified him. He knew the kind of woman his stepmother was. She enjoyed humiliating people and trampling over them because she believed her authority and wealth gave her the right to do so. Adrian also knew how soft-hearted Evelina was, and he feared that his stepmother might trample the last bit of goodness left in her.As soon as it was time for him to go home, Adrian packed up his things without any hesitation. He needed to see Evelina, and he hoped she was already home. Over the past few weeks, he had found himself growing closer to her and slowly beginning to like the idea of them as a couple. Even though he had fought against those feelings countless times, he constantly reminded himself that this was nothing more than a contract between two consenting adults.His driver unlocked the







