Chapter 6

Sarah's POV

I was still standing there, trying to process the woman’s words when Adrian found me. His warm presence beside me broke through my thoughts.

“You wandered off,” he said, handing me a drink. His voice held a teasing edge, but his eyes softened as he studied my face. “What’s wrong?”

I hesitated, unsure if I should mention the encounter. What if it was nothing? What if she was just trying to rattle me? But the lingering unease in my chest told me otherwise.

“Nothing,” I replied, forcing a smile. “Just needed some air.”

Adrian’s gaze lingered for a moment before he nodded. “Let’s step outside. It’s quieter on the balcony.”

He led me out to a secluded terrace overlooking the city skyline. The cool night air was a welcome relief from the oppressive heat of the crowded gala hall.

“Better?” he asked, leaning against the railing.

I nodded, but my thoughts were still racing. “Adrian,” I started, deciding to test the waters. “Have you ever had someone try to come between you and your goals? You know, someone who didn’t belong but tried to make themselves part of your life anyway?”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a half-smile. “That’s oddly specific.”

I shrugged, pretending nonchalance. “Just something I’ve been thinking about.”

Adrian’s expression turned serious. “In business, people like that are a given. Everyone wants something from you. But in my personal life, well, I’ve learned to keep my circle small. Trust is hard to come by.”

His words resonated with me, but before I could reply, the balcony door opened, and a familiar figure stepped out.

It was her.

The woman in yellow sauntered toward us, her smile saccharine as her eyes flitted between Adrian and me.

“Adrian,” she purred, ignoring me completely. “I was wondering where you’d disappeared to.”

Adrian straightened, his brows furrowing. “Sophia,” he said, his tone cool and distant. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Oh, you know me,” she said, waving a manicured hand. “I couldn’t miss a Blackwood event. Always full of surprises.”

I clenched my fists at my sides, biting back a retort. Adrian’s sharp gaze flicked to me, and I saw a flicker of concern in his eyes.

“Sophia, this is my wife, Sarah,” he said, his voice firm.

Sophia turned to me with a feigned look of surprise. “Oh, you’re Sarah. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Funny,” I said, my voice laced with sarcasm. “I can’t say the same.”

Adrian’s lips twitched in what looked like suppressed amusement, but Sophia’s smile didn’t falter. “Well, I’m sure we’ll get to know each other soon enough. I’m always around.”

With that, she swept back into the gala, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.

“I’m sorry about her,” Adrian said, running a hand through his hair.

“Who is she?” I asked, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

“An old acquaintance,” he replied vaguely, his jaw tightening.

I folded my arms. “An old acquaintance who seems to think she still has a claim on you.”

Adrian stepped closer, his expression softening. “Sarah, you’re my wife—fake or not. I don’t care what she or anyone else thinks. I’m not interested in her.”

His words should have reassured me, but the nagging doubt remained. If Sophia was so confident, she must have a reason. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of her interference.

Adrian reached for my hand, his touch warm and grounding. "Sarah, you have nothing to worry about. Whatever Sophia’s trying to pull, it won’t work."

I wanted to believe him, but the unease in my chest wouldn’t go away. Sophia’s smug smile and cryptic words replayed in my mind like a broken record. I pulled my hand away gently, turning back toward the city lights.

"It’s not just her," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "It’s everything. This arrangement. Sometimes it feels like I’m in over my head."

Adrian’s brows knit together, his gaze unwavering. "I think you're perfect. Don’t let her, or anyone, make you doubt that."

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard, and for a moment, I felt the weight on my shoulders lighten. But before I could respond, the balcony door opened again, the sudden noise cutting through the quiet.

A tall man in a crisp black suit stepped out, his face unreadable under the dim terrace lights. He held a tablet in one hand and a look of urgency in his sharp eyes.

"Mr. Blackwood," the man said, his tone brisk. "We have a situation."

Adrian’s expression hardened immediately, the shift in his demeanor startling. "What kind of situation, Graham?"

The man, Graham, glanced at me briefly before lowering his voice. "It’s Sophia, sir. She’s stirring up trouble with the investors inside. Something about her being promised a place in the new deal."

My stomach sank. Of course, she wasn’t done.

Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. "Excuse me," he said, giving me an apologetic look. "I’ll handle this."

He followed Graham back inside, leaving me alone on the balcony once more. The cool night air felt heavier now, the silence oppressive.

I turned toward the railing, gripping it tightly as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. Why was Sophia so determined to insert herself into Adrian’s life, and by extension, mine? What was her endgame?

A faint noise behind me made me stiffen. It wasn’t the sound of the balcony door this time, but something softer, deliberate.

I spun around, my heart pounding.

A shadowy figure stood just beyond the terrace lights, their face obscured.

"Who’s there?" I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound confident.

The figure stepped closer, the dim light revealing a face I didn’t recognize. Their lips curved into a chilling smile.

"Mrs. Blackwood," they said softly, their tone both polite and threatening. "We need to talk."